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General Category => Modifications => Topic started by: Striker on November 18, 2011, 11:08:54 PM

Title: installing a power port
Post by: Striker on November 18, 2011, 11:08:54 PM
Hey everybody, well as the title states I am looking to try and install a power port on my 85 fj. So on longer trips I can plug in my GPS, or radar detector...  :pardon: things like that. I have searched the site but can't find much on installing this on an 1100 (as i think the 1200 came with one). Any suggestions on how to go about this? Any advice would be awesome!! Thanks in advance!! You guys have helped me a lot with the other questions I've had!!!
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: FJmonkey on November 18, 2011, 11:21:33 PM
Quote from: Striker on November 18, 2011, 11:08:54 PM
Hey everybody, well as the title states I am looking to try and install a power port on my 85 fj. So on longer trips I can plug in my GPS, or radar detector...  :pardon: things like that. I have searched the site but can't find much on installing this on an 1100 (as i think the 1200 came with one). Any suggestions on how to go about this? Any advice would be awesome!! Thanks in advance!! You guys have helped me a lot with the other questions I've had!!!
Others can help with your options but the 12's were not standard with an aux power connection. Then again there is the mysterious connector with 12VDC????
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: fj11.5 on November 19, 2011, 02:55:43 AM
i just bought a chep cigarette lighter socket, and mounted it behingld thevleft side cover, 2 wires just fuse the power unless you require a switch (popcorn)
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: andyb on November 19, 2011, 07:49:49 AM
Just make sure it's got a fuse on it somehow.  Straight to the battery wouldn't be bad (though you could drain your battery if you left your gps/ipod/whatever running with the bike off), but a short without a fuse could be bad indeed.

Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: rktmanfj on November 19, 2011, 09:42:12 AM

I installed a Powerlet socket in the right fairing panel to power my GPS.
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: hein on November 19, 2011, 11:09:16 AM
   If you want a switched and fused powersource tap into the front running light, not the turn signal, circuit. I've used it to power heated hangrips on one application and also to power a powerport on another without any problems.
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: rktmanfj on November 19, 2011, 12:11:34 PM
Quote from: hein on November 19, 2011, 11:09:16 AM
   If you want a switched and fused powersource tap into the front running light, not the turn signal, circuit. I've used it to power heated hangrips on one application and also to power a powerport on another without any problems.

Okay I guess if you are powering the lights off a relay, otherwise it might be a bit of a load.
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: Tengu on November 21, 2011, 04:59:08 AM
I got a basic all weather cigarrette 12V socket, wired it in line so that it only worked with ignition on and with a fuse.
You really need to be careful of the draw of whatever you plug in, even with the engine running my GPS flattened the battery.
And of course the old wiring of the old FJ!
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: Bob on November 21, 2011, 07:21:37 AM
Quote from: rktmanfj on November 19, 2011, 12:11:34 PM
Okay I guess if you are powering the lights off a relay, otherwise it might be a bit of a load.
I replaced the pointless reserve switch with a relay switch which is wired into my aux outlets: powerlet for my heated vest, wired in GPS, heated grips and a generic "cigarette lighter" type outlet. These are all powered from a fuse panel. The reserve switch relay controls a direct feed off of the battery. An LED volt meter is wired into the fuse panel so I can watch the load. I'm fine with everything on, now that I've replaced the two 55 watt driving lights with LED bulbs.

Whole lot of messing wiring...
https://picasaweb.google.com/102853280217466592933/2010Wiring (https://picasaweb.google.com/102853280217466592933/2010Wiring)

The Powerlet outlet...
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jgQ7zUkuXrQ/TTtrY_X4iKI/AAAAAAAAA_4/FjWjiQ9Z7bI/s144/IMG_0640.JPG)
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: simi_ed on November 21, 2011, 08:23:36 AM
Bob, I was looking through your posted pix of the installation.  I found #16 & 17 a bit troubling.  That bare wire running across the edge of the sheet/box section is a surefire chaffing point that may finally wear through.  If it were me, I'd put either some spiral wrap or split-loom tubing to protect the wiring. 

