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Accessory Power Question.

4K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  SilvrT 
#1 · (Edited)
I have noticed that everyone is using power straight from the battery to power up the amp, lights, horns, etc. That means that all of these items will be powered up 24-7. That can't be good for the amp or other items. Has anyone done something like this. I seen that there are open aux power plugs that are not used in the fairing. So for any of the Electrical Wizards out there, please comment. The 3 big items that I am going to put on it is the Rockford 300W 4 Ch amp, Bad Boy air horn, and driving lights. I don't think they will draw more than 30 A in total. But, I would really like feedback. SORRY, THIS DIAGRAM IS WRONG. CORRECTED ONE BELOW.
Thanks
 

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#3 ·
rustyc is correct , the amp needs battery direct power , and a key / radio on accessory wire for the amp to power up . The last thing you want is for the amp to be starving for current , it will overheat .
 
#4 · (Edited)
I have noticed that everyone is using power straight from the battery to power up the amp, lights, horns, etc. That means that all of these items will be powered up 24-7. That can't be good for the amp or other items. Has anyone done something like this. I seen that there are open aux power plugs that are not used in the fairing. So for any of the Electrical Wizards out there, please comment. The 3 big items that I am going to put on it is the Rockford 300W 4 Ch amp, Bad Boy air horn, and driving lights. I don't think they will draw more than 30 A in total. But, I would really like feedback.
Thanks
Well, you have some comments on the Rockford already. And as I've never added an amp, to any bike, I'll pass on that.

Regarding using a power panel, fuse block, that sort of thing, sure, that's a common practice on bikes. I've added fuse panels on prior bikes, but haven't felt the need (yet) to do so on my XCT. Here are some vendors of that sort of thing:

Home : Arboreal Systems Dispatch 1
http://www.bluesea.com/products/category/ST Blade : Blue Sea Fuse Blocks
Fuse Panels : Centech Fuse Panels
Denali PowerHub2 fuse block, master ground block and wiring harness for motorcycles | TwistedThrottle.com : Denali PowerHub2
PC-8 : Eastern Beaver Power Center 8
http://www.electricalconnection.com/power-distribution/pplate-02202.htm : Electrical Connection Power Plate
FUZEBLOCKS.COM : Fuzeblocks FZ-1
http://www.rowe-electronics.com/modules : Rowe Electronics PDM60 Power Distribution Module

Also of possible interest might be this ground block, depending on how bare-bones of a fuse block you get:

http://electricalconnection.com/index.php/product/master-ground-block/ : Electrical Connection Master Ground Block (which I used on a prior bike).

Also, in order not to glom up battery-terminal bolts, you might be interested in this:

https://www.powerlet.com/product/termin8-easier-than-fuseblock/409 : Powerlet Termin-8 (which is what I have on my XCT).

Two similar products are:

3 Circuit : Eastern Beaver 3-Circuit Solution
Accessory Fused Terminal | Load Equalizers & Adapters | Lighting | Kuryakyn : Kuryakyn Accessory Fused Terminal

I have my horn, for instance, powered by the battery (via a Termin-8), but it's through a relay, which has as its trigger the old horn power lead. So I don't know if you want to call that "directly" or not, but, yep, it's powered by the battery.

Pauljp has two excellent videos in this area of adding electrical farkles. The first one is horn-specific, and the the next one is about adding a fuse panel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNK-PHl9uj0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPmDkg6rc6w

I hope some of this helps.
 
#5 ·
great info

Gents,

Thanks for all the info. I have customized bikes for decades but not so much on the radio part. So this is very helpful. I did get my fuse and terminal block from Summit already. I know the air horn takes a lot of amp to run, but don't know exactly how much. Does anyone know what the full draw of the amp is? Mine has not been delivered yet.
THanks
 
#6 · (Edited)
Gents,

Thanks for all the info. I have customized bikes for decades but not so much on the radio part. So this is very helpful. I did get my fuse and terminal block from Summit already. I know the air horn takes a lot of amp to run, but don't know exactly how much. Does anyone know what the full draw of the amp is? Mine has not been delivered yet.
THanks
The typical one-piece dual-trumpet air horns -- Wolo Bad Boy, Stebel Nautilus, and others -- draw right around 20 amps. Use 16- or 14-gauge wire (they won't be as loud if you use smaller gauge, even if they can theoretically handle the juice) and a relay, and a diode (see Paul's video), and you'll be all set.

Edit: According to Wolo, the current is 16 amps. According to Twisted Throttle, the current for the Stebel is 18 amps. So what I was thinking about: I've been using 20-amp fuses for this type of horn on several bikes.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Your Drawing Is In Error

I have noticed that everyone is using power straight from the battery to power up the amp, lights, horns, etc. That means that all of these items will be powered up 24-7. That can't be good for the amp or other items. Has anyone done something like this. I seen that there are open aux power plugs that are not used in the fairing. So for any of the Electrical Wizards out there, please comment. The 3 big items that I am going to put on it is the Rockford 300W 4 Ch amp, Bad Boy air horn, and driving lights. I don't think they will draw more than 30 A in total. But, I would really like feedback.
Thanks
The drawing that you have posted to have a relay provide power to a fuse block that will be switched is wrong.

Pins 85 & 86 is the coil and that is where the aux power should be connected. This way the relay will energize when you turn power on your bike.

The battery ground should go to your ground block as you indicated.

The battery positive should go to pin 30 which is one half of the switch in the relay through an additional fuse located as close to the battery as possible.

Pin 87, the other half of the switch, should go to your power block.

So when you turn on the key on your bike, the AUX power wires will energize the relay closing the switch and passing 12 volts directly from the battery to the power block.
 
#8 ·
Thanks

Hello Paul,

Love your videos. Thanks for clearing that up. Thats why I drew it up to make sure if that was right. Also, where did you buy the diodes at? I called around by me and no one has it. Also, what model did you get. I'm no electrical guru.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Hello Paul,

Love your videos. Thanks for clearing that up. Thats why I drew it up to make sure if that was right. Also, where did you buy the diodes at? I called around by me and no one has it. Also, what model did you get. I'm no electrical guru.
Diodes are only needed to bypass the voltage spike caused when the relay is powering down. This prevents them from causing any damage to other electronics on your bike.

But you won't need one in this case as your relay will only be powering down when you turn off the bike, so it won't affect anything.

But to answer your question, diodes come in various sizes like 1N4001 to 1N4007 and so forth. The higher the last number the more power it can handle. I happened to use a 1N4004 in my horn video because that is what I had laying around at home. I originally bought it at Radio Shack in Canada (now called The Source) and the 16 year old manager had no clue what it was. They are getting harder to find as no one is building circuits anymore.
 
#12 ·
Thanks to Paul, I have corrected the diagram for hooking up a relay.
You now have it correct. Good job.
Remember to put an in-line fuse as close to battery positive as possible to protect the circuit.
I used a 30 amp fuse.
 
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