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USB Port Installation Tutorial

Philipp

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EDIT: I posted the first part of my tutorial for installing a USB plug underneath the document lid:

http://nc700-forum.com/forum/nc700-mods/1249-usb-port-installation-tutorial.html#post14395

Would still appreciate your help with the second part to install a USB port on the handlebars (see below).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would like to install two USB ports on my NC700X and need a little assistance since this is my first time working on a motorcylce. I assume that down the road others may want to do something similar so I'd like to put together a tutorial. I'll update this post with instructions from other users as I get them.


This is the USB outlet I purchased for my handlebar: (Link 1). I would like to connect it to the ignition so that it is only powered when the key is turned on.

This is the USB outlet I purchased for the fake trunk: (Link 2). I am planning to install it underneath the hidden document compartment and would like to hook it up directly to the battery so that it is always powered on. (re-charge my bluetooth overnight, etc...)

At first I assumed that I can connect both of these directly to the battery. However, I keep reading about a sub harness (link) that you allegedly need to get from Honda to install any sort of electric devices.

So here are my main questions as of right now:

  • What does the sub harness do and do I need to get it to do any of this?
  • I have successfully located the battery (behind the maintenance panel). Can I just connect the red and black wires from my USB port in the trunk to the red and black ports on the battery?
  • Where do I have to connect the cables from the handle bar port so that it is only powered with the ignition on? Also, how can I run those wires into the battery compartment from the handlebars?
  • Do I need to remove the left side panel to do any of this? If so, I assume I would be following these instructions? [Link 3]

Additional information

The product page for my trunk USB plug [link 2]notes:
The all weather straight cord is direct connecting to 12V power system, this system is engineered to power down from 12V to the USB power requirements of DC 5V +/-0.25 and 1A max. Contains a built in automatic fuse that resets itself. Great for all types of motorcycles, cars and recreational vehicles.

And the product page for the handlebar USB plug [link 1] states:
This USB power supply will connect directly to any 12-24VDC powered vehicles.

with the following connection diagram:
1793-accessory-outlet-image.jpg

Also, here is a nice, clean photo of the battery compartment so that others can follow along in case we need to reference any of the connectors in there:

1794-accessory-outlet-image.jpg


Once I have it all figured out I will clean up this post with easy to follow instructions so that other users can follow along.

Your help would be greatly appreciated!
 
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Lots of different ways to do this. You can certainly go directly to the battery.

The downside to that is:
1. Power will be at the USB port even when the bike is turned off. Could drain you battery if you forget to turn off your device.
2. As you add more accessories, battery maintenance/replacement becomes a nightmare because of all the accessory wires.

The upside is:
1. Power will be there anytime (key on or key off)
2. Ease of installation


What I did was install a power distribution block and relay in the fake air intake:

IMG_2196.jpg


The distribution block receives it's power via a relay and is only powered when the key is on. I tapped into the power at the fuse block next to the battery. With this setup, I can easily add accessories without a whole lot of drama. Just connect the + and - to my distribution block and I'm done.

If this interests you, let me know and I'll try to write something up explaining the connections.


WGW
 
For anyone interested to install a USB port underneath the document lid, in the fake trunk, this post will describe my step, by step instructions. I think this is a great place to install the port since it is located in the document compartment of the trunk and therefore won't take up any space from your main storage compartment. Please note that I connected the port directly to the battery since I am planning to use it to re-charge my communication bluetooth module or ipad while parked.


I am using this USB charging port: BurnsMoto - Motorcycle, ATV, Boat, RV - USB Weatherproof Power Socket - USB Charger with optional SAE to USB

1) Remove the maintenance lid in the trunk.

2) Remove the document holder lid on the bottom of the trunk.

