GPS Power Supply

[chris1261]

Picked up my Strada yesterday. After reading this forum for a few weeks, I was ready to install my GPS today. I wanted switched power, and I knew there was a connector just above the cylinder head on the right side of the bike.

Here it is with the cap taken off.

I'd read that people had looked in vain for a connector, so I didn't even fire up google. Instead, I took a piece of single-core copper wire, and bent it a little..

The bend is important as you'll see in a minute.

I inserted the wire into the connector. the side that has the green/white wire going to it

and then I drilled a 5/64" hole in the cap

Now, when the cap is on, the kink in the wire will hold it into the connector.

turn on the key, and we have power:

Now, it's just a matter of running the other side to ground, and mounting the GPS.

While I was at it, I also found a place to hide my EZPass. not sure if it'll register through the 2 layers of plastic, I guess i'll just have to take a ride down the parkway and find out.

Here it is, nestled behind the headlight.

Well, time to take it out for a ride.

--Chris

 

[RidingDonkeys]

Is that the 12v power supply, or the 5v power supply? You should have both. Most GPS run off 5v, so if you use that one, you can go straight to your GPS unit without having to step it down. That would leave your 12v power supply open for other gear, or an accessory outlet.

 

[chris1261]

Is that the 12v power supply, or the 5v power supply? You should have both. Most GPS run off 5v, so if you use that one, you can go straight to your GPS unit without having to step it down. That would leave your 12v power supply open for other gear, or an accessory outlet.

@RidingDonkeys,

its the 12v. My GPS is an old Garmin and the mount is wired for 12v. If I decide to put any other accessories on, i'll go the HighFive route with a fuzebox or something similar. I just did this because a piece of wire was a lot cheaper!

 

[Abby]

While I was at it, I also found a place to hide my EZPass. not sure if it'll register through the 2 layers of plastic, I guess i'll just have to take a ride down the parkway and find out.

is this some anti radar defeater?

 

[mario33]

is this some anti radar defeater?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-ZPass

 

[RidingDonkeys]

Don't take this the wrong way, but it is kind of funny that the guy from Poland was the first to answer that question.

 

[nev..]

Nice trick modifying the cap to be the connector chris1261. I'd be interested to hear how it lasts over time.

 

[AUS_TR650]

I had a look at a wiring diagram and the only match I could find that was close to the wire colours in your picture in a two pin connector was a pull-up resistor. Are you sure there wasn't a resistor in the cap? I could not find this connector on my bike unless it is tucked away out of sight.

 

[chris1261]

I had a look at a wiring diagram and the only match I could find that was close to the wire colours in your picture in a two pin connector was a pull-up resistor. Are you sure there wasn't a resistor in the cap? I could not find this connector on my bike unless it is tucked away out of sight.

View attachment 27050

Nope, no resistor in the cap. My connector was tied up in the wiring harness above the cyl. head.

 

[AUS_TR650]

Nope, no resistor in the cap. My connector was tied up in the wiring harness above the cyl. head.

Fair enough. I did find mine as you say it is tied up in the main loom; haven't had a chance to probe out though. It would be nice to find out where it gets its power from and that it is not a low or high side driver from the ECU. Check out the diagram & have a look -

 

[AUS_TR650]

After googling for info about pull-up resistors, it appears that the fuel level pull-up resistor on the TR650 is not used as there is no fuel level gauge on the dash so they have installed a blanking cap as wire colours definitely match. Does the Nuda have a fuel level gauge as they share the same instrument panel?

BTW, pull-up resistors are used to convert a varying resistance created by a sender into a varying voltage required by the dash panel. I learnt something too

 

[nev..]

When I first rode the Terra, I thought, they've got the dash all wrong. They have a graduated gauge for the temperature where a binary gauge (light on when overheating) would suffice, and a binary gauge (reserve light) for low fuel when a graduated gauge for the fuel level would have been much more useful.

 

[Jughead]

I work for the company (TE Connectivity) that manufactures the connections for BMW (and others). You'll see the TE molded into the housing. The product line is called MQS. I found a supplier called Mouser Electronics that sells many of the components to the public.

http://www.mouser.com/Connectors/Automotive-Connectors/_/N-1ehb5?Keyword=mqs&FS=True

The OP did almost exactly what I'm planning to do except using the correct male pin for the connector. I was going to drill two holes through the cap, install the pins, epoxy the pins in place, terminate, and cover the end of the pins with heat shrink tubing.

 

[RidingDonkeys]

If somebody can get me a detailed shot of the connector, I can probably source the male/female parts of the connector. The housing is the difficult part, but the internals of these connectors are almost always a common standard.

 

[msmith345]

I work for the company (TE Connectivity) that manufactures the connections for BMW (and others). You'll see the TE molded into the housing. The product line is called MQS. I found a supplier called Mouser Electronics that sells many of the components to the public.

http://www.mouser.com/Connectors/Automotive-Connectors/_/N-1ehb5?Keyword=mqs&FS=True

The OP did almost exactly what I'm planning to do except using the correct male pin for the connector. I was going to drill two holes through the cap, install the pins, epoxy the pins in place, terminate, and cover the end of the pins with heat shrink tubing.

From what I'm seeing, the connector on the bike, part number 1718555-1 is a restricted part, and doesn't have the info available. Was hoping to find a data sheet that would mention the part number for the male connector, but no luck. Mouser doesn't show any 2 position male connectors by TE, so I think we're still stuck on having a factory quality connector.

 

[Lekolite]

I have my BMW dealer tracking it down but I suspect it is too expensive. I found one that looks similar sold by a BMW dealer for about $20. We will see what my parts guy says.

 

[durtkillon]

I know this thread is ancient, but I came across it in my search for a connector that I could use to connect a Garmin Zumo XT unit that I just acquired. I have found the correct male connector and the corresponding part numbers.

The housing is made by TE and is in their MQS series as mentioned above. They can be purchased at Mouser or other online retailers.

Mouser Part numbers
Housing: 571-1-967570-1
Pins: 571-5-962886-1
Seals: 571-967067-1

TE part numbers
Housing: 967570-1
Pin: 5-962886-1
Seal: 967067-1

The blanked off female terminal behind the headlight cowl is to the far riders right and supplies 5v of switched power. The one over the cylinder is 12v is switched power.

 

[hawkster]

Thanks for the info. I'll use the 12v connector for my gps. Currently using the battery.