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Passenger heat circuit for accessories?

3K views 17 replies 5 participants last post by  philspace 
#1 ·
I'd like to get some power into the Corbin Smuggler that has replaced my passenger seat, so I can charge my cell phone and iPod. And without the passenger's seat in place I've got these two loose wires just sitting there... would it be unreasonable to use them as an accessory lead for the smugger? I'd just run the wire through a small hole to a couple of cigarette lighter adapters in the trunk, and use standard auto adapters from there.

The passenger heat circuit is electronically "fused" by the canbus system, so I shouldn't need to add a fuse (though I might put a smaller one in, the seat heat breaker is probably set for a larger current than I'd need.)

The only drawback I can think of is that I'd have to remember to flip the switch, and I'd see the passenger heat indicator on the dash.

Anyone know how the low vs high heat setting works? Is the low setting a lower voltage, or does it just switch the seat on and off at regular intervals? (Presumably the high setting is 12v constant on.)

Or is there some other easily accessible accessory power available under the seats?
 
#3 ·
Accessory power under seat?

grifscoots said:
Be aware that the ZFE will shut down that circuit if it thinks there's too high, low, or weird (to it) electrical stuff going on.
Yeah, I've heard that. I should just get out my volt meter and experiment.

I read on some other thread that there's actually already an accessory power lead under the seat somewhere, so I could just use that. Anyone with a shop CD willing to post a description of how to find it?
 
#4 ·
If memory serves, it's also pulsed and not just a solid 12VDC, which is how it deals with the two settings. I'm not sure if high is a 100% duty cycle or not. With all the room down there I wouldn't bother, it's easy to run a wire from the battery under the tank to the tail.
 
#6 ·
grifscoots said:
I'm with Phil, run direct with a fuse.
Another big reason with a GPS, is the tracklog. If you use them and track where you were, especially if you go off road (yes, I've done some dirt roads on the GT), it's a PIA to have the GPS shut off at a gas stop or anytime you shut the engine off. Everytime the GPS powers off, even the zumo with a battery, it closes out the track log, so you have to sit in Mapsource and join them all back together again - sucks large on a long trip.

If you are an IB guy, it also screws up the trip calculations, stopped time, average speed yada yada - direct wire is good for the GPS. Everything else, I run switched, but not the GPS.
 
#8 ·
grifscoots said:
I'm with you on that. A non-switched GPS is the way to go.

I also built a waterproof box for my Valentine. Having it hooked to the accessory wiring left it beeping at gas stations till it shut down. I switched that sucker. Gotta love the Painless Fuse box.
My V1 is on the CANBUS GPS connector. As for waterproof boxes, I'm a cheap "KLR" guy (if you know what that means :leer) and use those cheap saran wrap elastic banded covers. They fit perfectly around the V1 and have worked through torrential downpours with no problem. Pennytech at it's finest and you can fit a wad of them almost anywhere. I also use it to cover my zumo mount when I'm washing the bike.
 
#9 ·
Yabut, you have to stop to saran. Used to piss me off to no end on my LT to have to stop and cover the XM and valentine in a frog strangler. I vowed to fix that on this bike.

I started with Aaron's Legal Speeding box for the valentine, but it looked like a shoe box sitting on the shelf. So, I made one with plexiglass and super glue. Rattle canned it black. Works perfect and is cheap. The hockey puck is already waterproof.


Irritates me to no end having to stop when I'm beating feet across the country. The two biggest downfalls are having to get gas and pee. I've pretty much worked out how much water to drink from the platypus in the tank bag to coincide with the gas stop, but it still is frustrating.

Yeah, I know, auxilliary gas tank and catheter. I'm a freak, but not that big a one.
 
#10 ·
I tried one, but had to put it away. Detectors aren't legal in VA, so I had to come up with a stealthy, one handed system for tucking it away. That's why I use a Garmin car mount on the gadget guy thing. Slide the lock back, hold the tab down with my thumb and she's in the tank bag out of sight. The little baggy things work with that. One of these days VA will get a clue.

Not a great pic, but you get the idea.

 
#12 ·
Cruisader or other "embedded" detectors?

philspace said:
Detectors aren't legal in VA, so I had to come up with a stealthy, one handed system for tucking it away.
Just curious (hijacking my own thread) if anyone has experience with a more discrete permanently mounted detector, something like the Whistler Cruisader. It looks like you'd mount the sensors discreetly in the front and back, you could mount the unit itself in the glove box, and wire it up to an autocom for the alerts. Nothing would be visible. There's even a wireless remote visual indicator if you want that.
 
#13 ·
bonafidebob said:
Just curious (hijacking my own thread) if anyone has experience with a more discrete permanently mounted detector, something like the Whistler Cruisader. It looks like you'd mount the sensors discreetly in the front and back, you could mount the unit itself in the glove box, and wire it up to an autocom for the alerts. Nothing would be visible. There's even a wireless remote visual indicator if you want that.
Aren't the LEO's able to detect a detector?
 
#14 ·
#16 ·
bonafidebob said:
Just curious (hijacking my own thread) if anyone has experience with a more discrete permanently mounted detector, something like the Whistler Cruisader. It looks like you'd mount the sensors discreetly in the front and back, you could mount the unit itself in the glove box, and wire it up to an autocom for the alerts. Nothing would be visible. There's even a wireless remote visual indicator if you want that.
Actually, the dealer told me about a guy down in Frednecksburg who did get nailed with one, the cop saw the display light up at night, I don't think he had an intercom and just wasn't very stealthy.

In VA, even if you are nailed, under the current law, it's a $30 ticket (plus court costs), and no points. I'd rather have that than be nailed doing 20+ over.
 
#17 ·
philspace said:
Actually, the dealer told me about a guy down in Frednecksburg who did get nailed with one, the cop saw the display light up at night, I don't think he had an intercom and just wasn't very stealthy.

In VA, even if you are nailed, under the current law, it's a $30 ticket (plus court costs), and no points. I'd rather have that than be nailed doing 20+ over.
I thought they also confiscated the detector. I also know they have a VG2 (might be up to a VG3) that can detect even the newest NON detectable ones.

When I'm in Va. I just unplug the thing and hide it somewhere. I also remember reading that it has to be somewhere you can't get to it on the move, so there is no way you can turn it on/off while driving/riding.
 
#18 ·
BeniciaRT said:
I thought they also confiscated the detector. I also know they have a VG2 (might be up to a VG3) that can detect even the newest NON detectable ones.

When I'm in Va. I just unplug the thing and hide it somewhere. I also remember reading that it has to be somewhere you can't get to it on the move, so there is no way you can turn it on/off while driving/riding.
In the old days they would confiscate it, too much conjecture on what they were doing with them and who made the money, so they went through a short period of destroying them on the side of the road (put it in front of the tire and make you drive over it), which also didn't pass the legal challenges. Now they leave it alone, unless you are an asshat, and at that point they will take it as evidence and you get it back after court. I have never heard of that happening, the only thing I know of from friends is a 30 buck ticket, no points and keep the detector. As for VG2 vs. VG3, my BIL is a retired cop, and tells me that most don't even have VG2, you only see that on the interstates with the state cops and the more wealthy police forces.
 
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