3) Drill two holes, with the proper spacing, into the document compartment lid. A 7/32 drill bit was perfect for my installation. Make sure you don't place the USB port to close to the front of the lid since it still has to close with a USB plug plugged in.

image.jpg

Also, make sure that the lid of the USB plug is opening up to the brake side of the motorcycle. This will allow you to align the plug so that it perfectly matches within the little grove of the document compartment.

image.jpg

4) Use two M6x12 (or similar) screws and matching nuts to fasten the USB plug to the bottom of the document compartment lid. You probably will want to use an electric screwdriver since these screws are just a hair to thick for the whole we drilled. That will make it a very snuck fit, however.

image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg

5) Optional: you may wanna saw/file off the part of the screw that sticks out above the nut to avoid scratching your helmet. I am also planning to add a strip of black electrical tape over the nuts to further prevent scratching.

image.jpg

6) File out a grove on the back of the document lid so that you can feed the cable through it.

image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg

7) Re-install the document lid

image.jpg

8) Cut the wires to an appropriate length (allow a little slack) and attach crimp ons to the end of each wire. 1/4 diameter/16-14 gauge works perfectly.

9) Remove the two screws from the positive and negative battery terminals and re-install with the black and red wires for the USB plug in place. Make sure to remove the negative screw first. Then the positive one. Go in reverse order to reinstall.

image.jpg

9) File a grove on the bottom of the maintenance lid to allow for the cable to feed into the battery compartment.

image.jpg

10) Reinstall the maintenance lid.

image.jpg
image.jpg

11) Done! Happy charging!

image.jpg

Let me know if you have any questions. My next project is to install a dual-USB charger on the handle bars. Once I have figured out how to do this I will post a tutorial for that as well.
 
The distribution block receives it's power via a relay and is only powered when the key is on. I tapped into the power at the fuse block next to the battery. With this setup, I can easily add accessories without a whole lot of drama. Just connect the + and - to my distribution block and I'm done.

If this interests you, let me know and I'll try to write something up explaining the connections.

YES! This would be perfect for the installation of the USB port on the handlebars since I only want that one to be powered with the ignition on. If you could help me with that I would greatly appreciate it!

My main questions are:

  • How do you install the distribution block/relay in the fake air intake? What do I need to purchase? What steps are require to get into the air intake and to install the box there?
  • Where do I need to connect the wires so that this box only receives power with ignition on? How do I run the wires to that place?
  • How do I run the wires from the USB plug on my handlebars to the relay in the fake air intake?
  • Is there any need to install fuses?
  • How much of the left side paneling do I need to remove to make all of this happen? That's what I'm most nervous about.

If you could walk me through these steps I'd greatly appreciate it. Once I have it all figured out ill document my installation so others can follow along.
 
I'm going to break this up into a couple of posts. One with pictures showing the components and the other with the wiring details and parts.

To remove the fake air intake cover:

Open the trunk and remove this screw:
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1832-01.jpg



Press in the center of this plastic rivet and remove:
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1833-02.jpg



Slide you fingers under this lip and pull the panel straight back (toward the rear of the motorcycle):
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1834-03.jpg



This will expose a decent bit of space. The right panel removes in the same way. Routing wires in and out of this location is very easy. You'll see once you open it up and look around.


This is where I mounted the distribution block and relay:
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1835-04.jpg


The positive side is on the left and the negative side is on the right. The barrier strip terminals are joined together using jumpers.

Here's a picture of the relay and it's mounting location:
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1836-05.jpg



For relay "switched" power I tapped into an accessory terminal above the fuses:
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1837-06.jpg


wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1838-07.jpg


I can't take credit for this location. I did some searching on here and dduelin posted about the location. I verified it was a keyed source with a meter. dduelin also suggested grinding down a standard terminal to fit the socket:
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1839-08.jpg


Works like a champ. Bend the edge over and route the wire straight down and out the bottom.

I cut a notch in the bottom of the fuse block cover for the wire to run through:
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1840-09.jpg



WGW
 
I can't take credit for this location. I did some searching on here and dduelin posted about the location. I verified it was a keyed source with a meter. dduelin also suggested grinding down a standard terminal to fit the socket:

That's where the OEM option relay is supposed to be. You get that relay when you purchase everything you need for the Honda heated grips (Sub harness thing) so that's a great place for a switched 12V.
 
All the parts are typically available at Radio Shack. Not the cheapest place, but they are just about everywhere.


