So the PO wired one of those really cheap cigarette lighter/sockets or whatever you call them, under the seat wired into the left turn signal. He used those clamp on splicers that pinch the wire rather than cutting and splicing. --I think I'm explaining that right. Long story short, he said he blew up his phone charger because he thinks he reversed the wires during install.

The wires are both white, but anyone with a "little" bit of knowledge could have seen the faint writing on the negative side. I digress. So I put the wires into proper order and hooked up my GPS and all was fine. I will have to post pics of my custom GPS mount because it came out pretty slick, mounted right onto the middle of the handlebars.

The question is, how stupid was it to have it wired to the turn signal wire?? I left it, only because the wire damage has already been done (when I flipped the wires, I cut those of the charger).

If I go direct from the battery, how do you make it so it won't supply constant power?

Originally Posted by TC713

If I go direct from the battery, how do you make it so it won't supply constant power?

As long as there's nothing in the socket you won't be draining the battery or anything. If you want it to come on only when the bike is on you'd need to run a relay or hook it into the headlight circuit, etc.
Alternatively you could just have an on/off switch somewhere accessible.

Originally Posted by p0diabl0

As long as there's nothing in the socket you won't be draining the battery or anything. If you want it to come on only when the bike is on you'd need to run a relay or hook it into the headlight circuit, etc.
Alternatively you could just have an on/off switch somewhere accessible.

Wiring a relay to the plate lamp circuit should do the job. The socket could then be wired up to the battery, through the relay. Best include a fuse also.