Watts and things

[sradek]

I have ordered a service manual, so I don't yet have all the details about which electrical stuff consumes what wattage, etc.

From what I have read here, the FJR alternator is not much over-engineered (bad!).

I would like you guys to weigh in do'es/don'ts.

I need to install: (some of this may have no effect at all)

- Replacing stock horns w/ Stebel Compacts.

- Need a heated vest (Widder is preferable due to lower consumption, but Gerbings are suggested ... why!?)

- Additional LED tail lights (I guess not a big deal in consumption)

- Back-off for brake light (not wig-wag) - this may have no effect

- PC III/USB (I would think no effect)

I will have the GPS and other minor gadgets soon.

What other electrical farkles have you done?

 

[ionbeam]

A '06A has a safe ~220 watts head-room, you may be able to push it to 260 watts.

Additional amp suckers:

Datel or equivalent to monitor your electrical system, uses almost no electrical power

driving lights to see far and effectively at night

if you are thinking of a heated vest then consider heated grips or heated gloves

>>Gerbings are suggested ... why!?<<supposed to be more convenient to use

CB radio

(cruise control -- a personal choice over a throttle rocker)

(heated seat)

 

[Constant Mesh]

I doubt the '06 has that much power reserve. The rated output of the charging system has increased by 100 watts -- 490 to 590. Yet the '06 has additional continuous power users.

The glove box solenoid is energized whenever the key is switched on -- 8.5 watts. The license plate lamp is an additional 5 watt load. The brake light relay consumes continuously another 2 watts.

The net gain on the standard shift '06 is maybe 80 watts. On the electric shift it's less with the shifting servos and ECU.

 

[bramfrank]

Why would a relay draw current except when energised?

And the dash lights save about 3 watts each 'cause they are now LED based.

 

[ionbeam]

Warchild has shown that on the Gen I FJRs you could load the electrical system with ~120-130 watts before the voltage dropped to the 12.8 volt range. Even though the Gen I charging system was rated 490 watts Electrosport found that it never actually produced much more than 420 watts. The new Gen II system seems to produce a true ~580-590 watts. Anyone want to volunteer their '06 so I can find out how many watts it really produces

 

[Constant Mesh]

The four meter lights in the earlier models are rated 1.1 watt each. So the '06 should have a small net savings by going to LEDs.

The brake light relay on the '06 is always energized when the key is switched on except when the brakes are actuated. The two normally closed brake light switches are wired in series with the brake light relay coil. When a switch is actuated the coil circuit is broken and the relay drops out. So, the relay is always energized except when the brakes are actuated.

The earlier models didn't have a brake light relay. The two normally open brake light switches are wired in parallel.