power outlet suggestions??

[ChikinsR4dinner]

OK team-

need some help.

It's a VERY long story, but I got my NT in January of this year. I started looking for my farkle investments, and have a whole pile (fuzeblock, denali lights, alarm system, top rack, etc etc etc) that are waiting to be installed when the bike and I return home in September. I am close to having everything I 'think' I need/ want - but I need to procure and install a power outlet. Primarily this will be for heated gear, but one never knows when you need to recharge something (a USB option is a plus). Given that I have a fuzeblock to install - I am wondering if anyone has recommendations on whether to use the std Honda OEM solution with the connector, etc - or if there is one everyone might recommend (has better features, etc) to go through the fuzeblock.


Thoughts???

 

[RedLdr1]

Your heated gear will probably need a Powerlet style outlet. A Powerlet will needs an adapter to work with any cigarette style plugs. I'd suggest a MCL Handle Bar Clamp with the Powerlet outlet for the heated gear. For charging other items I'd install a couple of marine grade cigarette lighter fixtures, wired in to your fuzeblock, inside the panniers. That way you can leave one of the outlets non-switched, always hot, to charge a cellphone or whatever secured in the pannier when the bike is unattended... A "plug in" USB charger adapter can be used with the cigarette lighters and also can be removed when not in use...or moved to another vehicle. The stock Honda solution is okay but it is more expensive and less flexible than the marine grade cigarette lighters. Those are easily obtained by a quick visit to one of the boating stores on Highway 41 in Marietta...

 

[tawilke46]

I installed the MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp. Looks as good as a factory installation.

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/tawilke46/MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp/IMG_0430.jpg


You can also run the power from this clamp outlet into a Bags Connection Bag as shown:

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/tawilke46/MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp/IMG_0488.jpg

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/tawilke46/MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp/IMG_0487.jpg

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/tawilke46/MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp/IMG_0486.jpg

 

[dnktng]

From my Fuzeblock I ran a line to the MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp, and a seperate line to a Burnsmoto USB outlet. The Burnsmoto USB power supply will not charge some devices, not sure which. It charges my Garmin GPS & HTC phone.

 

[Fieroguy]

Hey, that Burnsmoto USB outlet is cool. Add that to the wish list!

I would shy away from non-switched outlets. I left a simple adapter plugged into a cigarette lighter outlet wired directly to the battery. The only thing 'on' was an LED. Next morning; dead battery, lesson learned.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I've got a Fuzeblock for my Denalis (switched circuit) and my GPS (unswitched circuit since I want to be able to track total elapsed time on Iron Butt Rides -- this has bit me a couple of times when I've forgotten to turn the GPS off. A Street Pilot 2720 will drain a battery below its capacity to start a bike in something like 15-16 hours).

My heated gear is wired with a fused cord directly to the battery. It pulls more power than I'm comfortable with through the Fuzeblock (about 8W, and the Fuzeblock circuits are rated at 10W). But the cord for my Heattroller from the battery comes out between my seat and the tank and I've got the Heattroller velcroed to the tank. Easy to see, easy to adjust. Probably could have found a more elegant solution, but this works for me.

 

[RedLdr1]

One of the nice thing about the Fuzeblock is making a circuit switched or un-switched power is just moving the fuse is all it takes to change it.

My heated gear is wired with a fused cord directly to the battery. It pulls more power than I'm comfortable with through the Fuzeblock (about 8W, and the Fuzeblock circuits are rated at 10W).

I think you mean Amps, not Watts or that is some seriously efficient heated gear!

 

[karl]

My Tourmaster heated gear came with a cord that hooks right to the battery and tucks away under the seat in the summer when not in use. The mods I made when the bike was brand new I would do differently now. Ride a bit and see how you use things. My power point is in the right pocket for instance, today it would go in the left one. Never use it with the lock in the dang way.

 

[Rich]

I have a switched powerlet via the MCL adapter on the bar mount and an unswitched powerlet on the right side panel below the seat. Both go through a fuzeblock.

Then I made a powerlet-SAE adapter. Normally this is plugged into the switched powerlet and powers my GPS. But the adapter can also be used to power my slime pump via the side powerlet or to provide a connection point for a battery minder.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I think you mean Amps, not Watts or that is some seriously efficient heated gear!

