Where is a good signal wire for 30A relay

[FuzzyRider]

OK, I've searched the forum but couldn't find what I was looking for. If your search-foo is strong and you have the magic search terms just point me to the proper thread(s) please.

I'm installing a 30 amp relay to power my BlueSea fuse block. I want to install the relay either 1) under the right side front panel near the battery or 2) under the rider's seat close to the tank. I'm going to be installing the fuse block under the rider's seat. Considering I HATE to cut or splice into wires (yes, I know, Posi-taps are much better than the Radio Shack vampire wire splices but I still prefer to not splice into a wire wherever possible) does anyone know a good wire to pick up a signal for the relay from, preferably with a connector where I can pull out the pin and solder the signal wire to it, then put the pin back in the connector. I'm looking for a wire that is hot with the ignition on and all things being equal I'd love it if the wire was near the battery or under the rider's seat so I don't have to run the signal wire very far.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TheAxeman]

I have my relay velcroed under the drivers seat near the Blue Sea. If I remember correctly, I hooked into the wire running to the license plate lamp. Not sure if you found this diagram, but I found it to be helpful.

 

[Bounce]

I got mine from the auto-park jumper of the windshield. works great. no need to tap into the wiring harness.

https://www.fjr-tips.org/mods/shield/shield.html

and also more info at:

https://www.fjr-tips.org/mods/pdb/pdb.html

 

[FuzzyRider]

I have my relay velcroed under the drivers seat near the Blue Sea. If I remember correctly, I hooked into the wire running to the license plate lamp. Not sure if you found this diagram, but I found it to be helpful.

Axeman, thanks for the diagram. I hadn't seen it before but it's pretty much what I had in my head.

 

[FuzzyRider]

I got mine from the auto-park jumper of the windshield. works great. no need to tap into the wiring harness.
https://www.fjr-tips.org/mods/shield/shield.html

and also more info at:

https://www.fjr-tips.org/mods/pdb/pdb.html

Thanks for the links Bounce. They give me enough info. I'll go check out the Bin 'o FAQs to see if the windshield retracting jumper is in the same place (or at least nearby) on the Gen IIs.

 

[ponyfool]

First, decide how you want the BlueSea to become active. If you want battery power, there's not much to worry about in your selection, it's pretty limited

If you want it energized when the key is turned on, the tail light wire works just fine, and, depending on where you put your relay, is very accessible.

If you want it energized only when the bike is running, the headlight lead works well.

I have mine set up with just the key, using the tail light lead. This way, when I get to the bike and turn the key to on, but haven't yet started the bike, my GPS "warms up" and is ready to go by the time I am.

As for the location of the relay, if you want a really clean install of the BlueSea, and want a really out of the way, never to be seen from location for the relay, under the tool tray works great! There is a lot of room under there for multiple relays if you want, as it is just a dead space. I have my BlueSea triggering relay in there as well as my alarm system. Clean, dry, out of the way, great location that type of install.

Finally, as far as tapping into existing wires, use a Posi-Tap connector and you're good to go!

 

[JimLor]

My BlueSea us under the pax seat and the relay is run from the left tail light. I wanted the BlueSea (BS) to become active when I turned the key on (w/o having to start the engine), and to deactivate when I turned the key off (switched).

You might also want to consider where you put the BS and whether you may want to add other "stuff" in the future. For me, I now have a Power Commander and AutoCom intercom in the tool tray and my BS under the pax seat. It made more sense to me to put the BS with all the attendant wiring, etc under the Pax seat where it would remain mostly undisturbed unless I needed to add or take away something. I started with the intercom under the pax seat, but moved that for the BS.

 

[v65]

There is room for the relay near the battery, although it might take some imagination, that's a good spot for it. I would take this time to install a new set of louder horns powered off from your new fuse block, and then energize the relay off from the old horn wiring. One of the wires to the horns is ignition switched power, your horn button is actually connected to neutral. If you put the relay near the battery then you could use power from the right side horn.

