Show me your USB

[CraigRegs]

First the USB lead from the Zumo 590 crapped out. Not unexpected as the rubber cap refused to stay in place when the port wasn’t being used and it pointed skyward. Then my dual-port crapped out.



Attached to the brake master cylinder and facing me, it stayed fairly dry. But now, no voltage on either.

So what have you mounted and where to keep your doo-dads juiced?

[escapefjrtist]

Low tech for me Craig. Battery tender lead in front-right of tank with BT to USB adapter. Don't need phone charging that often...

~G

[raYzerman]

In the glove box. Small flush cigar lighter adapter (2 port), with cables running up to handlebar area/tank bag, slightly squish the cables with the glove box lid...... looking to upgrade to a 2 porter like you had on your master cylinder but I'll panel mount something on my homemade dash panel. My 590 USB is still working too. I charge camera and remote with them, sometimes phone.

[Pat Mitch]

Two USB ports with an on off switch. The USB port has a voltmeter built in. There was just enough room to mount it in the plate next to the battery. I bought them on amazon. The usb cable goes to my iPhone on the steering column.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bill lumberg]

I run usb from the glovebox, and have another beneath the rear seat. If I used the one that I fish out from beneath the rear seat much, I’d leave it under the seat and run on connected to it out in the open, so I could replace the one that gets sun and rain damage, while the hardwired one stayed safe and dry.

[philharmonic]

I keep mine in my small tank bag.

[DesignFlaw06]

I've got a flush cigarette adapter in the glove box. I have a spare one under the seat if I get desperate. The phone gets charged inductively if I need to with a charger mounted on the stem nut. I have yet to see a USB socket mounted in a way that I like. Seems like this kind of thing would happen all the time. Hardwire where you can.

[gixxerjasen]

You want ghetto crap? I got ghetto crap for you.



Ok, so this exists partly out of my own personal cheapness and laziness but it started out as a need for a solution today for a trip tomorrow kind of thing. I went to the auto parts store and picked up a replacement cigarette lighter receptacle which I wired up to my fz1 fuzeblox (Not a cheap part) and then tossed in a two port usb car charger that I had laying around I got at Walmart. Ran the wire up under the tank and plastics and out around the fork area so I could plug in. Quick cheap solution as the car part was under $7.

So, it worked. It worked very well, and I never got around to doing anything better. I just leave the cords off to the side year round and while some would cringe, if the cord gets messed up from the weather (hasn't happened yet) then I'll just order a new $3 cord off Amazon. In fact, this solution worked so well that I added a second one so I could have a total of 4 ports for trips. I run the cables out from under the seat to my tank bag where I kept my camera, GoPro battery charger, and mp3 player all with power while on the go. On the second one, seen in the picture, I upgraded to a better car charger but it's all still pretty inexpensive overall and works well. Been running on this solution for a few years now. Yes it's ghetto. Yes it's ugly, but only when you pull the seat. No it's not fancy pants stuff. But it just plain works and is inexpensive.

[bigjohnsd]

I've tried several, used Cigar Lighter option in the glove box on the FJR, the damn things failed left and right or wouldn't stay connected. Tried a panel mount on the KLR, better, but not water tight for certain. I eventually bought one of those auxillary Battery Units that can start your bike or power your phone etc and kept it in the tank bag, charging it at night. I have had frequent problems with the Micro USB plugs not wanting to remain in contact while inserted into/the device being charged. The whole Micro USB system sucks. I tried a Magnetic Micro USB Coupler I found on Amazon thinking it might be better - not so. I'm pondering what to do on the GSA.

[gixxerjasen]

USB-C is fantastic.

[bungie4]

I ran power to the interior of my tank bag using a kit similar to this:

https://tecmate.com/nieuwsbericht/power ... r-tankbag/

It's fed to from a jumper between a DIN connector connected to my battery.

Inside the tankbag its got a big splitter that runs to cigarette lighter/BMW style connector. I just plug in the USB into an adapter.

[Gramps]

I ran power to the interior of my tank bag using a kit similar to this:

https://tecmate.com/nieuwsbericht/power ... r-tankbag/

It's fed to from a jumper between a DIN connector connected to my battery.

Inside the tankbag its got a big splitter that runs to cigarette lighter/BMW style connector. I just plug in the USB into an adapter.

+1
Mine's also powered to my tank bag combined with a volt meter.

[bungie4]

Reminds me, I've got to replace the cigarette lighter plug on my tire pump with a DIN plug. I always have the pump with me, but I don't always have the tank bag that has the adapter.

[raYzerman]

I think you mean SAE not DIN.... the round ones are Coax, like the ones on your heated gear.

[bungie4]

I think you mean SAE not DIN.... the round ones are Coax, like the ones on your heated gear.

Ya. What the smart guy said.

[Hppants]

I just KNEW that Jasen was going to win the Rube Goldberg award on this thread. He's my nomination, anyway. Dude's got just enough combination of creativity and technical ability. Well done, my friend.

I'm using a combination of Ray/Bill's method (cig plug in the glove box), and Big John's method (bought a brick and keep it in the tank bag. I'm especially proud of my brick because it has two outputs: one for 1.2 amp devices, and the other for 2.1 amp devices. I've determined that while some things (I-phone for example) will charge with either, some things (Nikon camera for example) MUST have a charger with the correct amperage output.

Quite frankly, I'm simply amazed that I actually figured that out. I do realize that for many of you, this is second nature.

[wheatonFJR]

Electricity is invisible and black magic.

[Uncle Hud]

I've been planning to replace the glove box cigarette lighter with a two-port USB, and run a dedicated iPhone "Lightning" cable up to my dashboard shelf. Been planning it for a year, and hope to get to it during December.

[bungie4]

Oh ya, the local crappy tire had small 120V 1000w inverters on for like $15. I don't know why, but I carry it around in my tank bag. Never know when you'll need to plug in a crock pot on the side of the road.

[RacinRay]

I have switched power running to my Givi top case and from there I have dual USB ports. I also have a flush mount dual USB in the glove box.