Well, the wife and I went to the Motorcycle show in Cleveland Oh. last night and we picked up some Gerbings heated jackets and gloves. I was planning to add some BMW type power outlets to the bike for these jackets , but the Gerbings people said to just wire their plug right to the battery and tuck the connection out of the way when not using it. I must say, it seems like a good idea. My question is.... how have you done it? Looking to tap into the vast knowledge base here so I don't have to install this item 2 or 3 times before I get it right. Thanks.
how to wire Gerbings to bike?
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gerbings
1. Hook up the wiring to the battery as gerbing suggests.
2. run the wiring up the frame with the seat off under the top shelter inside the gas/tank filler cap area. This way no wires show when not in use. You will have to remove two screws to raise the rear of the top shelter about 1/2 an inch to tuck the wiring thru.
3. I velcroed my portable controller to the back side of my butler drink holder with industrial strength velcro.
4. the connector under the gas cap door does double duty, also fits my battery tender plus.
Hope this helps a bit.
JD
:biker:
1. Hook up the wiring to the battery as gerbing suggests.
2. run the wiring up the frame with the seat off under the top shelter inside the gas/tank filler cap area. This way no wires show when not in use. You will have to remove two screws to raise the rear of the top shelter about 1/2 an inch to tuck the wiring thru.
3. I velcroed my portable controller to the back side of my butler drink holder with industrial strength velcro.
4. the connector under the gas cap door does double duty, also fits my battery tender plus.
Hope this helps a bit.
JD
:biker:
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9,099 Posts
I assume you got two wiring harnesses, one for your back seat and one for the front. If so, hook them up as Gerbing said. Route the front one to a site you like (JD's gas tank idea sounds real good) and your in business up front. I put mine in the left front pocket after drilling a hole and using a rubber gromet, but I like to do things the hard way.
The back one sat in the crack between the seat cushion and the backrest until I got real jumpy and drilled a hole into the left rear pocket. I put a Powerlet plug on the outside the pocket near the intercom connector. Now I think it looks better, but a lot of other people with more imageanation than I have will come up with other ideas.
Keep warm. You will love them.
The back one sat in the crack between the seat cushion and the backrest until I got real jumpy and drilled a hole into the left rear pocket. I put a Powerlet plug on the outside the pocket near the intercom connector. Now I think it looks better, but a lot of other people with more imageanation than I have will come up with other ideas.
Keep warm. You will love them.
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I'll have to try the gas cap area, JD. Thanks. For the back, I'm rigging a box that will fit onto the back side of the left compartment door to put the plugs in...routed through the trunk. It will be open when in use, closed when not. I'll show pics when I'm done. Couldn't find a place I was willing to drill back there.
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Its real easy to drill holes in the bike. Six or seven stiff shots,
etc. I know the feeling.
Here is where mine ended up - photo is with all the
cords and wires in place. My Gerbings are the old
style hook-ups. Powerlet also has the BMW type.
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Good luck.
etc. I know the feeling.
Here is where mine ended up - photo is with all the
cords and wires in place. My Gerbings are the old
style hook-ups. Powerlet also has the BMW type.
Good luck.
Rick M - again this is a personal choice or preference area, but at least for the drivers area I would strongly urge you to consider a permanent controller option. The ease of use and hooking up and unhooking, plus when you use it and don't use it, for me it was the only way to go. Plus I just don't like dangling wires or ones coming out of unusual places. As you can see by the many posts in this area, there are a number of options on the places to mount for the driver for both a single or dual controller for yourself, and the Powerlet Products - BMW cable plugs & adapters are great. The ease of use is perfect too and it looks stock when your done.
The passenger one is more difficult and may be more suited to a portable controller, although I have seen a permanent one done on the under side of the rear speaker and it was very nice.
I'd give it some careful consideration before going the way you're considering if you don't want or like extra wires coming from unusal places (believe me, you'll have enough with just the various connections like jacket to glove and or pants to content with).
DaleC
The passenger one is more difficult and may be more suited to a portable controller, although I have seen a permanent one done on the under side of the rear speaker and it was very nice.
I'd give it some careful consideration before going the way you're considering if you don't want or like extra wires coming from unusal places (believe me, you'll have enough with just the various connections like jacket to glove and or pants to content with).
