Switched Power Vs. Constant Power. | GTAMotorcycle.com

Switched Power Vs. Constant Power.

oioioi

oioioi

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I am planning ahead for winter and I have a Fuzeblocks FZ-1 unit coming in the mail.

I want to be able to add some accessories to the bike apart from what is already there and I want to utilize this fuse block. I am somewhat confused with which accessory should be connected as switched power and which accessory should have constant power.

What are you thoughts on this and why? Why should the aux lights be on switched power while XXXXshould be constant power? The more I think about it, the more I think everything should be on switched power as I don't anticipate needing anything while the bike is off. Convince me otherwise.

These are the accessories I plan on having on the bike.

1. Garmin GPS unit
2. Aftermarket dual USB charger with voltage meter. This model has its own on/off switch right on it. There already is one near the dash but it is not a high output one.
3. Yellow LED aux lights (spot lights) that came with the bike on lower crash bars. They were there, might as well keep them.
4. LED flood lights just below the front nose.
5. Koso Heated grips
6. Possibly connection point for heated gear but nothing in the immediate future.

I am complicating this further by wanting the aux lights on a manual push button switch near the handle bar. I want to be able to manual override the on/off function of the aux lights. Also, the DL1050 has a high beams with a "pass" switch. Currently the yellow spot aux lights are connected to this but I want to separate them out and leave the high beams as factory.


Educate me and others.
 
With that setup, it's probably easiest to have everything switched.

Put the whole fuzeblock on a switched relay. That way your battery won't discharge when the bike sits.

Edit: There is a switched relay line in the fuzeblock itself.

So you connect that to something that is only live when the bike is running.

Your heated gear could be connected direct to the battery, with it's own fuse, since it only draws power when the gear is connected to the line. Everything else you'd have to make sure that the switch is turned off when you park your bike, otherwise, at some point you'll come out to a dead battery.

If you're going to add something for a trickle charger, that would also be connected directly to the battery.
 
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Switched power. That way nothing gets left on by accident.
Just curious. Does your alternator have enough excess to run all that?
 
Everything should be switched unless you are adding an accessory with a clock.

A voltage meter (if you're interested in charging voltage) should ideally be connected right at the battery with nothing in between. Any switch will drop a tiny bit of voltage and your reading will be slightly off. BUT this is totally impractical because it will constantly drain your battery.

If the meter has a built-in switch then you weigh the advantages of a very slightly more accurate reading vs the chance that someone turns it on while you're away from the bike or you accidentally do it yourself.

But power on with key out gives you the option of charging a device (locked under the seat) while you're grabbing a quick bite on a ride.

I'd personally run everything through the switch and not worry.
 
@Baggsy yes they FZ-1 block has a relay in it. Sort of the whole purpose of this block. Switch power will be provided from the lighter power socket under the seat as that is factory switched.

@timtune I need to look at the specs of it but I'm guessing so. Also, chances are that not everything will be on at the same time.

@RC-31 The bike has its own voltage meter in the dash from factory. The USB charger has one but that was not the main feature I was going for when I purchased it. Also, this has it's on on/off switch as well so I could connect up the USB charger to constant power and rely on the built in manual switch to turn it off. Chances are I would forget one day when I park the bike and only find out when I want to go for a ride next time and the battery would be dead.

I am having a hard time finding an argument for anything to be on constant power.

Aside from my needs/accessories , what would someone want to be on constant power?
 
Brian P said:
Unswitched is for things like theft alarms, clocks, etc, and I suppose if you want to add LED decorative lighting that you want to have on while the bike is parked with you elsewhere.
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My ignition does have a "P" position, which turns on the front and rear parking light and allows me to turn on the 4-way hazards.
 
oioioi said:
Aside from my needs/accessories , what would someone want to be on constant power?
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An alarm that powers off with the ignition wouldn't be much good
I have an GPS speedo that will forget the odometer if it disconnects from power (pretty well anything that has a switched power and a constant power lead means it has memory but no on board battery)
My tach has a memory feature that has to have continuous power (shift light and a tattle tale)
On some bikes/cars; the rad cooling fan will stay on till the rad cools (every turbo)
You want a USB port that stays on so you can charge your stuff with the ignition off
 
Start with everything switched.

