GPS and Battery problem
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Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Kingsport, Tn.
GPS and Battery problem
I have a plug to battery for a Deltran Battery Tender that I have used for 7 years to charge MC battery. I also have a Garmin GPS which I added and put a plug on the end of the the GPS cord so I could just plug it in the plug I use to charge battery. In other words just a direct connection form GPS to battery. Last week I wanted to use GPS so I hooked the 2 connectors together, but when I finished ride I forgot to unhook them but GPS was off. A few days my 8 month old batter was completely dead, would not even prime fuel pump. Any ideas on if or why GPS could do this?
Tom
Tom
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Joined: Feb 2007
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Hard to read as a giant sentence..guess you are using a smart phone?
I guess you have a female cigar socket on one end with an SAE connector on the other.
You plug the garmin GPS into the female cigar socket and then the SAE connector gets plugged to your battery tender connection at the bike.
A Garmin GPS does not generally use 12 volts from motorcycle battery directly.
Instead it converts the 12 volts from battery to 5 volts within the GPS plug.
The thick cigar plug end is constantly converting the 12 volt to 5 volts even if GPS is off.
Kinda sorta like a transformer uses power whenever plugged into the wall socket in your home.
If you leave unit plugged into a constant power supply then eventually it could deplete the battery.
24 hours a day for 5 to 7 days would be enough to make starting difficult.
A solution if this is a concern would be to tap into a switched power supply.
I guess you have a female cigar socket on one end with an SAE connector on the other.
You plug the garmin GPS into the female cigar socket and then the SAE connector gets plugged to your battery tender connection at the bike.
A Garmin GPS does not generally use 12 volts from motorcycle battery directly.
Instead it converts the 12 volts from battery to 5 volts within the GPS plug.
The thick cigar plug end is constantly converting the 12 volt to 5 volts even if GPS is off.
Kinda sorta like a transformer uses power whenever plugged into the wall socket in your home.
If you leave unit plugged into a constant power supply then eventually it could deplete the battery.
24 hours a day for 5 to 7 days would be enough to make starting difficult.
A solution if this is a concern would be to tap into a switched power supply.
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,192
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From: Knoxville, Tn
Gps Chargeing
I also use a Garmin GPS on my bike and have a cigar outlet that is a direct connection to the battery. When I installed the power outlet, I took all the other battery charging cables off the bike. I still have a coax for my heated gear but that is all.
I always charge the battery with the cigarette lighter plug outlet. I ordered a plug for my charger to make it easy.
The point of this is to say I only have one way to charge the battery, and it requires the GPS to be unplugged to charge it.
If I have been riding the bike for any length of time the battery, on the GPS, will be fully charged so no need for it to be plugged in.
I always charge the battery with the cigarette lighter plug outlet. I ordered a plug for my charger to make it easy.
The point of this is to say I only have one way to charge the battery, and it requires the GPS to be unplugged to charge it.
If I have been riding the bike for any length of time the battery, on the GPS, will be fully charged so no need for it to be plugged in.
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Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Kingsport, Tn.
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 570
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From: Rocket City
Recharge your battery,
That SAE connector is a direct connection to the battery (no switch in between) your GPS Probably acted as a load even though it was off, and drained your battery
That SAE connector is a direct connection to the battery (no switch in between) your GPS Probably acted as a load even though it was off, and drained your battery
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Joined: Feb 2007
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From:
Upon review,you are correct.
The limited spacing and sentence structure made it rather difficult for me to follow the information on my screen.
I did previously take the time to go back and re-read it multiple times in an attempt to provide a detailed possible answer.
Did you have the opportunity to review #2 as a possibility?
As a future switched option: for a low draw device like a GPS or phone charger maybe a quick connection from head light bucket with an SAE connector and the use off some posi-TAP connectors to tap power..
It would place everything closer to the bars.
Alternatively, review under your seat for a switched positive wire (power when bike is switched ON) and terminate with a tender connector (SAE connector).
Remember to put a fuse on the line.
Both would make a clean switched installation if brought out by front neck of the bike.
There would be no GPS cord hanging on the side of the bike.
Posi-locks and Posi-taps are rather neat since no cutting is required to tap power.
Your adapter would be used for low draw items like a GPS or Phone and not something like a 12 volt compressor..
It would require NO cutting of bike wires if you use the connectors described.
When your adapter is not plugged into the SAE connector only the small black SAE (tender connector) would be visible.
This is a link for connectors:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/sale/pos...s-for-sale.htm
The limited spacing and sentence structure made it rather difficult for me to follow the information on my screen.
I did previously take the time to go back and re-read it multiple times in an attempt to provide a detailed possible answer.
Did you have the opportunity to review #2 as a possibility?
As a future switched option: for a low draw device like a GPS or phone charger maybe a quick connection from head light bucket with an SAE connector and the use off some posi-TAP connectors to tap power..
It would place everything closer to the bars.
Alternatively, review under your seat for a switched positive wire (power when bike is switched ON) and terminate with a tender connector (SAE connector).
Remember to put a fuse on the line.
Both would make a clean switched installation if brought out by front neck of the bike.
There would be no GPS cord hanging on the side of the bike.
Posi-locks and Posi-taps are rather neat since no cutting is required to tap power.
Your adapter would be used for low draw items like a GPS or Phone and not something like a 12 volt compressor..
It would require NO cutting of bike wires if you use the connectors described.
When your adapter is not plugged into the SAE connector only the small black SAE (tender connector) would be visible.
This is a link for connectors:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/sale/pos...s-for-sale.htm
