Fitting a Sat Nav to a Gen 4

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Connecting a 5v device to a switched 12v source is perfectly safe as long as you do not turn on the ignition. Or if the battery is very, very flat.
 
I'll explain my set up to hopefully answer both questions. I've stripped all the wires off my Garmin cradle except the pos and neg. The pos and neg are wired directly to the BMW plug I've given the item code for. This plug is fitted into the spare aux plug under the tank cover. When I switch on the bike ignition the Garmin comes on. It works fine. This is exactly how I had it on my gen 3 too. Is the Garmin 5v? I've always thought it was 12v? On my previous fireblade I had it wired directly to the bat.
 
I thought my explanation was quite poor - a picture always helps!!!

The attachment shows my Garmin cable (unhelpfully upside down) - as you can see, the transformer steps the voltage down from 12v to 5v, with the left side as shown going direct to the battery. So my question is, when you stripped your connector cable back, did you retain the transformer or is the Aux port already stepped down to 5v and therefore I can just use the cable to the right of the transformer.

Thanks

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Many thanks - I?ve checked with a meter and it gives 12 volts. I?ll just plug it in and give it a go!

Ah, this should answer my question then - if the Aux port is outputting 12v then I need the Garmin transformer - thanks
 
I thought my explanation was quite poor - a picture always helps!!!

The attachment shows my Garmin cable (unhelpfully upside down) - as you can see, the transformer steps the voltage down from 12v to 5v, with the left side as shown going direct to the battery. So my question is, when you stripped your connector cable back, did you retain the transformer or is the Aux port already stepped down to 5v and therefore I can just use the cable to the right of the transformer.

Thanks

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I'm no help here unfortunately. I've never seen a Garmin cable with a step down transformer!! That explains why I didn't understand your question. The two Garmin models I've used are the 660 and the 595, neither had what your picture shows. If I mount the Garmin into the car cradle and plug it in to the cigarette lighter socket its obviously using 12V. If I mount the Garmin into the the bike cradle and wire it across the battery it's using 12V. I can only assume the cradle is converting from 12V to 5V.
Yes the aux plug out put from the bike will be 12V.
 
I thought my explanation was quite poor - a picture always helps!!!

The attachment shows my Garmin cable (unhelpfully upside down) - as you can see, the transformer steps the voltage down from 12v to 5v, with the left side as shown going direct to the battery. So my question is, when you stripped your connector cable back, did you retain the transformer or is the Aux port already stepped down to 5v and therefore I can just use the cable to the right of the transformer.

Thanks

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Out of interest - which Garmin is this for?
 
Zumo 395LM - I also had a quick look at my cigarette lighter connector and that incorporates the step down function within it

Ok, so you need the transformer.
To correct my previous statement, the 595 can take a DC voltage of between 10 and 30V so can be plugged directly to the aux socket or across the battery.
 
It was with great expectation that I went to cable up my SatNav today - having diligently creating some nice watertight connectors I was hoping for a simple 10 minute job (my usual window for a 10 minute job is circa 2 hours!) - having wrestled off the fairing I went to plug the connector in and the bloody fitting is different and does not fit. Order it from Nippy Normans but I guess there must be more than one type as although it said it fitted the S1000RR, certainly not mine!!

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https://s1000rrforum.co.uk/album.php?albumid=263&attachmentid=5631

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I had same problem! But for me it was because I tried to connect to the plug which is behind left side panel by the starter motor. This is not the right plug. The plug that fits your connector is located behind the panel on left side of fuel tank! Well, it was on my gen4 bike.
 
I had same problem! But for me it was because I tried to connect to the plug which is behind left side panel by the starter motor. This is not the right plug. The plug that fits your connector is located behind the panel on left side of fuel tank! Well, it was on my gen4 bike.

Ahh, so I am a total idiot after all, that's the one I was trying to use too - thanks for the pointer (I just assumed that there was just the one)
 
No problem! Neither the manual or BMW UK could tell me about the correct location of this plug! I have suggested to BMW UK that they update their knowledge! Hope it all goes smoothly now.
 
No problem! Neither the manual or BMW UK could tell me about the correct location of this plug! I have suggested to BMW UK that they update their knowledge! Hope it all goes smoothly now.

Hey FAF - quick question if you don't mind. Earlier in this thread the cabling is stated as being 1 positive; 2 not used; 3 negative. On the Nippy Normans site is says for the S100RR "On S1000RR connect as following
1 Red 2 Black 3 Not used Works great and turns on and off with ignition" - clearly both cannot be right. Do you remember how you cabled yours? Thanks in advance
 
Hi Chris, i tested the cables myself and this is what I found :

1 is red/live at 12 volts

2 is also live, but only 9 volts

3 is black/earth 0 volts

The cables are indeed ?switched? ie the accessory is switched off when the ignition is off.

So I?m going with the original advice on this site, not Nippy Norman?s. Since testing the cables and checking the posts on this site, I?ve still not connected everything up, but will do come Sunday. I?ll let you know how I get on!


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Hi Chris, i tested the cables myself and this is what I found :

1 is red/live at 12 volts

2 is also live, but only 9 volts

3 is black/earth 0 volts

The cables are indeed ?switched? ie the accessory is switched off when the ignition is off.

So I?m going with the original advice on this site, not Nippy Norman?s. Since testing the cables and checking the posts on this site, I?ve still not connected everything up, but will do come Sunday. I?ll let you know how I get on!


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Awesome - thanks; looking forward to hearing how you get on!
 
If you go back through this thread you will see I had the same problem - basically the manual is pretty poor. I put up some pictures showing which plug to use and which one not to use. This is for the official BMW plug - I've no experience with the Nippy Norman one. Why use the Nippy Norman one over the BMW one - what is the benefit?
 
If you go back through this thread you will see I had the same problem - basically the manual is pretty poor. I put up some pictures showing which plug to use and which one not to use. This is for the official BMW plug - I've no experience with the Nippy Norman one. Why use the Nippy Norman one over the BMW one - what is the benefit?

Hi oldwobbler - thanks for the clarification - I wish I had seen your earlier post with the pictures as it would have saved me a lot of grief ; only went with Nippy Normans as they deliver in a couple of days, but maybe that is a fools economy and I should get the proper BMW kit
 
Chris/oldwobbler. Yup, to confirm all is good. Connected accessory to the cables and all lit up! Switches off as well! Cheers both.
 
Chris/oldwobbler. Yup, to confirm all is good. Connected accessory to the cables and all lit up! Switches off as well! Cheers both.

Well done; I am awaiting receipt of the proper BMW connector and then will go down the same route - thanks both
 
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