 

[CHRIS_D]

Sorry to hijack the thread.

What model Blue Sea did you use? Is there a recommended vendor? Also where do you get the Posi-taps and 30 amp relay at?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ponyfool]

Sorry to hijack the thread.
What model Blue Sea did you use? Is there a recommended vendor? Also where do you get the Posi-taps and 30 amp relay at?

Thanks in advance!

If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't get the BlueSea, I'd get the Centech. You can get the Centech or the Posi-Taps, at Skyway's site, www.skywaymoto.com

The BlueSea you can get from Jeff's site, www.bikeeffects.com

Both are board members (and Jeff gives a 10% discount to board members!)

 

[FuzzyRider]

Chris, you didn't hijack. I got the Blue Sea 5025 (6 circuit with negative bus). As ponyfool mentions you can get it from Jeff's site. I prefer the Blue Sea over the Centech because of the negative bus. I don't believe that the Centech has places to attach the negative wires from your accessories and that is certainly easier and cleaner than some alternatives. Posi-taps are available from Skyway but I personally don't like to use taps. I'm going to be pulling a pin from the winshield auto-retract connector, soldering the signal wire to the relay to the base of the pin, then putting the pin back into the connector. As far as relay I picked up the cheap Radio Shack 30A 12V relay. If it gives me problems then I'll replace it with a higher quality one.

 

[ponyfool]

I thought the same thing about the Centech about its apparent lack of grounding terminals. However, According to Skyway's site, the Centech does have negative terminals as well.

Adding your accessory is as simple as routing your power wiring from your device to one of the "eight positive and grounding lugless termial strips" on the AP-1.

But, Cyclegadgets.com comes to the rescue with its review by explaining:

There are 8 power ports for the 5 circuits (3 of the circuits have 2 ports apiece), and 8 grounding ports on the opposite side of the panel.

 

[CHRIS_D]

Chris, you didn't hijack. I got the Blue Sea 5025 (6 circuit with negative bus). As ponyfool mentions you can get it from Jeff's site. I prefer the Blue Sea over the Centech because of the negative bus. I don't believe that the Centech has places to attach the negative wires from your accessories and that is certainly easier and cleaner than some alternatives. Posi-taps are available from Skyway but I personally don't like to use taps. I'm going to be pulling a pin from the winshield auto-retract connector, soldering the signal wire to the relay to the base of the pin, then putting the pin back into the connector. As far as relay I picked up the cheap Radio Shack 30A 12V relay. If it gives me problems then I'll replace it with a higher quality one.

Thanks for the information. I too don't like splicing into the factory wiring. Do you need one of those Molex pin extractors to get it out? If you don't have some type of extractor it's going to be a bear to get out.

I thought the same thing about the Centech about its apparent lack of grounding terminals. However, According to Skyway's site, the Centech does have negative terminals as well.

Adding your accessory is as simple as routing your power wiring from your device to one of the "eight positive and grounding lugless termial strips" on the AP-1.

But, Cyclegadgets.com comes to the rescue with its review by explaining:

There are 8 power ports for the 5 circuits (3 of the circuits have 2 ports apiece), and 8 grounding ports on the opposite side of the panel.

Interesting..... I did look at the Centech model and also was under the impression that it didn't have grounding lugs. If it does have grounding lugs it may be the way to go because it's smaller in size than the Blue Sea. Hopefully it's as water resistant too.

 

[FuzzyRider]

Scott, good info about the Centech - thanks for sharing that!

Chris - no, I don't have a molex pin extractor but I do have a lot of patience.

 

[AGirl]

Don't know if this will help you, but:

AGirl

 

[FuzzyRider]

AGirl, thanks for the diagram. I appreciate it - especially the amperage of the gerbing stuff. Good to know that I'll have plenty of capacity in my in-line fuse and good to know what size fuse to put in the Blue Sea for the heated gear circuit.