Duh! You're right, of course. My jacket is 95W, which works out to 8 Amps.

 

[Phil Tarman]

The other thing I've got wired directly to my battery is an SAE two-prong plug that comes out near the preload knob. I use it to run my air compressor and to plug my battery charger or jumper cables into.

 

[Rmcapozzi]

I'm with Phil on using the Fuzeblock and heated gear. The Fuzeblock is a nice product but is undersized for the high draw requirements of heated gear (especially if you run jacket and gloves).

I am also not a fan of using Powerlet for the plug to power my heated gear. The plug is just to bulky for my liking. I prefer a simple coax port that I can plug into. I installed a panel mounted port on my wife's NT as well as my Wing. They make for a clean install, and don't require bulky plugs. Gerbing sells a panel port for about $29. Install is a snap.

I save the Powerlet outlet on the Helibar riser installed on the NT for running a GPS or as a battery tender port since it is always live.

 

[elizilla]

Powerlet.com sells a little 4" long mini-USB to mini-USB adaptor that will make the Burnsmoto USB adaptor work to charge my Motorola phone and my Garmin Nuvi. It works great!

They also sell a panel mount, marine grade cig lighter outlet that I mounted in the sidecase of my NT. I drilled the hole from above, you just have to remove the seat for access, and the outlet is perfectly neat and unobtrusive there. I put a second one in one of the fairing pockets but frankly that worked less well and I don't recommend it - the only places you can put them, where there is space behind the wall, leave the cig lighter plugs dead center in the pocket, which interferes with carrying other things. The Burnsmoto USB port could be affixed in the corner of the pocket and a USB cable without the cig lighter plug and bulky coil, will take up a lot less space. You can even get short ones, like a foot long, and plug the powerlet adaptor extension on the end, and charge your phone with almost no bulk.

I also have used the panel mount coax outlet like the one Rob shows, but I got them from warmnsafe.com. I have had trouble with snapping the lids off, but fortunately those lids are the same as the ones from powerlet.com, where they offer them separately, so you can replace them cheap.

I usually install an always-live powerlet outlet to use for the battery tender and to power my air pump.

Another handy adaptor I have acquired, is a tiny little piece that adapts a mini-USB to a micro-USB. It's about a half inch long and just snaps on. It is on a little elastic lanyard which I use to tie it to the USB cable. That way, one cable does both duties. My e-reader is micro-USB, and it's nice not to need another cable for it. I swear, with all my gadgets I end up with a whole sackful of cords, so reducing that is good.

 

[ChikinsR4dinner]

As always, you all are a font of great info! Decisions to be made, but at least I am now making informed ones. Thanks everyone!

 

[Phonon]

If you use the MCL handlebar thingy with the power let, does the power cord to one's heated gear drag across the fuel tank paint?

 

[RedNigel]

Duh! You're right, of course. My jacket is 95W, which works out to 8 Amps.

Tim

IS that a tank bag that you can hook directly to the battery?

 

[RedNigel]

I installed the MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp. Looks as good as a factory installation.

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/tawilke46/MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp/IMG_0430.jpg


You can also run the power from this clamp outlet into a Bags Connection Bag as shown:

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/tawilke46/MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp/IMG_0488.jpg

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/tawilke46/MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp/IMG_0487.jpg

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/tawilke46/MCL Powerlet Bar Clamp/IMG_0486.jpg

Tim is that a tank bag? CAn you elaborate? I am interested
Clay

 

[tawilke46]

Tim is that a tank bag? CAn you elaborate? I am interested
Clay

Yes sir, it is a Bags Connection "Vina" tank bag. You can run a Powerlet to the tank bag SAE connection. Then from inside the bag you can run all sorts of different connections for cell phones, mp3's, and stuff.
Can get all the adaptors, connectors and plugs from Eastern Beaver.
If you need any further info PM me.

 

[elizilla]

Those bulkhead SAE connectors are available separately. I've installed them in other tankbags. You just cut the right hole and screw the sides of the bulkhead together. I usually put some glue in there to make sure they are watertight. Works fine. So if you already have a tankbag you like, but you want to follow Tim's example there, it's not hard to do.

 

[dlb]

I mounted a switched marine outlet in the left hand speaker grill. easy access for plugging gps/cell charger into and doesn't take up any space in the faring pockets