DC outlet replacement?

[Kevhunts]

Thought I'd charge up my cell phone while riding the other day so I placed the phone in my tank bag and used the standard car charger adapter which I plugged into the DC outlet. It worked fine until the adapter kept vibrating up on out of the outlet. Seems the DC outlet is on the large side and most ciggarette adapters don't fit to snug.

Anybody found a powerlet socket that will fit in the same hole as the orignal outlet?

 

[HoebSTer]

Kev, it's the nature of the overall design of the cig lighter style adapter. This is why myself and many others choose to install the "Powerlet" or BMW style plug. They snap into and generally won't wiggle out. A better design for electrical connections.

 

[~TABASCO~]

I plugged in my tire pump to the plug today and it must have blown the fuse in one second... That socket is about worthless.. Im installing a more heavy duty one soon....

 

[HoebSTer]

Tabasco, I think your tire pump is the cause for too much amp draw. No?

 

[~TABASCO~]

Tabasco, I think your tire pump is the cause for too much amp draw. No?

Im sure... I wanted to try it out, it blew the fuse in about two seconds...

 

[Mike Sisson]

Kev, it's the nature of the overall design of the cig lighter style adapter. This is why myself and many others choose to install the "Powerlet" or BMW style plug. They snap into and generally won't wiggle out. A better design for electrical connections.

Jeff, I think the question he is asking (as am I) is there a powerlet replacement kit or do we wing it an set one up outside the Yamaha set up. I set up an SAE plug directly off the battery that I can run a pump or heated gear on but would like to know if a powerlet kit will plug into the existing hole. I'm guessing it would with a larger washer to take up the extra space. Would still suck for anything but a low draw farkle (GPS, radar detector, etc)

 

[Combo]

I have not looked at my wiring yet as far as the power outlet but I remember a post that stated that the wire AWG was larger than the fuse and that a larger fuse could be installed without a problem. I know a #14 AWG will take a 15 amp fuse.

 

[Kevhunts]

Jeff, I think the question he is asking (as am I) is there a powerlet replacement kit or do we wing it an set one up outside the Yamaha set up. I set up an SAE plug directly off the battery that I can run a pump or heated gear on but would like to know if a powerlet kit will plug into the existing hole. I'm guessing it would with a larger washer to take up the extra space. Would still suck for anything but a low draw farkle (GPS, radar detector, etc)

It doesn't look like Powerlet makes a powerlet socket that drops-in the hole of the ciggarette socket which would have been nice.

 

[Tremor38]

I plugged in my tire pump to the plug today and it must have blown the fuse in one second... That socket is about worthless.. Im installing a more heavy duty one soon....

Haha! I would hope so. The fuze is only 3A.

 

[Tremor38]

Kev, it's the nature of the overall design of the cig lighter style adapter. This is why myself and many others choose to install the "Powerlet" or BMW style plug. They snap into and generally won't wiggle out. A better design for electrical connections.

That's part of the problem. While I acknowledge that the BMW style plug/socket is a better design, Ive had good luck with the car style socket when using Japanese, car style plugs. They look the same as the American ones, but you can tell the difference right away because when you insert the plug you encounter a bit more resistance until it pops completely into the socket. The American made plugs fit sloppily by comparison and back themselves out as the OP says. Since the guy at Eastern Beaver stocks a lot of the Japanese market products, one might be able to order a few of them from him as an alternative.

Just putting that up there. I'll probably end-up wiring in a SAE style connector for large-draw items like pumps....or possibly a powerlet for the other side. I felt the wires behind that OEM socket and they seemed kinda wimpy, although I haven't got a visual on them yet.

 

[digitalmoto]

It could be your adapter isn't worth a snot.

I'm using an older Sprint-branded cig to USB adapter to power my Garmin Vista C GPS. I've ridden over 1100 miles using the dash power outlet without any problems. I'm sure I paid way for too much for the adapter. I haven't been on the Sprint network in over 4 years. Add 2 more years for contract duration and that would make my adapter at least 6 years old. (Sturdy lit' bugger.) On the other side of the coin, I've got a cheapo cig to USB adapter in my car that wiggles out after about 10 minutes. It refuses to stay plugged in during my morning commute. Get what you pay for.

 

[Tremor38]

It could be your adapter isn't worth a snot.

I'm using an older Sprint-branded cig to USB adapter to power my Garmin Vista C GPS. I've ridden over 1100 miles using the dash power outlet without any problems. I'm sure I paid way for too much for the adapter. I haven't been on the Sprint network in over 4 years. Add 2 more years for contract duration and that would make my adapter at least 6 years old. (Sturdy lit' bugger.) On the other side of the coin, I've got a cheapo cig to USB adapter in my car that wiggles out after about 10 minutes. It refuses to stay plugged in during my morning commute. Get what you pay for.

Yepper! Like I said in my earlier post, you'll know if the plug will stay as soon as you insert it. Slightly more resistance in the last bit of travel before it bottoms against the socket.

 

[markjenn]

My experience is that the tolerances on the male/female interfaces of cig lighter plugs/sockets are wildly different - some combos fit relatively tight and others very loose. A little ingenuity in shimming or fastening a hold down would probably solve the problem in most cases.

I too would like to see a drop-in powerlet socket that fits where the cig lighter socket is now.

You can't use electric pumps on low-amp circuits - I've had my Slime pump pop 10A fuses, let alone 3A. The startup current draw is too high.

- Mark

 

[mobyfubar]

For the 12V air compressors, I always have a SAE connector with #14 wire straight to the battery for my Battery Tender, and use that for the compressor too. It's a short large-gauge wire straight to the battery that doesn't go through my auxiliary fuse block.

To keep it short on this bike, it's on the right side of the bike, right at the back edge of the cowling.

 

[Kevhunts]

It could be your adapter isn't worth a snot.

I think that is part of the problem. A quick fix might be a couple of wraps of electrical tape near the top for a snugger fit.
I'm also going to send Powerlet a note asking them to consider making a drop-in replacement for such applications.

 

[freeflow]

I think that is part of the problem. A quick fix might be a couple of wraps of electrical tape near the top for a snugger fit.
I'm also going to send Powerlet a note asking them to consider making a drop-in replacement for such applications.

powerlet makes an adapter that converts a powerlet male plug to US type 12 v plug....

http://www.cyclenutz.com/Cigarette-Plug-Adapter-AAC-001_p_238.html