I recently picked up a GPS unit for quite the deal, only catch being it comes with a 12v car adapter to keep it powered on long trips. I'm wondering how I could go about wiring it to run off the bikes battery. I don't know all to much about the electrical systems but would I be able to cut the end off the 12v adapter and splice it into the main wiring harness and run a seperate fuse for it?

Any information or suggestions are appreciated. I want to get this thing hooked up before spring so I can use it on my trip to deals gap.

Cheers.

 

sup man i dot thin you shud hook it up right to the battery i say hoo it up to an accery whire im not shur if the power going back in to the battrey to canrg it is 12v

 

I would consider pulling power from a running light or headlamp - switched to save your batt when not riding, and readily accessible. - Otherwise, just pull power directly off the battery and run the cables. - Skip the fuse - the lights are already fused.

OR - if you want the base/power supply removable, then add either a cigarette adapter or one of those rubber 2 wire plugs (Like a trailer has; Is there a technical term?) from Radio Shack to plug/unplug.

 

Safest bet is to find a fused power source that's 12VDC switched and tap into that.

Personally, I'd try and find something on the IGN switch with a ground close by.

Since it's a GPS, I would try to avoid tapping directly to the battery.

 

I did this. I just ran a 12V cig plug to the battery and routed the cable from the gps back to the plug in. I also added an inline fuse. No splicing, and easy to take back off if needed.

 

Probably the best way and as long as it's fused and you remember to unplug, everything should be fine.

 

This is not a bad idea at all and I may end up doing this as well. As long as there is nothing pluged into the Cig lighter then it will not draw power. Make sure when the plug is empty that nothing gets in there or you could have a problem, but if it's fused then the fuse would just blow.

Just make sure you unplug the GPS anytime the bike is going to sit for more then a half hour or longer.