Motorcycle 12V power outlet options?

[Ohendo]

Thanks guys, I'll check out both of your suggestions after work today.

 

[hattu345]

If you remove the left side plastic, there are a few options for drawing power. The connectors for the registration plate light are easily accessible and use the standard 5mm plugs. You connect the cable in parallel with the same type of 5mm connectors, so you won't have to cut any wires and you can restore it to original.
I use a 12V outlet with a USB converter and I can charge the phone, iPad and run the GPS.

 

[abynormal]

I have fitted this option on both FZ6's

Prise de courant allume cigare | Equip'Moto

On all the bikes they are directly connected to the battery, they have a build in-line fuse which I placed a close to the battery as possible...if they are waterproof remains to be seen. They seem waterproff when not in use...when in use I believe they would allow water in. I am not to concerned about it.









On the CBF whe used a different set-up...

 

[Ohendo]

That socket looks like the same one I have on my bike. I purchased it from West Marine. Good quality.

The deal with your GPS may be the plug is making contact in the car receptacle but is not contacting on the bike receptacle. The bike receptacle may have a little larger diameter.
Check the ground contacts on your GPS plug. They may not be touching the internal ground on the bike receptacle. Some have spring metal that can loose the shape. You can gently pry the metal outward a little and make contact again.
The car socket may be smaller and closes the spring metal again. Maybe get one for the car and one for the bike?

Finally got around to checking everything out today. Multimeter showed a good 11.5 VDC at the outlet. Never thought to check my inline 10A fuse since I had good power, but I pulled it anyway. Never saw this before: the fuse had blown, but the pieces of metal visable through the fuse were still laying close enough to allow arcing. Multimeter on the fuse was alternating between an open and .5 ohms rapidly. Changed the fuse and voila, everything's fine again.
Should have checked the simple things first! Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[Motogiro]

Finally got around to checking everything out today. Multimeter showed a good 11.5 VDC at the outlet. Never thought to check my inline 10A fuse since I had good power, but I pulled it anyway. Never saw this before: the fuse had blown, but the pieces of metal visable through the fuse were still laying close enough to allow arcing. Multimeter on the fuse was alternating between an open and .5 ohms rapidly. Changed the fuse and voila, everything's fine again.
Should have checked the simple things first! Thanks for your suggestions.

Great job!

Incandescent bulbs also can do that. The filament blows then re welds itself. Eventually failing completely....
What rating was the fuse?

 

[Ohendo]

Great job!

Incandescent bulbs also can do that. The filament blows then re welds itself. Eventually failing completely....
What rating was the fuse?

It was a 10A. I'm sure the fuse blowing was my own fault, since I've got my outlet wired directly to the battery. I have it mounted on the left inner faring panel like others have done, so whenever I take that panel off I have to disconnect the outlet. I probably shorted the connectors together at some point.
Need to consider wiring the outlet to a switched power source.

 

[Motogiro]

It was a 10A. I'm sure the fuse blowing was my own fault, since I've got my outlet wired directly to the battery. I have it mounted on the left inner faring panel like others have done, so whenever I take that panel off I have to disconnect the outlet. I probably shorted the connectors together at some point.
Need to consider wiring the outlet to a switched power source.

If you're just going to do your GPS and phone you can tap into the low beam (left side) black with green tracer wire. Definitely use a lower rated fuse in this case like a 3 amp. This circuit will only come on once the engine is started and will shut off when the key is turned off. If you hit the kill switch after the engine has been running but don't turn of the key the circuit will remain live as the headlamps would still be on. I would rather not run off this circuit just for the safety factor in case you fouled up and shorted this circuit because of the headlights. Another easy place to tap is the red with a white tracer wire located on the plug to your starter relay locate on top of your battery. This wire is active when the ignition key is in the on position. Again only for low current devices. The best way is to run direct off the battery using a relay as a slave. This way you can run higher current, heater grip, air compressor devices more safely as they are also isolated from other circuits on the bike. There's more info on the link in my signature.