DaleC
I guess I shoud have stated that I plan to use a permanent dual control for the front and a portable dual for the rear. The new version of Gerbings stuff has a "new" stule connection and it is much smaller than the BMW power plug. So I see the point of using it as it is, but there is NO way to panel mount it. I plan to put the front dual controls below the right front storage compartment /glove box (I've seen pics of this before and it looks very clean and handy). The gas cap idea sounds good. Keep the ideas coming. :chat:
G
Guest
·With my Utopia backrest installed,i have a hole thru the seat that i ran both lines for our heated vests thru.mine is wired to the battery (tender hook up) my wifes is on the accessory terminal.A tab of velcro sewn to the connector ends mates with the velcro on the backrest support.My wife finds it much easier to plug in with it right in front of her,mine is right beside me. The Utopia comes with a zippered compartment attached to the back of the rest that hides both connectors when not in use.No holes to drill,or cables chafeing the soft paint.Your passenger will love this setup.I've been thinking of routeing her intercom cable the same way.
Cheers Ric from Canada eh
Cheers Ric from Canada eh
YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! Wow what a great idea. That works for me. Sounds like an idea I may have to steal :wink: Thanks for the tip.Ricky said:With my Utopia backrest installed,i have a hole thru the seat that i ran both lines for our heated vests thru.mine is wired to the battery (tender hook up) my wifes is on the accessory terminal.A tab of velcro sewn to the connector ends mates with the velcro on the backrest support.My wife finds it much easier to plug in with it right in front of her,mine is right beside me. The Utopia comes with a zippered compartment attached to the back of the rest that hides both connectors when not in use.No holes to drill,or cables chafeing the soft paint.Your passenger will love this setup.I've been thinking of routeing her intercom cable the same way.
Cheers Ric from Canada eh
yep, that is exactly what I am talking about. The Gerbings rep said that it is a better install to forget about the accessory port and just use the Gerbings plugs. Now I don't know what to do. I really like the accessory port idea and I'm wondering why Gerbings did not think that was a good idea. :?
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Can I confuse the issue Rick?
It's not a bad idea to put a relay in line with the heat-troller so if you forget to turn it off, it can't draw voltage from you battery.
I ran only one hot wire (G) to aux fuse blocks and one ground wire from the right side engine connector to a ground block. Front outlet goes through the relay - to the heat troller under the left switch gear - then to an outlet in the left side of the top shelter below the switches. the rear just pokes out from the side of the backrest and can be tucked in when not in use. It has no relay and works also for my battery tender. Passenger uses a portable heat-troller. You can see the wire between the backrest and trunk pocket. The little flush mounted button under the rear arm rest is a PTT.
Just another way to do it, but it keeps the battery clean.
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You can see the heat-troller (since replaced with the new type) under the mute button and the outlet is below that just out of view.
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this is were I put the Ground Block and Relay.
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Do what works best for you! Have fun with the new heat and loonngger riding season.
It's not a bad idea to put a relay in line with the heat-troller so if you forget to turn it off, it can't draw voltage from you battery.
I ran only one hot wire (G) to aux fuse blocks and one ground wire from the right side engine connector to a ground block. Front outlet goes through the relay - to the heat troller under the left switch gear - then to an outlet in the left side of the top shelter below the switches. the rear just pokes out from the side of the backrest and can be tucked in when not in use. It has no relay and works also for my battery tender. Passenger uses a portable heat-troller. You can see the wire between the backrest and trunk pocket. The little flush mounted button under the rear arm rest is a PTT.
Just another way to do it, but it keeps the battery clean.
You can see the heat-troller (since replaced with the new type) under the mute button and the outlet is below that just out of view.
this is were I put the Ground Block and Relay.
Do what works best for you! Have fun with the new heat and loonngger riding season.
Rick M - I'd be really curious as to why the Gerbing Rep. would say that. Providing you have a reasonable place to mount accessory port, plug and play is pretty nice and hard to beat. You are also only concerned with one end and not two or if you have a dual control two ends instead of four.
Whichever,
DaleC
Whichever,
DaleC
Quickdraw, nice install. I plan to use the add on term. kit that I got from Electrical Connection for both the hot and ground connections. I'll have to look at it, but I think they provide a relay to kill all power to the add on circuits when the key is off. I bought a perm. dual control for install for me, and a portable for the wife. I plan to put power outlets in the same spot as you did. What do I need to take off to mount them there?
Dale C. I don't know why the Grebing rep told me not to use the power outlets, the more I think about it, the more I want them , so thats what I'm gonna do. :wink:
Dale C. I don't know why the Grebing rep told me not to use the power outlets, the more I think about it, the more I want them , so thats what I'm gonna do. :wink:
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A lot of nerve!!! you'll be cutting a hole in a very expensive piece of plastic
Really, I had the top shelter off, but I think just removing the left pocket might do it. Removal of the trim and switch plate would help too. There isn't much room back there, so watch carefully for clearance and start with a very small hole.
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