Accessory socket / GPS wiring, help!

[Fosters]

1st post so here goes.

R1200GS adventure, Nov 2007.

I want to get a Zumo 550 Sat Nav in a few weeks. Today I ordered a BMW accessory plug socket and kit at a cost of £40!! for fitting near left winglet in usual place.

I am confused as to what to do now. I spoke to first BMW parts bloke who told me I had 2 sockets already! and both sockets were permantly live!! I did put him right that I had only 1 socket and with the Canbus system it swicthed off soon after ignition!! I quickly worked out that he didn't know what he was talking about either.
I then phoned another dealer who told me that the socket wired into the spare canbus connector on the left side of the headstock ( now located) and I purchased the kit via post.

I have searched the MANY previous threads on the subject and am confused. Most say that this kit wires to the back of the standard socket on left side under seat. An easy enough job to do I feel.

Some mention the spare connector near the left side of the headstock yet other people say that is for the GPS connection.

Some say wiring GPS into the headstock connector or standard or also auxillary socket sometimes causes Sat Nav to swicth off ( due to xs load/amps) or experience interference.

I do not run anything off socket at present but do have an optimate lead direct off battery with in line fuse.

I only intend to use the GPS a few days a month so want to be able to unplug it and not have wires flapping about. As I do not yet have the Sat Nav to look at I am no longer sure what is the best thing to do.

I am also concerned that using the power socket (if fitted near winglet) in rain with cigarette lighter type connection may cause me problems.

Am I right in thinking I can buy a GPS connector from BMW to fit the headstock connector. If so, do they do one for the Zumo or is it a standard connector that you need to connect to Zumo wires? Any photos of the plug? Do you get wires from it?

People talk of interference on Sat Nav if they use the canbus socket and also powering down.
Is it best to wire direct to battery using in line fuse?

If hard wiring to battery is the way forward, does the Zumo 550 come with wiring and inline fuse or do I need to source that and make on up.

I have seen some threads of people poking wires in the headstock connector and silicone them but I would rather a more positive connection.

A few questions in one thread there. Thanks, Great site and very helpful

 

[Thunder]

Welcome to the collective, pop over to the "i'm new here" section and say hallo,

OK first off, the BMW additional accessory socket is designed to piggyback off the existing socket under the seat and comes with an appropriate connector. It won't be permanently live but switched via the igniition and can bus system.

The outlet at the front of the bike is primarily designed for connecting a GPS unit, you can buy a lad with a plug made up for the BMW Navigator system but the plug is also available trugh your dealer and if you pop over to the GPS section Stumpy has posted a thread on making up your own lead. I used it today to make up a lad for my Zumo and it works perfectly.

Have not heard of any issues with the GPS through the front sockets, there was a problem a whille back but this was resolved by a software upgrade.

Personally I prefer a connection which is switched rather than one direct to the battery, it eliminates any potential drain on the battery.

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

Hi mate,

first up, don't panic too much, its all fairly straigh forward. First up, have a look at stumpy's threadhere, which will tell you how to get the plug you need for the headstock socket, and wire it up (dead easy).

I've also got some pictures in my thread here, from when I originaly wired it up as a bodge job before getting the connector. not much use as its better to use the plug, but the pictures there show the headstock canbus connector quite well.

If you are just wanting to connect a zumo, I'd suggest using this plug as its neat and tidy and works well. If you want the extra accessory socket, then you can install that as well, but if not then I'd try to return it.

 

[Fosters]

Thunder and Johnny Dangerously.

Thanks very much for your help. I just looked at Stumpy's thread, makes it look very easy. I think that is the way forward for me and I will send back that socket to the dealer. I ordered it just before 5pm so hopefully they perform to usual standards and haven't posted it yet!! ha ha and I will order the Canbus connector.

Only Bmw could make yellow wiring and a big white connector to stand out on a bike where all wiring and connections are black!!! Thank god for heat shrink and electrical tape!!

Thanks again fellas

 

[Thunder]

Final tip, make sure you mark the yellow wires if your going to trim them, before you trim them! The numbers are all at the ends furthest away from the socket.

Not that I'm saying I trimmed mine of course.

 

[AndyW]

.....I've also got some pictures in my thread here, from when I originaly wired it up as a bodge job before getting the connector. not much use as its better to use the plug, but the pictures there show the headstock canbus connector quite well.

If you are just wanting to connect a zumo, I'd suggest using this plug as its neat and tidy and works well. If you want the extra accessory socket, then you can install that as well, but if not then I'd try to return it.

Johnny, can I use that post to put together a 'How to' on my website as an alternative for anyone that doesn't want to go the whole hog and make up a power lead?
If you have the original full size photos to email to me, that would be cool:
andyw DOT inuk AT gmail DOT com

It'll work well alongside my original article....
GPS Sat Nav Power Connection

Thanks

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

hey andy,

sure, feel free to use the post. Glad that it can get some use, as I've had plenty of help from peeps on here . I'm pretty certain I have the original pics at home. I'll email them through when I get back tonight.

 

[Paulgsbristol]

Ok matey,
So the bloke who gave me my wires HAS cut the numbers off! Any way I can re-identify them?

 

[bisbee]

Ok matey,
So the bloke who gave me my wires HAS cut the numbers off! Any way I can re-identify them?

The power lead supplied with GPS Use leads 1 (earth) and 3 (power) and ignore lead 2 (speed pulse not required for non BMW systems) So if you plug it in using a multimeter it's easy to work out posi and neg hth

 

[Howard J]

The numbers are on the white connector block..........very small

 

[Paulgsbristol]

Hi bisbee,
Understood ,did a lot of difficult squinting,
Finally found the numbers. in black,like small fleas on the actual wires, cheers ,I was looking on the actual white block...
Thanks again

 

[Paulgsbristol]

Cheers couldn’t find on white block but found 1 2 3 on yellow wires
Thanks matey

 

[Bendy toy]

BMW use brown for earth. Who knows what colours they use on the USB wotsit.