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Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger
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TOPIC: Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger
#929970
tmy23 (User)
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HELP - Wiring cell phone charger 2 Years, 4 Months ago  
First, as always, thanks for all the help. I love this site.
So I thought I was so handy, wiring a 5 VDC charger for my cell phone. OF course immediately after, I start killing batteries. Of course Murphy's Law being what it is, my battery was "old enough" to need replacing anyway, I figured the battery was kaput. New battery, and it's always needing charge, I realize connecting the cell phone charger to the battery is a no-no because it's always converting 12 to 5. So, thinking about it, I really only need the phone charger to be hot when the engine is running, but I don't know what wires are only hot in that case? I looked at the wiring guide in the back of the Clymer, and got lost. Can anyone provide some guidance? Or should I take the simple out and pick a hot wire in the headlight can and connect there?

thanks

Tom
 
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Last Edit: 2015/10/22 08:53 By tmy23.
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#929973
txulrich (User)
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Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger 2 Years, 4 Months ago  
A cell phone will draw so little current that it won't matter if it's switched or not. Besides that are you really going to leave your phone there very often? Maybe only if it's totally dead.

You need to wire in a voltage converter. Something perhaps that terminates in a USB or cigarette lighter socket. Most electronics component stores will have what you need. You can connect it directly to the battery if it has an in-line fuse (a couple amps should be more that enough) or a fuse block if it doesn't.
 
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Peace,
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(but you can call me Joe)

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#929974
MidwestMike (User)
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Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger 2 Years, 4 Months ago  
The wire for the passing lamps is only hot when the bike is running.
In the headlight bucket.

http://roadstarclinic.com/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,187/func,view/catid,59/id,699469/#699475

The chargers do drop 12 volt to 5 volt, and draw some juice even when off. The range varies, some chargers are worse than others.

90% of the chargers should not draw enough to create an issue with the battery. I have two hooked up to my bike, and minimal current draw has never been an issue even when the bike sits longer than it should.

Something along these lines work:
Waterproof Motorcycle Dual Usb Power Charger

I have both ends mounted right instead the neck in front of the tank. One has a lead running up the handle bars, and one is extra.

I also have another unit in the back end, for the passenger or for charging the phone while locking it in the bag.
 
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Last Edit: 2015/10/22 09:07 By MidwestMike.
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#929985
tmy23 (User)
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Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger 2 Years, 4 Months ago  
Thanks for the replies. Yes, my unit is a 12 to 5 converter with a fuse, and yes, maybe I do have another problem or short somewhere, but it's the only thing I've changed this season so for the time being, I'll focus on that being the cause. thanks again for all the helpful comments. Ride on!!!
 
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#930011
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Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger 2 Years, 4 Months ago  
tmy23 wrote:
Thanks for the replies. Yes, my unit is a 12 to 5 converter with a fuse, and yes, maybe I do have another problem or short somewhere, but it's the only thing I've changed this season so for the time being, I'll focus on that being the cause. thanks again for all the helpful comments. Ride on!!!

I first noticed the draw on mine when I was hooking up an extra fuse block. When I connected the wire from the battery to the block I noticed a spark. I checked all the other items connected to the block first, then found it was the chargers. That would have been my last guess.

I threw an ammeter on it and it was drawing very little, but more than I expected. You could do the same to get an idea.

The block has a separate circuit breaker going to it, so I thought I would have to learn to turn that off when leaving the bike sit. But I never had to, the bike would sit for up to a week or two (vacation trip) and still fire up fine.
 
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#930016
ezlivin11 (User)
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Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger 2 Years, 4 Months ago  
Just for this reason Is why I ran a separate relay for my accessories. key on turns on the relay, relay runs all the stuff. Key off all accessories off. Here is under my seat.
 
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Last Edit: 2015/10/22 12:54 By ezlivin11.
 


If It\'s Not Broke, It Must Be Time For An Upgrade
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#930033
BubbaKahuna (User)
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Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger 2 Years, 4 Months ago  
ezlivin11 wrote:
Just for this reason Is why I ran a separate relay for my accessories. key on turns on the relay, relay runs all the stuff. Key off all accessories off. Here is under my seat.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By far the best way to do it.
Even a 'tiny little draw' can kill a battery & it might not take as long as you might think.
My Garmin 1400 series GPS will drain my truck battery (new last fall) if I leave it plugged into the dash outlet for a week without driving the truck. It wasn't turned on, just plugged in so it was always trickle charging off the truck battery. I don't leave it plugged in anymore and the problem went away.

Steady drain at 300 mA for a week will flat a 525CCA lead acid battery.
Who'd a-thunk it?

And FYI, if transformer (power supply) primary windings are connected to a power source, they're going to draw current no matter if you have an output device connected or not.
 
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Last Edit: 2015/10/22 13:58 By BubbaKahuna.
 
This fits in here, right? I mean, I can make this fit in here ... right?

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#930036
adamp (User)
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Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger 2 Years, 4 Months ago  
Out of curiosity, why not just purchase one of these and be done with it? I had one on my bike and it worked out great, I left my car charger plugged in at all times and just pulled the charger cord out from my seat enough to plug in, and I never had an issue with the battery.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/301136275966?ul_noapp=true&chn=ps&lpid=82
 
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#930049
jd750ace (User)
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Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger 2 Years, 4 Months ago  
I have a charging pigtail on my bike. O'Reilly's has a 2 pin connector "harness extension" in the trailering section that plugs right in. I used this 4 dollar part to splice into a cigarette lighter socket. I keep the socket in my tank bag, with the wire sticking out the back. When I put it on the bike, I plug into my pig tail and use my regular charging adapters I use in my truck. Maximum versatility that way. You can plug a "Y" into it to run multiple devices.
 
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#930100
mbk (User)
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Re:HELP - Wiring cell phone charger 2 Years, 4 Months ago  
I have a battery tender on my bike, I just bought one to these USB adapters and plug it into the pigtail when I unplug from the wall charger. Ran a $2 - 5' USB phone charging cable up the backbone of the bike to the Tech mount on the handle bars. I plug it into the phone when needed, the rest of the time I slide an old rubber thread protector over the USB cord phone end to keep it clean. Cheap and easy way to do it if you already have a battery tender.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-Tender-USB-Charger-Quick-Disconnect-SAE-to-USB-Adapter-Plug-081-0158-/221905318486?hash=item33aa967256:g:w88AAOSwd4tULv~M&vxp=mtr

 
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Last Edit: 2015/10/22 18:13 By mbk.
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