How You Guys Charge Your Phones On Your Bikes? | GTAMotorcycle.com

How You Guys Charge Your Phones On Your Bikes?

Pegassus

Pegassus

Well-known member
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In the summer I take off to places 150 to 200 km away from Toronto and don't return home till 10 hrs later, and those places include god-forsaken lonely country roads north of Gravenhurst and Peterborough, when its time to come back I don't know where the hell I am and need a GPS to take me back home. I'm not going to buy a $250 TomTom or Garmin unit just to get home. I got my smartphone. So I ordered a phone/GPS mount & holder from Amazon;

MOTOPOWER MP0619 Bike Motorcycle Cell Phone Mount Holder- for Any Smartphone & GPS - Universal Mountain & Road Bicycle Motorcycle Handlebar Cradle Holder: Amazon.ca: Cell Phones & Accessories

But my phone also needs charging on the road, I'm not planning to sit on a Tim Horton's 200 km away from home for 1 hr to charge my phone, so I ordered this set-up from Amazon too;

CAMWAY 12V/24V 2.1A Motorcycle SAE to USB Phone GPS Charger Kit Cable Adapter Inline Fuse Waterproof Compatible for iPhone/iPad/iPod, Samsung, HTC, Accessories - Amazon Canada

CAMWAY 12V/24V 2.1A Motorcycle SAE to USB Phone GPS Charger Kit Cable Adapter Inline Fuse Waterproof Compatible for iPhone/iPad/iPod, Samsung, HTC in Accessories.
www.amazon.ca

Is the above set-up good? It seems simple, just connect the red cable to the positive terminal of the battery and the black one with the black one. How are you guys charging your phones, what set-ups are you guys using?
 
Both those look good. I prefer to not use knockoffs, so I'm not sure about the quality of that phone mount. For phone mounts, I'm partial to RAM mounts and would suggest the XGrip.

I have a case for my phone that is also a built-in battery pack. It gives me about 2 full charges to my phone.

If needed, I also have a 12v outlet on my bike and can just plug in a charger to that. My last bike had both a 12v charger and a USB outlet.
 
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Pegassus said:
...................... So I ordered a phone/GPS mount & holder from Amazon; .............., so I ordered this set-up from Amazon too; Is the above set-up good? ...................How are you guys charging your phones, what set-ups are you guys using?
Click to expand...

You know, since you're going to the trouble to ask the forum for their opinion on how to set it up and what to buy would it not make sense to just wait until you have replies until you order your stuff? Why do it backwards. Just saying...........
 
ReSTored said:
You know, since you're going to the trouble to ask the forum for their opinion on how to set it up and what to buy would it not make sense to just wait until you have replies until you order your stuff? Why do it backwards. Just saying...........
Click to expand...
Good question!
 
I bought a thing called a compass and stuck it on my fairing under the windscreen, amazing technology, no battery required :geek: it shows me the direction home from anywhere I travel, if I travel north, I know to get home I need to travel mostly south until I recognize something that looks like home.


Why are they calling it a 12 volt power outlet if it puts out 5 volts?
USB is 5 volts, you are inputing 12 volts and you need 5 volts to charge a USB device. It's a 5 volt DC USB power outlet.
 
"DC to DC Converter Module 12V To 5V 3A 15W Duble USB Output Power Adapter With overload/over-current/low voltage protection"
~ 5 bucks plus shipping, comes with 2 USB females.
 
shanekingsley said:
Both those look good. I prefer to not use knockoffs, so I'm not sure about the quality of that phone mount. For phone mounts, I'm partial to RAM mounts and would suggest the XGrip.

I have a case for my phone that is also a built-in battery pack. It gives me about 2 full charges to my phone.

If needed, I also have a 12v outlet on my bike and can just plug in a charger to that. My last bike had both a 12v charger and a USB outlet.
Click to expand...

I don’t have any experience with RAM mounts (thinking about getting one) or the knock-offs, but the RAM has great reviews. I’d rather spend the extra $75 on the RAM and have the piece of mind than have a knock-off fail and lose my ~$300 phone.



Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app
 
I'd caution the ram mounts, have 2 friends that had their phones go for a little trip.

www.quadlockcase.ca

Motorcycle - Handlebar Mount

The Motorcycle Handlebar Mount by Quad Lock® is an extremely secure and strong smartphone motorcycle mount compatible with all smartphones. Adjust to the perfect viewing angle to view maps whilst riding your motorbike.
www.quadlockcase.ca www.quadlockcase.ca

Used one for 2 seasons, I don't think anything short of a crash is breaking this lose. You purchase the mount you want and the 'case' for your specific phone which snaps in. Could get pricey if you're prone to upgrade phones constantly.

Otherwise id consider a tank bag with a clear pocket.
 
Gary said:
Did they see you coming, or did you call ahead?
Click to expand...
"Direct plug-in"
"Dealer installation recommended"

Now I know where the dealers make their money.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
 
I have a battery tender jr on my bike.
If I need to charge my cell I use this:
bf5fd1293ebb04980e3d3ec23c8454d1.jpg


Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
 
Phone charger doesn't need a relay, it needs a step down transformer and a 5 volt capacitor, possibly a fuse, if you want it switched connect the adapter to a switched circuit.

If you want it live all the time connect it directly to your 12 volt battery, which to me makes the most sense for the application. You are only robbing off a tiny bit of juice, it's not like the motorcycles wiring can't handle it and the conversion is not going to produce huge amounts of heat, the circuit is only going to draw if it needs it anyway, components and connectors do need to be protected from the elements. Joe's Battery tender jr is a perfect example of how easy it is as long as that one 2.1 amps at 5 vdc is enough for your needs. I don't think that is enough for an iPad, it draws ~ 2.4
 
Just wait for July and ride without a sweater.
 
shanekingsley said:
If needed, I also have a 12v outlet on my bike and can just plug in a charger to that. My last bike had both a 12v charger and a USB outlet.
Click to expand...

Does that 12v charger and USB outlet came with the bike from the factory?? You must have a Goldwing.
 
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