Introduction: Adding a Car Charger to a Motorcycle
I ride my bike to work year round and I found the need to be able to charge my phone when I ride, especially when I’m using it for turn by turn direction.
Wiring your bike for use with a cigarette adapter is simple but I looked around to see if there were some instructions or a kit I could buy but I didn’t find much in the way of step by step instructions, and the only kit I could find was for a bout $50-$60, money I did not have to spend on this project.
I did find some chatter on a forum about two ways of wiring (this may seem obvious). One going directly from the battery so it is on all of the time or two connecting to the switch so it can be turned off. Since there are LED lights on cigarette lighter socket and car charger, I opted to go for the switched option.
My bike is a 04 Yamaha R6 (This model still has enough room under the rear seat to do this).
Phone needing charged on the road iPhone 3G
Step 1: Supplies You Will Need
• DELTRAN Battery Tender Ring-Terminal Harness w/fuse maybe 2
• DELTRAN Battery Tender Extension Cord 12’
• 18-14 AWG Mid-Line Tap
• Shrink tube
• Zip ties
• Soldering supplys or Butt Connectors
• Automobile Cigarette Lighter Socket (with cap if you can find it)
• Multi meter
• Car charger for what ever model phone you have
Step 2: Wiring the Bike
When using the Deltran cables always make sure to have any cable connecting directly to the battery should have the exposed side of the connecting terminal connected to the negative battery terminal.
Bike wiring:
I used the Mid-line tap and some spare electrical cord ( you can use some from the Deltran 12' extension) to connect the positive side of the Deltran battery ring cable between the switch and the fuse of the blinker, The Deltran battery cable has it's own inline fuse so with this setup you will not increase the load of the blinker fuse (I chose the blinker because it is not vital and voltage fluctuation of the lights is negligible), for me this part was a bit tricky because of the location of the fuse box was in a tight spot under the tank. Connect the other cable directly to the negative terminal on the battery. I originally set this up to charge a phone under then back seat but then I got this magnetic tank bag (this is where the extension cord comes in).
The original ring terminal cord I have come out under the back seat, the extension I have spliced into the battery ring cord and run under the tank to come out along the right side to connect into the tank bag where the charger sits in the clear map pouch. I permanently added a cord with the proper ends so I can keep the cigarette lighter socket and car charger in the bag, when in use, I just plug the bag cord to the extension and I’m good to go if I don’t have my tank bag I just plug into under the seat. You can also setup a mount on the handle bars or triple tree for a GPS or to keep a camera charged on long rides.
Step 3: Cigarette Lighter Socket and Placement:
Cigarette lighter socket:
This part is simple just cut the ends off of the lighter socket and attach one of the extra ends of the Deltran cable. Make sure not to confuse which side will going to be negative and positive when connecting it to the lighter socket or extension cable. I used my multi meter a lot for this, checking to make sure I had the right side going to the right end.