F800GS How did you wire up your GPS?

[]I)Money]

Originally Posted by grneggz

This is what I was looking for. Now, if you go to the link for the BMW adapter plug/switched power cable it shows the GPS plug wired directly to it. My GPS has a power converter that reduces 10-30 Volts DC to 4.9-5.25 Volts DC. I don't have a meter. Do any of you know if the Canbus port is already reduced to the lower GPS power requirement? If it its I can eliminate the converter, if not I have to use the converter. Thank You.

Nope, it's 12v out of the plug.

[tmex]

Originally Posted by grneggz

This is what I was looking for. Now, if you go to the link for the BMW adapter plug/switched power cable it shows the GPS plug wired directly to it. My GPS has a power converter that reduces 10-30 Volts DC to 4.9-5.25 Volts DC. I don't have a meter. Do any of you know if the Canbus port is already reduced to the lower GPS power requirement? If it its I can eliminate the converter, if not I have to use the converter. Thank You.

That will work for sure, but you can get a whole box of vampire jacks at Walmart for $1.29. I forget the official name for vampire jack, something with "connection" in it.

[tmex]

It is called an IDC, Insulation Displacement Connector. Here is a link to show the idea.

http://www.molex.com/catalog/pdf/022.pdf

[Grits&Gravy]

Originally Posted by tmex

It is called an IDC, Insulation Displacement Connector. Here is a link to show the idea.

http://www.molex.com/catalog/pdf/022.pdf

I never have been a fan of those type of connectors and my whole deal with this bike is to leave things unmolested as much as possible. One of the reasons I bought the F800 is because of the options it comes with from the factory. In the past with my other bikes, jeeps, and boats I have been a modification maniac. This bike is "special" to me and I'm trying to leave things the way they are and utilize what came with it. If a factory plug cost's $25 and I don't have to tap into the factory wire harness without compromising it, then I'm gonna spend the $25, that's the reason they made the plug. In fact, I've already ordered one.

[JRWooden]

To get the 12Volt DC knocked down to 5V I used the adapter out of this kit. At the time West Marine (boating supply) had the kit for $20, but they don't seem to stock it any longer:

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-010-111...dp/B001CX4INE/


There are other options - this one is more compact, but does not have the 90-degree connector on the back of the plug to the GPS that I wanted:

http://www.powerlet.com/product/mini...ry-harness/258

[Ceri JC]

Ordered a spare canbus connector from BMW, got the end cut off the stock Zumo 660 lead and paid the local garage to fit the canbus connector. It's plugged into the auxillary canbus connector near the battery compartment. It's the neatest, most reliable, most factory-looking way of doing it without risking flatting the battery, IMO.

[JRWooden]

Y'all be careful out there, some GPS systems run on 12V and some on 5V.

If you feed 12V it a model that wants 5V it will likely ruin your day (and your GPS)!

[tmex]

Originally Posted by grneggz

I never have been a fan of those type of connectors and my whole deal with this bike is to leave things unmolested as much as possible. One of the reasons I bought the F800 is because of the options it comes with from the factory. In the past with my other bikes, jeeps, and boats I have been a modification maniac. This bike is "special" to me and I'm trying to leave things the way they are and utilize what came with it. If a factory plug cost's $25 and I don't have to tap into the factory wire harness without compromising it, then I'm gonna spend the $25, that's the reason they made the plug. In fact, I've already ordered one.

I completely understand your point of view. There is a lot of satisfaction in doing the job perfectly even if no one can see it. You know what is under the fairings.

[Grits&Gravy]

Just got finished wiring up the GPS. My buddy came over with his Fluke multi-meter and we tested all the connections to verify power/ground/continuity/etc.... I used the BMW "test" plug and soldered it to the Garmin GPS supplied wire harness and heat-shrink wrapped the connections. The BMW test plug has (3) wires labeled 1, 2, & 3. 1 is ground and 3 is positive. I cut the Garmin wire harness and spliced in an SAE plug between the voltage reducer and Mini-USB that plugs into the back of the GPS. I also soldered and heat-shrink wrapped those connections. Now, I can leave the GPS wire harness with fuse block and voltage reducer permanently plugged into the BMW GPS connector on the bike and when I remove the GPS from the bike I can just disconnect the SAE plug and the Mini-USB comes inside along with the GPS and the SAE plug just gets a cover installed on the bike and is weather proof. VIOLA!!!! I'm set now BTW... as previously stated the power coming from the BMW GPS plug is 12V so if your GPS requires less than 12V be sure to use the voltage reducer or you will fry your GPS.