Otherwise, It looks 1st rate job.  I also like your horn mounts.  How simple to just drill a pair of holes where you need them.  Why didn't I think of that?

My $0.02
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: Dan Filetti on November 21, 2011, 09:58:57 AM
This thread may help:

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=4539.msg40159#msg40159 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=4539.msg40159#msg40159)

Dan
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: Bob on November 21, 2011, 02:29:22 PM
Quote from: simi_ed on November 21, 2011, 08:23:36 AM
Bob, I was looking through your posted pix of the installation.  I found #16 & 17 a bit troubling.  That bare wire running across the edge of the sheet/box section is a surefire chaffing point that may finally wear through.  If it were me, I'd put either some spiral wrap or split-loom tubing to protect the wiring. 

Otherwise, It looks 1st rate job.  I also like your horn mounts.  How simple to just drill a pair of holes where you need them.  Why didn't I think of that?

My $0.02
I didn't really intent to show these pictures; they were for my reference. I did tuck everything in nicely, and I used a lot of heat shrink tubing. The final product looks better ;-) 

What I really wanted to show was the aftermarket fuse box that replaced the rat's nest of auxiliary wires. Looks like I didn't upload any to Picasa web. If I remember I'll do that tonight.

The horns are mounted on a GSXR 1100 front end. With the original FJ front end I only had room for one horn, so I put the other one where the ABS pump used to be. It's a high / low pair with a relay. Louder than stock, but not as loud as some other horn mods I've heard.


Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: Bob on November 21, 2011, 02:37:11 PM
Quote from: Bob on November 21, 2011, 02:29:22 PM
...
What I really wanted to show was the aftermarket fuse box that replaced the rat's nest of auxiliary wires. Looks like I didn't upload any to Picasa web. If I remember I'll do that tonight.
...
Found it...

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YqqGVZEExAE/TTttXUnKdRI/AAAAAAAABI4/Ih4q5EKqpdU/s400/DSCN0006.jpg)
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: Striker on November 22, 2011, 11:55:05 PM
Hey all these ideas sound great!! Thank you so much for your help! This is definitely on my to do list after some other stuff on the bike is taken care of. I appreciate all the help on this. Looking forward to getting her back in shape and improved... and so the moditis begins!
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: nvmike24 on November 23, 2011, 09:53:58 PM
@ Bob, I like the top Triple Clamp and bars you are using. What bike were they originally mounted on? Or are they aftermarket?
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: Bob on November 24, 2011, 06:59:55 AM
Quote from: nvmike24 on November 23, 2011, 09:53:58 PM
@ Bob, I like the top Triple Clamp and bars you are using. What bike were they originally mounted on? Or are they aftermarket?
The front is from a '93 GSXR1100 with a PM wheel, Harrison mini-6 calipers and an LSL handlebar kit. That's why the key lock is located in the right panel; it does not fit into the GSXR setup (the GSXR key hole is covered with a round thermometer).
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: Striker on November 24, 2011, 10:34:00 PM
Just one more thing with the advice and suggestions given. I haven't worked to much before with electrical. What amp fuse would be recommended for the inline one?
Title: Re: installing a power port
Post by: miked on November 24, 2011, 10:47:54 PM
Quote from: Striker on November 18, 2011, 11:08:54 PM
Hey everybody, well as the title states I am looking to try and install a power port on my 85 fj. So on longer trips I can plug in my GPS, or radar detector...  :pardon: things like that. I have searched the site but can't find much on installing this on an 1100 (as i think the 1200 came with one). Any suggestions on how to go about this? Any advice would be awesome!! Thanks in advance!! You guys have helped me a lot with the other questions I've had!!!

Hi Mate, It really is dependant on the wire size you are running to the socket and what you want to plug in to it.
If your only going to run a GPS or radar detector, I would probably recommend using no less than 1.5mm2 wire, as for the fuse I wouldn't go anything bigger than about 7.5 amp, you could probably get away with smaller, say a 5 amp but you get a bit of margin in case you want to power anything else.

Cheers

Mike