4-Position Dual-Row Barrier Strips Model: 274-658 | Catalog #: 274-658
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1852-barrierstrip.jpg




8-Position Jumper Model: 274-650 | Catalog #: 274-650
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1850-jumper.jpg




12VDC/40A SPST Automotive Relay Model: 275-001 | Catalog #: 275-001
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1853-relay.jpg




30-Amp Inline Mini Blade-Type Fuse Holder Model: 270-1237 | Catalog #: 270-1237
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1851-fuseholder.jpg



And of course you will need some wire, crimp connectors, and something for wire management to prevent damage to the insulation.


Use the jumpers to connect two banks of terminals together. You will wind up with four connections on one side and four connections on the other side. One side will be for positive and one side for negative.

To wire all this mess here's what you do:

Battery:
From the + battery post run a wire with fuse to terminal 87 on the relay.
From the - battery post run a wire to the distribution block (barrier strip).
These two wires need to be heavy enough gauge to support the power draw of all your accessories. The fuse size must be selected to support the gauge of wire used.

Relay:
Terminal 86 to the negative side of the distribution block
Terminal 30 to the positive side of the distribution block
These two wires (terminal 86 and 30) should be heavy enough gauge to support the power draw of all your accessories.

Terminal 85 to the keyed power source (accessory tap above the fuse block). This wire should probably be fused, but it can be a really small fuse since the relay pulls less than 1 amp.


Now, about determining proper wire gauge...for example if you have heated grips that pull 5 amps and a heated jacket that pulls 7.5 amps you want to make sure that your wire is capable of a minimum of 13 amps. Just add up the total draw of all your accessories and plan accordingly. It never hurts to add in a little wire gauge extra capacity for future add-ons.

Here's a link with a table to help you determine the gauge of wire needed for the power draw (amps) that all your accessories require:
Automotive Wire & Wiring Guide from TESSCO - TESSCO.com

The smaller the gauge number, the larger the wire and the more current draw (amps) it can handle.



Wire everything up first and make the battery connections last.

Most accessories have their own fuse so all you will have to do is connect the + side of the accessory to the + side of the distribution block and the - side of the accessory to the - side of the distribution block.

Hope that all makes sense. I'm no electrician, but this is how I wired my bike and so far so good. If anyone sees anything that needs correcting, please speak up. I certainly don't want to pass along any bad information.



WGW
 
Hey WGW,

amazing instructions! Thank you so much! Really excited to get my USB plug so I can get started on this. Just a couple quick questions for you:

  • From your installation picture it seems like you only have 4 banks installed? You mentioned that I would have a total of 8, though, correct? Also, do I need the 8-Position Jumper Model? My local radio shack is out of those.
  • How did you mount the distribution block and relay to the bike?
  • So the relay has 4 different terminals? From the picture it looks like there are only three?
  • "Terminal 85 to the keyed power source (accessory tap above the fuse block). This wire should probably be fused, but it can be a really small fuse since the relay pulls less than 1 amp."
    This would be in addition to the 30amp fuse that will run to terminal 87, correct? Also, what connector did you use to plug into the accessory tap of the fuse block?
  • What wire gauge did you use? (Seems like 18 seems pretty reasonable?)
  • Are you concerned at all about rain getting into this compartment?


Again, thank you so much!
 
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I used the same terminal to wire the switch on my aux lights. It would have been nice to have some factory acc terminals. Nice work and great pics.
 
Hey WGW,

amazing instructions! Thank you so much! Really excited to get my USB plug so I can get started on this. Just a couple quick questions for you:

  • From your installation picture it seems like you only have 4 banks installed? You mentioned that I would have a total of 8, though, correct? Also, do I need the 8-Position Jumper Model? My local radio shack is out of those.
  • How did you mount the distribution block and relay to the bike?
  • So the relay has 4 different terminals? From the picture it looks like there are only three?
  • This would be in addition to the 30amp fuse that will run to terminal 87, correct? Also, what connector did you use to plug into the accessory tap of the fuse block?
  • What wire gauge did you use? (Seems like 18 seems pretty reasonable?)
  • Are you concerned at all about rain getting into this compartment?

Again, thank you so much!

There are 4 banks of 2 terminals for a total of 8 terminal connections. This gives you four for the positive side and four for the negative side. This size is a perfect fit for the area. The longer strip would extend too far for this space.

