Mini USB wiring harness

[Ironbutt]

+1

You'll have to work on the mounting, wiring routing and weather resistant details but it's doable.

Here's my setup.. I picked up the power thing from Kragen, it has a cap and it's weather proof.. Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[Razel]

If your GPS unit takes USB power, it probably is 5 volts or so. I could be wrong, but look into a transformer.

Uh...no. Wrong.
Transformers are used to change voltages in AC power systems. USB and the motorcycle power are DC. Plugging in a transformer into a DC power system to change voltage will do nothing but blow fuses and melt wires.

 

[Entoptic]

Here's my setup.. I picked up the power thing from Kragen, it has a cap and it's weather proof.. Necessity is the mother of invention.

You could really clean that up with something from

www.gpscity.com

 

[Skarthi]

I'm pretty sure USB needs to at 5 volts* to the device, best check that because if you let the smoke out running 12-14 volts, electronics stop working (unless you can out the smoke back in).


edit: Indeed, it is 4.75-5.25v

That happened to me once. I only got about half of the smoke back in. The damn thing never worked right after that.

 

[Sane_Man]

Why not get a cigarette lighter receptacle for your bike, then use a cigarette lighter adapter for your GPS? That would take care of your connection *and* the 12v to 5v conversion. I've seen receptacles sold a for bikes that either connect directly to a battery or to a standard motorcycle SAE power adapter. I bet California Sport Touring would have one but there are probably tons of places on-line too.

Yes, he needs a powerlet kit on his bike.

You can just buy the outlet portion for $10 and make your own wiring harness if you want to go cheap. I have this on my bike to power my GPS, cell phone, or any other device such as a heated vest. I have a dual pigtail for my SAE connector, so I can use the cigarette adapter with the USB connector on it.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Uh...no. Wrong.
Transformers are used to change voltages in AC power systems. USB and the motorcycle power are DC. Plugging in a transformer into a DC power system to change voltage will do nothing but blow fuses and melt wires.

Yeah. Forgot about that expanding/collapsing magnetic fields bit.

Gotta be some way to convert DC voltage...

 

[Cycle61]

Yeah. Forgot about that expanding/collapsing magnetic fields bit.

Gotta be some way to convert DC voltage...

Voltage doubler:

 

[ST Guy]

USB power is standardized at 5 volts. (+/- 0.25 volts) Thusly, any device powered by USB is designed to run at that 5 volts. Run the 12.7 to 14+ volts of motor vehicle into a USB powered device and you're going to be letting a lot of smoke escape. (You'll fry your device.)

I have a phone that requires a USB connection to charge it. I bought an inexpensive car charger, opened up the end with the electronics inside, eliminated that funky cigarette connector, and added a short pigtail with my own coax power connector. I then mounted a jack in the wall of my fairing pocket and that's where I plug in the now modified car adapter. I still have most of the cigarette adapter thing (because that's where the electronics to convert 12+ to 5 lives), but at least I don't have to deal with that huge and grossly inadequate cigarette socket.

If you open one of those things up to modify it and make your own connections, don't stick anything too far inside. You'll easily damage things when trying to pry it open.

Or, go here for some nifty power solutions for motorcycles:

http://www.powerletproducts.com/products

http://www.powerletproducts.com/shop-by-product/power-cables/PWRCBL (scroll down)

http://www.powerletproducts.com/product/mini-usb-battery-harness/258

http://www.powerletproducts.com/product/mini-usb-short-powerlet-cable/259

 

[Rickless Gixxer]

(unless you can out the smoke back in)

your words are make like me ,mr.nor

sorry

 

[Diezel]

Voltage doubler:

Yeah except to step DOWN DC voltage all you need is resistors.

 

[fireblade929]

its easy as hell. go to your local autoshop and buy an outdoor cig. lighter, hook it up to the battery and get a car charger for your gsp. that what i did. so simple a caveman can do it.®

 

[Skidmarx]

your words are make like me ,mr.nor

sorry

You sir, are a poet!

 

[Cycle61]

Yeah except to step DOWN DC voltage all you need is resistors.

That only works if you have a load with a known and consistent amperage draw. If the load varies then a load-sharing resistor will give you a varying output.

 

[moto-rama]

Your GPS ought to be able run on 15w or so, no?

If so, you can tap in to a switched power source at your front running lights.

Check the polarity!

 

[Diezel]

That only works if you have a load with a known and consistent amperage draw. If the load varies then a load-sharing resistor will give you a varying output.

Well, since the GPS most likely doesn't have a jack for heated grips, coffee maker, shaver.. etc...

I'm sure it could be safe to do. However me being anal about electronics. I think it would be safer to purchase a 12v charger and install a cigarette lighter socket someplace on the bike. Not only will that allow for the GPS, but also a cellphone if one was to have one needing a charge.

 

[GhostRider]

That only works if you have a load with a known and consistent amperage draw. If the load varies then a load-sharing resistor will give you a varying output.

You all, please put down the soldering iron, and take a step back with your hands up in the air!


What you really need is a DC-DC converter.

Sicne you're going DOWN in voltage, this is the easy case.
All you need is a "7805" for $0.20 IF you know what you're doing.

check out here:
http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/psu_5v.html

 

[mobius9]

For many other gadgets, smart phones especially. Mini usb also applies to the left side of the pinout (pins 1-5):

 

[Sane_Man]

You all, please put down the soldering iron, and take a step back with your hands up in the air!


What you really need is a DC-DC converter.

Sicne you're going DOWN in voltage, this is the easy case.
All you need is a "7805" for $0.20 IF you know what you're doing.

check out here:
http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/psu_5v.html

You all, please put down the DC-DC converter, and take a step back with your hands up in the air!

Just install a cigarette socket, plug in a $9 auto usb adapter with a mini usb plug, then call it a day. Wasting time and effort building circuits is totally unnecessary for such a simple matter.

 

[ST Guy]

Cigarette sockets suck! The plugs back out and lose connection. They're way bigger than they need to be.

Visit Powerlet for much better solutions. And should you reallly, really want a cigarette lighter socket, they have those too.

 

[Sane_Man]

Cigarette sockets suck! The plugs back out and lose connection. They're way bigger than they need to be.

Visit Powerlet for much better solutions. And should you reallly, really want a cigarette lighter socket, they have those too.

That's what I initially advocated, the Powerlets socket. I have a dual SAE connector with a powerlet plug and a cigarette lighter socket with a deep well that fully encloses the entire cigarette plug that I use for USB. That socket will not back out.

I changed out all my cigartee plugs for powerlet plugs, but you can't really do that with the usb plug model.