Jastek vs marine grade outlet

[TheAxeman]

I know that the common consensus is to use powerlet outlets to feed power to accessories but does anyone use marine grade cigarette lighter type of outlets (see below)? It seems to me that everything I have that is powered has a regular cigarette lighter plug. Now if I use a "bmw" type socket that means that I will then have to have an additional cord to adapt to the cigarette lighter plug. Doesn't that kind of defeat the whole purpose of having the jastek plugs in the first place? Isn't simpler better? At this point I am only powering the radar detector and the Sirius but will probably be adding a GPS at some point. I certainly don't want to start hacking the plugs off the end of the electronics to replace them with Jasteks. SO, I'm going to defer to the experience of those on this board and see what others do. I am going to install a powerlet on the back of the bike to power my Aerostich but am still conflicted about the front outlets.

 

[Randy]

I have 2 powerlets installed - 1 switched (only powered when bike is running) and 1 unswitched (always powered). In hindsight, I could have made due with the switched outlet being the marine grade outlet as, like you, the only thing I use it for is charging stuff. The unswitched is what I use for my Battery Tender connection (and I had to get an adapter for that, too).

 

[Geezer]

I wired the batery tender to the battery and left the SAE end where I could get to it easily. Then I made up a short cord with a cigarette lighter plug on one end and an SAE on the other for use with appliances. I hardwired my radar detector via the switched horn wire that was left over after I put in the blasters.

 

[TheAxeman]

I wired the batery tender to the battery and left the SAE end where I could get to it easily. Then I made up a short cord with a cigarette lighter plug on one end and an SAE on the other for use with appliances. I hardwired my radar detector via the switched horn wire that was left over after I put in the blasters.

I did the same as you Geezer and wired the SAE connector directly to the battery and then tuck the wire inside the right fairing out of sight (may have even got the idea from you come to think of it). Making up a short cord though is a good idea that never even came to me. I wired my air pump with an SAE connector also so I could plug that into the direct wired cord seeing as the cigarette socket on the '06 is only 3 amps. I'm trying to eliminate as many connections as possible which is why I thought the marine socket over the Jastek would work better.

 

[Heronboy]

I did both. I have a switched Marinco cig outlet in the right side dash for cell, sat, etc. And I have a pair of unswitched Powerlets below the saddle for charging/vests. Works great since items I use while riding that are in front of me have cig plugs while items that require little fiddling have Powerlet plugs and are beneath me. Beats having to make up adapters and carry extra crap.