Simple accessories circuit

[MrBob]

I want to run my heated grips and GPS charger from switched circuits on my Concours and I don't want a bunch of wires connected to the battery.
So, if I understand this correctly, I can run a wire to a relay from the battery, and then to whatever fuse box I use, and then connect my accessories to the fused circuits.
Do I have that correct?
I know what relays do but I've never understood how to choose which relay capacity is appropriate and which terminals to use.
A little tutoring would be appreciated.

[wos]

easiest way to do it is to go to Easternbeaver.com and buy one of his kits.
A standard 30 amp relay should run everything you want and are cheap and easy to find. A 40 amp is a bit more but I can't see you needing it. grips shouldn't be more than 5-7 amps and the gps next to nothing.
the hardest part is finding a suitable way (and circuit) to trigger the relay.

[DCMC]

Thanks for the tip. I have the same need to do gps and grips.

[DCMC]

I ended up just wiring my GPS to my battery. Adding a circuit later will be easy to do later.

[nickgindy]

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=830742 I have one of these and its sounding like what your looking for.

[MrBob]

Originally Posted by nickgindy

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=830742 I have one of these and its sounding like what your looking for.

One of those would work. A Concours vendor named Murph makes a Connie-specific fuse block and wiring setup for a little over 60 dollars.
When I rode a Wee Strom that crowd favored marine fuse blocks made by Blue Seas. IIRC, some of their units came with circuit breakers.



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[sailah]

Originally Posted by MrBob

I want to run my heated grips and GPS charger from switched circuits on my Concours and I don't want a bunch of wires connected to the battery.
So, if I understand this correctly, I can run a wire to a relay from the battery, and then to whatever fuse box I use, and then connect my accessories to the fused circuits.
Do I have that correct?
I know what relays do but I've never understood how to choose which relay capacity is appropriate and which terminals to use.
A little tutoring would be appreciated.

I'm not an electrician but have wired a crap ton of stuff, just a disclaimer

A relay would switch on the fuseblock, to which it sounds like you are wiring all your accessories. Things like heated grips are obviously good to have on a circuit where when you turn off the bike and the grips go off.

The GPS you might want to rethink. It draws almost nothing for power. especially on a touring bike like yours. I had my Garmin on a switched outlet and it would shut off when I got gas, at a restaurant if I didn't choose the internal battery. Really just an annoyance, but I made the GPS circuit always live. You obviously need to turn it off when the bike is parked for an extended period however.

So back to your relay. A standard 30A relay will be plenty. Here's a wiring diagram. The 85 would be connected to a switched accessory like a headlight, taillight etc. Something that gets 12V when you turn your key on. This circuit is energized when you turn the key on and connects the contacts in the relay, completing the 30-87 circuit so now your fuse block has power and your grip heaters work. The 12V "trigger" is only energizing a tiny circuit so it doesn't need to be a robust lead.



Make sure that you put an inline fuse right after your battery connection on the "30" circuit to protect the wiring. Many Blue Seas fuse blocks also have a main fuse as well.

[MrBob]

Originally Posted by sailah

I'm not an electrician but have wired a crap ton of stuff, just a disclaimer

A relay would switch on the fuseblock, to which it sounds like you are wiring all your accessories. Things like heated grips are obviously good to have on a circuit where when you turn off the bike and the grips go off.

The GPS you might want to rethink. It draws almost nothing for power. especially on a touring bike like yours. I had my Garmin on a switched outlet and it would shut off when I got gas, at a restaurant if I didn't choose the internal battery. Really just an annoyance, but I made the GPS circuit always live. You obviously need to turn it off when the bike is parked for an extended period however.

So back to your relay. A standard 30A relay will be plenty. Here's a wiring diagram. The 85 would be connected to a switched accessory like a headlight, taillight etc. Something that gets 12V when you turn your key on. This circuit is energized when you turn the key on and connects the contacts in the relay, completing the 30-87 circuit so now your fuse block has power and your grip heaters work. The 12V "trigger" is only energizing a tiny circuit so it doesn't need to be a robust lead.



Make sure that you put an inline fuse right after your battery connection on the "30" circuit to protect the wiring. Many Blue Seas fuse blocks also have a main fuse as well.

Many thanks; this is exactly what I needed.
The Connie comes pre-wired with two unswitched accessory circuits and my GPS is running off one of those for the reasons you mentioned.
I see only a circuit for the heated grips and maybe one or two for futures as all I need.
I can handle a soldering iron and crimper, I just don't understand what the numbers on the relay indicate.


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[MeanMoe]

Using the acc leads in the left fairing pocket is good for the gps. I concur that a switched circuit for the grips is best. Although the Murph's kit is spendy, the fuse block is smaller than the Blue Sea (at least the 5025 that I have on my R1150GS). The smaller block will fit under the left side cover and will give you room for expansion. Centech makes a small fuse block also but an AP2 and wiring kit with the relay will set you back a Benjamin so, by that standard, the Murph's is cheaper but not as cheap as building it yourself. There are a couple of threads on the Concours Owners Group web site also

[MrBob]

Originally Posted by MeanMoe

Using the acc leads in the left fairing pocket is good for the gps. I concur that a switched circuit for the grips is best. Although the Murph's kit is spendy, the fuse block is smaller than the Blue Sea (at least the 5025 that I have on my R1150GS). The smaller block will fit under the left side cover and will give you room for expansion. Centech makes a small fuse block also but an AP2 and wiring kit with the relay will set you back a Benjamin so, by that standard, the Murph's is cheaper but not as cheap as building it yourself. There are a couple of threads on the Concours Owners Group web site also

That's the circuit I've been using for my GPS but I want to be able to charge my phone when listening to music too so I'll add a two-headed socket.
I don't mind giving Murph money but always prefer to build stuff myself. It seems to me that a small and well made 3 circuit fuse box and a NAPA relay would cover my needs.


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[Maggot12]

[Maggot12]

Too add to the above pic. Use a 30amp relay and 30 amp fuse between it and the battery. I use a bluesea fuseblock, but many can be used.