Best way to route a USB (or SAE) cable from the battery to the handlebar?

431 Views 10 Replies 7 Participants Last post by makdra, 7 d ago

ziffusion

Discussion Starter · 10 d ago

I am thinking of having a USB port on the handlebar to charge the phone on the longer rides.

Some folks suggest tapping into power cables close to the handlebar (e.g. those going to the headlight). Is that a good idea? Or does it make sense to leave working things well enough alone and just route a cable from the battery to the handlebar.

The 2023 model has a SAE connector hanging off the battery already, waiting to be utilized in such a manner (I think).

Thoughts?

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Skywalker67

· #2 · 10 d ago

Leave the SAE connector available for battery tender.

Here it is what I did to have a double USB port on the handlebar: it's the cleanest and safest way to do it.

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t.er

· #3 · 10 d ago

Yeah definitely connect to the battery through a relay and a fuse. Charging a phone (especially fast charging) might cause a fuse to blow if you tie into something at the front

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ziffusion

Discussion Starter · #4 · 10 d ago

Skywalker67 said:
Here it is what I did to have a double USB port on the handlebar: it's the cleanest and safest way to do it.

That looks great. Really like the idea.

Skywalker67 said:
Leave the SAE connector available for battery tender.

I was thinking of getting a SAE splitter.

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ziffusion

Discussion Starter · #5 · 10 d ago

@Skywalker67

Can you post a part number or a link for the relay, please?

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Skywalker67

· #6 · 10 d ago

I bought it on-line from Amazon 3 years ago.
Any 5-pin relay, with pins numbered according to the schema I posted in the other discussion, will do.
E.g. https://www.amazon.it/Mini-Relay-Relè-universale-Auto/dp/B076X1P1HK

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Flash Yellow

· #7 · 10 d ago

How do you like that Givi box on the handlebar?

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golden chicken

· #8 · 10 d ago

I prefer not to tap into existing wiring as much as possible to preserve the integrity of the original harness, and if I have to, I will try to tap into a sub harness rather than main harness to make replacement easier in case of failure down the road.

I left my heated gear outlet and a cigarette lighter socket under the rear seat straight hot wired to the battery. Yes, there's a chance something could short the empty terminals and cause a drain on the battery, but I did not experience that in over a decade and 64,000 miles of riding in all weather.

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Straticus

· #9 · 9 d ago

ziffusion said:
I am thinking of having a USB port on the handlebar to charge the phone on the longer rides.

Some folks suggest tapping into power cables close to the handlebar (e.g. those going to the headlight). Is that a good idea? Or does it make sense to leave working things well enough alone and just route a cable from the battery to the handlebar.

The 2023 model has a SAE connector hanging off the battery already, waiting to be utilized in such a manner (I think).

Thoughts?

I have some small USB power banks and just leave the phone plugged into one on longer rides and or as an emergency charge-up.

Cheap Small USB Power Bank.

Saves all the hassle of fitting wires etc

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ziffusion

Discussion Starter · #10 · 9 d ago (Edited)

Oooh - fairly excited. Installed the USB charger on the handlebar, and it looks good so far. Fairly easy. Has some secondary benefits too (stated below).

Chose to forego the relay circuit suggested above and plugged it directly into the preexisting SAE connector under the seat. For several reasons:

The SAE connector already has a 7.5A fuse on it.
I want the USB charger to work without having to turn the ignition on.
The USB charger has a physical on / off switch on it.
I like the displayed battery voltage. There is a minimal draw. Can be turned off.
With the protections built into the device and the fuse already in place, I feel this is fairly safe.

Secondary benefits:

The SAE connector is now available on the handlebar. Convenient for charging the battery in the non-riding months. Or a splitter can be added under the seat.
The battery voltage is displayed right on the handlebar. Convenient for monitoring the battery status.

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makdra

· #11 · 7 d ago

One critical step that was missed here is installing an inline fuse. Without a fuse, if the wiring ever short circuits, say due to rubbing against the frame, or touching the hot engine, you will have full battery power going through that thin wiring! This will rapidly heat up, and could easily start a fire, burning your bike to the ground! An inline fuse costs $5, and a pair of ring terminals costs $2. Locate the fuse as close as possible to the positive terminal of the battery, as the fuse only protects electronics and wiring down-stream from the battery. Keep the unprotected wiring (between the fuse and the battery) as short as possible for maximum safety.

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