If it doesn't do what you want, change that particular fuse, and check that your battery isn't draining later on.
 
I have my USB socket on all the time because when I'm camping, I like to recharge my phone or communicator while we're having dinner around the campfire or overnight. USB does have a small parasitic draw so install one with a manual switch.

Also, the SAE pigtail is direct battery connect for trickle charging as well as being able to plug in an air compressor to inflate the tires without switching the bike on. The latter function can be switched power, but the trickle charger needs to be direct connect.
 
bitzz said:
An alarm that powers off with the ignition wouldn't be much good
I have an GPS speedo that will forget the odometer if it disconnects from power (pretty well anything that has a switched power and a constant power lead means it has memory but no on board battery)
My tach has a memory feature that has to have continuous power (shift light and a tattle tale)
On some bikes/cars; the rad cooling fan will stay on till the rad cools (every turbo)
You want a USB port that stays on so you can charge your stuff with the ignition off
Click to expand...
I have yet to experience this but I know what you mean.

My last FZ6 seemed to run a little hot and often when I came to a stop the fan would want to continue to run. So I had to leave the ignition in the in position before it cooler off.

This is a newer bike and I'm hoping that this won't be an issue.
 
Lightcycle said:
I have my USB socket on all the time because when I'm camping, I like to recharge my phone or communicator while we're having dinner around the campfire or overnight. USB does have a small parasitic draw so install one with a manual switch.

Also, the SAE pigtail is direct battery connect for trickle charging as well as being able to plug in an air compressor to inflate the tires without switching the bike on. The latter function can be switched power, but the trickle charger needs to be direct connect.
Click to expand...
Trickle charger pig tail is already on the bike connected directly to the battery.

The bike has a cigarette lighter charging plug under the seat. If and when I get a small compressor I can use it off of that.
 
Depending on how your GPS responds to no power you may want this one circuit to be unswitched. If you are stopping for gas, a small break, whatever it might be a hassle if the GPS shuts off and has to be restarted.
 
ReSTored said:
Depending on how your GPS responds to no power you may want this one circuit to be unswitched. If you are stopping for gas, a small break, whatever it might be a hassle if the GPS shuts off and has to be restarted.
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Garmin Zumo 396. I believe it will switch to the built in battery when power is turned off.
 
oioioi said:
Garmin Zumo 396. I believe it will switch to the built in battery when power is turned off.
Click to expand...

I have one of those. When power is cut, it will display a warning on the screen asking if you want to leave the GPS on (press OK) or automatically shut off in 15 seconds if you do nothing.

Had an intermittent connection problem with the cradle and it would throw up this warning message every time I hit a bump. It was installed on my dirtbike... Drove me nuts...
 
@Lightcycle Which inflator do you carry on you when on rides?
 
oioioi said:
Garmin Zumo 396. I believe it will switch to the built in battery when power is turned off.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking of installing a similar Fuzeblock on the Tracer. Please post about your install + pictures too would be appreciated.
 
ReSTored said:
I'm thinking of installing a similar Fuzeblock on the Tracer. Please post about your install + pictures too would be appreciated.
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I will for sure.

You can buy them directly from Fuzeblocks site or from a Canadian retailer.

Fuzeblock FZ1


Still waiting for Canada Post to decide on what to do with it. I purchased it from someone off of another forum from USA.
I swear I have received stuff from AliE from China faster than from across the continent.
 
Lightcycle said:
Anti-Gravity Microstart Inflator


Nice and compact.
Click to expand...
That's the one I was thinking. I saw some other ones but for a little more $$$. Not sure if they would be worth the premium price.

Even some "as seen on TV" models that are battery operated and the size of an electric tooth brush. Reviews are not great. As expected from a gimmick product.

https://www.amazon.ca/EE-ACE-Cordle...ocphy=9000908&hvtargid=pla-1599604291845&th=1
 
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