[Grits&Gravy]

Tonight I actually hooked up the GPS and the power wouldn't shut down after I turned the key off. I ended up having to remove the battery from the GPS so that the CanBus would turn off after the key is turned off. I tested this several times without any issues and the GPS turning off every time after 1 minute. Just for verification I put the battery back in the GPS and started the bike and turned it off and the GPS would never shut down so after removing the battery it now works with the keyed switch power.

[Aanarchy]

Originally Posted by EnderTheX

I ran mine strait to the battery terminals with an in-line fuse, easy. Just don't forget to leave it on overnight!

One other thing I discovered is since I have multiple things going to the battery terminals I had to crank down on the screw pretty hard to get a good connection. Before I did that the bike would do reset noises and the speedo and tach would twitch... bad connection. Getting some dielectric grease for the terminals would be good too.

If it's so easy to wire directly to the battery, why spend the extra $25 and time and trouble hooking up to the accessory plug? Is that answered in the second paragraph above, or are there other good reasons?

Originally Posted by jrwooden

If you feed 12V it a model that wants 5V it will likely ruin your day (and your GPS)!

I've read this elsewhere. But Garmin sells a cable with a 4-pin plug and bare wire ends for direct hookup and the Garmin site shows it on the list of accessories designed for my GPSMap 60CSx. It has an in-line fuse - is that adequate?


I also have a 690 Enduro and need a power option there, too. It doesn't have any fancy-schmancy adaptors built in or CANbus. I was going to hard wire there too.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by ebrabaek

I put a waterproof switch on the dashboard.......connecting the gps with the BMW plug. What you need to be aware of is that with most gps`s....even through they are switched off.... There is an idle current running through the power circuit....that could slowly drain the battery. So just be aware of this if you connect it straight to the battery. If you connect it to the bmw plug....the canbus will power it down after a few minutes..... But there have been some reports of the canbus not doing so....and with the result of a dead battery. Mine turns off after a few minutes.....which switches the unit to battery power.....and at the end of the day I just switch it off with the installed waterproof switch. Had no issues.....

Erling

I like your setup. Can you tell me the p/n and the vendor for your switches.I have been looking for some weather proof switches.


Just a little heads up to all. Make sure you make your connections weather proof. Raychem makes what we refer to as environment splices. I am sure a quick internet search will reveal several vendors.

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I like your setup. Can you tell me the p/n and the vendor for your switches.I have been looking for some weather proof switches.


Just a little heads up to all. Make sure you make your connections weather proof. Raychem makes what we refer to as environment splices. I am sure a quick internet search will reveal several vendors.

Yeppers...... All has been soldered....and crimp fluxed...... And it has been proven itself in torrential downpours.....
I bought`em here...:

http://shop.vetcosurplus.com/catalog...oducts_id=8805

http://shop.vetcosurplus.com/catalog...oducts_id=8806



Erling

[L.B.S.]

Originally Posted by Aanarchy

If it's so easy to wire directly to the battery, why spend the extra $25 and time and trouble hooking up to the accessory plug? Is that answered in the second paragraph above, or are there other good reasons?



I've read this elsewhere. But Garmin sells a cable with a 4-pin plug and bare wire ends for direct hookup and the Garmin site shows it on the list of accessories designed for my GPSMap 60CSx. It has an in-line fuse - is that adequate?


I also have a 690 Enduro and need a power option there, too. It doesn't have any fancy-schmancy adaptors built in or CANbus. I was going to hard wire there too.

It only depends *how* the power is going into the GPS unit you may have, that's all.

All USB/mini USB ports are 5V

With my Nuvi 765T, I bought a cable that had bare wires on one end, and the appropriate Garmin plug on the other. Not for the mini USB port, but the larger multi-pin connector that goes through the mounting clip.

I bought the OEM BMW accessory GPS adapter plug from F800Depot, and soldered the proper wires together. Works like a charm, no 5Volt thingies need apply.

Now, if I had another model of GPS where there was only a 5V mini USB power plug in, or for some strange reason I wanted to put the power to my GPS through the mini USB port, this is where you would need to make sure you had the correct inline voltage reducer.

I chose to go this route instead of just hardwiring directly to my battery, because I already have a Battery Tender SAE pigtail wired up to the terminals and I don't want to overcrowd the thing. (and I don't need or want to install a secondary multi-accessory fuseblock) Plus the GPS power source plug was already there, so meh.

[Ron Wardman]

When I purchased my F800, I had the dealer install 2 addition BMW outlets. They are fused to a BlueSea circuit box located under the seat. They are hot all the time. I removed the cig. plug and got a BMW 90 degree plug and wired it to the Garmin wires. Easy to do. I like my GPS to not shut off when stopped with the engine off. That leaves one outlet to power a charger or other stuff. Vest is wired to the BlueSea box.