why only 5amp circuit on accessory socket

oldbiker · 09-16-2007, 07:15 AM

Plugged in my Gerbing jacket and keep blowing the circuit breaker. I'm using a Gerbing Heat Troller. When increasing the temp i blow the circuit. What the F@#$. I have tried the controller and jacket in three other bikes, non BMW. Works fine. Apperently Gerbing's amp rating is 7.4amp and the BMW R1200S accessory socket is only 5amp. I suppose BMW wants me to use only their brand heated jackets! I will call the dealer tomorrow and see what kind of bull**** they hand me. has anyone else had this problem. my only option is to run directly off the battery with a 10 amp fuse? Its getting cold here in Wi and sure would like to use my heated jacket.

signit98 · 09-16-2007, 07:21 AM

....just put a 10amp fuse inn... the wires are a little thinner, but still not thin enough to worry... see whether it still blows the fuse and go from there...

Cold?... yeah, it is getting cooler here as well, temperatures in the mountains are down into the 70's and the desert only gets over 105 occasionally now

tjs · 09-16-2007, 07:35 AM

The only way to run your Gerbing is to go straight to the battery with your 10amp fuse. Can-bus accessory socket won't handle anything that draws over 5 amps. Had to do the same with my R12S. tjs

Trex · 09-16-2007, 07:53 AM

Right-O, tjs. When you run the line from the battery remember to put that inline fuse in a place that it will accessible by just removing the seat. Unless you need to practice taking the tupperware on and off. I'll double plastic bag the end of the wire during the summer and tuck it away.

Bob Hancock · 09-16-2007, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjs

The only way to run your Gerbing is to go straight to the battery with your 10amp fuse. Can-bus accessory socket won't handle anything that draws over 5 amps. Had to do the same with my R12S. tjs

Had to do the same thing on my R12S, but the plug worked fine on the R12GS I had which is also CanBus. Don't understand that.

roger albert · 09-16-2007, 08:39 AM

Either way, it's a big draw on the bus. It should really be ran back to the battery.
No need to be hissy. I don't think the dealer will give you any bull, just a reality check.
It is the can bus, as implemented on that bike. Not just a bunch of dumb wires as on the other bikes you tried it on. Of course, sometimes dumb wires are not only good enough, but better. Guess this is one of those. Technology improves a lot, but sometimes there's a step back thrown in for good measure. Hang in there. I wish it worked like it does on the GS too.

JonyRR · 09-16-2007, 09:00 AM

You really don't want to pull a continious 5 amps thru a circut designed to blow a fuze at 5 amps. Wire gauge just isn't up to this.
Straight to the battery, mate!
I just wired a gerbing's plug on a K1200R-S and it was simple...right up until I had to pull all the $%&Iing plastic off....just like my 1100S....they DON'T make these to work on anymore....

oldbiker · 09-16-2007, 11:18 AM

what good is the factory accessory plug if you can't use heated jacket? I do have a optional Gerbing straight to the battery plug with a 10amp fuse that i have used in the past on other bikes, that didin't have a accessory outlet. I just don't understand why BMW wouldn't have put in larger amp breaker then a 5. Correct me if I'm wrong,, on the r1200s there are NO fuses just breakers that are reset when you turn off and on the ignition switch?

AntonLargiader · 09-16-2007, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldbiker

what good is the factory accessory plug if you can't use heated jacket?

You have a great point but it doesn't change the facts. BMW has made the socket unusable for electric clothing (probably because the ZFE can't withstand that sort of current on a long-term basis) so you need to go directly to the battery. Simple as that. The acc socket is for charging the battery (if you get the voodoo right) and not much else.

Hard-wire a pigtail to the battery, 15A or 20A fuse, and you're golden.

Bob Hancock · 09-16-2007, 01:58 PM

[QUOTE=AntonLargiader;3482447] The acc socket is for charging the battery (if you get the voodoo right) and not much else.QUOTE] And of course the easiest way to get the voodoo right is just wire your Battery Tender connection directly to the battery while you're in there wiring your Gerbing lead, which is what I did, rather than spend a billion dollars on a special tender that talks to Mr. CanBus. Executive Summary: The acc socket ain't worth squat.

oldbiker · 09-16-2007, 02:13 PM

Not even sure if you can use the socket for charging.. Owners manual say's the socket becomes inactive 15 minutes afer igniton is turned off. Well i quess I'm wiring up directly to the battery. thanks for the answers

ckcarr · ckcarr's Garage

Yep,

Best bet for charging is to wire a pigtail direct to the battery as BMWAtlanta suggested a year ago.

For all practical purposes the socket is useless.

BMathison · 09-18-2007, 07:19 PM

I wouldn't say it is completely useless, I still use my acc socket for radar detector or XM, but would take anything else back to the battery.

tomn · 09-18-2007, 07:56 PM

What I did was: snipped the OEM wire, ran that to a relay so the relay is on /off with ignition. The relay is wired and fused to B+ and to the socket. I like the switched power outlet. Also an aux light is wired to the relay through a switch.

geothepencil · 09-19-2007, 08:24 AM

Nobody told Mary's S that it couldn't run a BMW heated vest. But we also have the fused pigtail to run Gerbings attached to the battery.

geo

Butch Barf · Butch Barf's Garage

And I thought I was the only one with this problem. I am considering cutting the leads to the accessory socket and attaching it (fused of course) directly to the battery. I hate not having a fuse box.

Towjam · 09-26-2007, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldbiker

Not even sure if you can use the socket for charging.. Owners manual say's the socket becomes inactive 15 minutes afer igniton is turned off. Well i quess I'm wiring up directly to the battery. thanks for the answers

BMW makes a battery tender that is canbus compatible and can connect through the socket. However, there is a trick to using it: You have to turn on the bike's ignition, plug the tender into the accessory socket - then turn off the ignition. The tender "communicates" with the canbus system - thus keeping the socket "live". Works like a champ. Unfortunately, it's not cheap (over $100) and as far as I know, it's the only canbus charger currently available.

Towjam · 09-26-2007, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AntonLargiader

You have a great point but it doesn't change the facts. BMW has made the socket unusable for electric clothing (probably because the ZFE can't withstand that sort of current on a long-term basis) so you need to go directly to the battery.

The 5 amp "limit" is a software-imposed limit that BMW could easily upgrade with a software update. In fact, the 1200RT's accessory socket is rated at 10 amps - I had no problems running my 10 amp air pump off of it. The same air pump would not work on my ST or 1200GS without the canbus shutting down the socket. Makes no sense whatsoever.

hawkeyejohn14 · hawkeyejohn14's Garage

Another reason to enjoy my R11S

Although it does sound like an easy fix, still for the money it shouldn't be needed.