How To Install A Phone Charger On Motorcycle

How to install USB charger on motorcycle

On long altitude tours, many bikers use smartphones or GPS devices to navigate, just the problem is that the battery of these devices usually lasts for a maximum of 5 hours. In order to continue with your journey, you lot may either require recharging your device using portable chargers or apply an alternate device till you reach back to your hotel.

But wouldn't it exist squeamish if yous had a dedicated charger near your handlebar's telephone mount that keeps the device charged at all times?

USB sockets are probably the most in-need accessories on a motorbike and yet very few manufacturers offering them every bit standard. In today's blog, we volition explain how to hands install a USB socket in various ways on your motorbike either direct from bombardment using switch, relay, and fuse or indirectly from ignition switch.

Installing a USB socket is like shooting fish in a barrel and information technology is very economical. All yous demand is a spacious room, correct set of tools, a USB socket, and an installation guide.

In order to install the USB socket, there are primarily two locations available; the beginning and the most obvious is the handlebars, but information technology will require you to fix the socket with an adhesive or a clamp equally it might get loose due to vibrations. The 2nd location, which is more safe, but difficult to access, is under the saddle. This location is less prone to vibrations and the admission to the battery terminals is also close.

In KTM 990 for example, we can install a standard USB socket under the saddle with a small plastic housing to put your telephone. Useful for recharging a phone while riding, however much less useful if you desire to have it in your field of vision and use it as a GPS!

Things you will need: In case you are planning to install the USB socket to your handlebar, you need an additional USB extension cablevision of almost ii meters that can extend from nether the saddle to reach the handlebars.

Steps to install USB socket directly from bombardment

The connections of a USB socket are adequately easy and you lot generally need to attach 2 wires to the finish of the USB terminals (black and reddish).
Now connect the red wire to the positive and the blackness wire to the negative concluding of the battery.
This type of installation is pretty standard and you will see that the USB charger is working fine once you have connected the wires to the bombardment terminals.

However, this type of installation is not recommended since the USB socket will consume the bombardment power all the time, even when the motorbike is safely stored in the garage for winters.

The more ideal fashion to install a charger on your motorbike would be to additionally install a switch in between the connections. This will prevent your motorcycle from draining in instance y'all are not using the USB charger.

Y'all may have noticed that horn and indicators practice not usually switch on when you have not inserted the ignition key. This is washed to protect the battery from draining out unnecessarily. Nosotros volition follow the same concept and try to install the USB socket.

Steps to install USB charger without draining battery

Instead of connecting the terminals of the USB socket to the terminals of the battery, we volition connect them to non-vital electronic parts like the license plate light, or the horn. This can be done with the assistance of domino wire connectors.

two. Connect the reddish wire of your USB socket to the license plate lighting cable, using a domino, Wago, or a terminal cake connector which will serve the connections between the two wires deeply.

3. If you lot are having trouble finding the right wire, exam all the connections going at the back ane by one before you arrive at the right wire. Alternatively, you tin dismantle your license plate and slightly pull the wires connecting the bulbs to arrive at the conclusion.

4. Once your cables are plugged in under the saddle, all you have to do is pass them up to the handlebars. This operation depends on the motorcycle only very ofttimes it will exist necessary to remove some side fairings.

5. Take a good await at the existing installation of the bike: there are probably a lot of cables going from the handlebars to the saddle; yous might as well follow the same path. Do not forget to add together a little slack so that the turning of the handlebars does not forcefulness the cablevision.

vi. In club accept a more secure connection (although it is not necessary), yous tin farther install a relay switch between the connections. This will let you to isolate your connection in the issue of an electrical failure.

vii. Finally, one time the wiring is completed it is time to clamp your USB socket to the dashboard using an adhesive. Make extra sure that the socket is firmly attached or it might detach itself during vibrations.

USB Charger with switch and cigarette lighter

8. That'southward it; yous have installed the USB charger on your motorbike. Relish!

Alternative method

There is an boosted socket (with a dedicated fuse) that usually comes as a standard in case the passenger wishes to install heated grips. This socket will be free in example yous have not installed whatever heated grips and can be used equally a port to connect your USB charger. The method is much simpler than the previous one since we practice non demand to connect from the battery. Moreover, the socket is located shut to the handlebars and is more secure due to the presence of a dedicated fuse.

Does USB charger drain motorbike battery?

The USB charger serves as an electrical signal to accuse your electronic devices. Frequently times, many riders install a USB charger on their motorcycle and practise not install a connection billow or a switch in between the terminals of battery and USB charger. Then in cases similar these, there is a high possibility that the active connection will continue to drain out the power from your main battery fifty-fifty when you lot are not charging your device. This bleed is wearisome and it might have weeks for the bombardment to become completely discharged, but the possibility of battery drain cannot be ruled out. In short, a straight connection from motorcycle bombardment to the USB socket can drain the ability from the battery. To avert this, make sure you have installed a switch to break the circuit when the charger is not in use.

Installing USB Charger with switch on motorcycle handlebar

USB Charger with integrated switch (Credit: YGL Waterproof Motorcycle USB Charger)

The simplest way to install a USB charger without draining your motorcycle bombardment is by placing a switch in betwixt. Still, it might be a little difficult for riders who are non tech savvy. So in this case, the all-time possible solution is to purchase a USB charger that already has a disconnect switch. This switch is designed to plough off the ability while not in use to avoid draining the battery and have some advantages over the standard USB sockets; firstly, you practise not need to purchase an additional switch to fix it near the charging indicate, secondly, the consummate charging unit looks aesthetically more than pleasing since the switch and charging indicate are integrated together.

The installation is also pretty basic:

Remove the terminals of the bombardment (negative last should be removed first).
Connect the red wire of the USB charger to the positive terminal of the battery.
Connect the black wire of the USB charger to the negative last of the battery.
Clench the wires with 'cable tie' together with other wires that are extending towards handlebar.
Once the wires of the charger are visible near the handle bar, affix them tightly below the dashboard with the help of clamp and agglutinative.
Gear up the USB charger on the handlebar. Yous tin utilize adhesive or clamps for a strong hold.
Switch "ON" the USB charger.
You have at present installed the USB charger on your motorcycle handle bar. Don't forget to switch it off when not in use.

Notation: It is recommended to purchase a USB charger that has a pre fitted fuse. In case of whatever electric failure, your USB charger won't damage other vital electrical components of your motorcycle.