The block and relay are mounted with stainless steel hardware. Drill a hole through the plastic and you can get to it on the other side. It's behind the lip so it doesn't show when everything is buttoned up.

Yep, four terminals on the relay.

Yes, two fuse holders would be needed. One for the main power to the relay and one for the switched power to the relay. The connector is a male disconnect .250" tab.

18 should cover you at 40 amps total with a distance of 3 feet. I tend to go a little overboard. I used 12 gauge. Plus that's all I had at the time. :)

No worries about water getting in there. I've done some pretty wet days and haven't had any problems yet.


I used female disconnects to connect to the relay. That way if you have to replace it, it can be done easily on the road. The disconnects are .250" tab. NAPA sells a harness that will plug in, but I was fine with just using the disconnects.



WGW
 
Hey WGW,

Thanks again for the quick response! I think I understand this set up pretty well now. I just need to clarify the banks one more time. Still not 100% sure about those.

So just to clarify: you used ONE of these, correct?
4-Position Dual-Row Barrier Strips Model: 274-658 | Catalog #: 274-658

For some reason I was under the impression you used TWO of those and then connected them togehter with this:
8-Position Jumper Model: 274-650 | Catalog #: 274-650

If that's not the case, what is the jumper model for? Radio Shak was sold out of it anyways, so I don't even have that. Also, if I just use one barrier strip, aren't all the connectors connected? How do I keep mixing up positive from negative?

Sorry if I'm a bit slow on this part but I've never used these.

Thank you!
 
If I understand it well, it is the jumpers what do the mix, while in the original barrier strip each pair is independant from the others. I guess WGW has a jumper of two terminals (that means, 4 screws) for the possitive and another jumper of 2 terminals for the negative. But I'm not 100% sure nor I'm able to explain it better
 
Yep, duk2n's got it.

wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1852-barrierstrip.jpg


Out of the box, the terminals are connected in pairs. The black line between each pair isolates them. So in it's stock form you have four independent connections. With the jumpers, you cut a pair and connect it to the first two sets of terminal. This bridges them to connect them together. Then you cut another pair of jumpers and connected it to the last pair of terminals.

Just losen the terminal screws and slide the jumpers in:
wgwgoldwing-albums-distribution-block-picture1868-barrierwjump.jpg


Notice the gap between the top two jumpers and the bottom two jumpers. This gap keeps the top four terminals isolated from the bottom four terminals.


WGW
 
Thanks so much WGW! Finished the install this weekend and it works like a charm. Don't really need to re-post a tutorial since yours was very clear. Now I'm sporting two additional USB ports on my handlebars! :)

image.jpg

Thank you!
 
Thanks so much WGW! Finished the install this weekend and it works like a charm. Don't really need to re-post a tutorial since yours was very clear. Now I'm sporting two additional USB ports on my handlebars! :)

Thank you!

Awesome! Glad to hear it all worked out.


WGW
 
Thanks so much WGW! Finished the install this weekend and it works like a charm. Don't really need to re-post a tutorial since yours was very clear. Now I'm sporting two additional USB ports on my handlebars! :)

View attachment 2045

Thank you!

Over here, you will get a 100chf fine on-the-spot if you are found to be operating any handheld devices, or even meddling with your GPS or radio while driving (moving).
I think it applies also to bikes.
:p Ride safe.

Blindflug_InpagePicture.jpg
 
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great write-up. I am looking for a phone holder for my Lumia 920. I think Ram Mount makes a water-proof case for it. Once I get that going, I will look to add a USB outlet.
 
Over here, you will get a 100chf fine on-the-spot if you are found to be operating any handheld devices, or even meddling with your GPS or radio while driving (moving).
I think it applies also to bikes.
:p Ride safe.

Blindflug_InpagePicture.jpg

Same here in California, Happy. (Around $35 I think). I'd never dare use the phone while driving, though. It's there simply for navigation purposes. Notifications are disabled while riding to avoid any distractions.

Übrigens liebe ich die Schweiz. Mein Ex war Schweizer. Aus Bern. Super Land. :)
 
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