Advice for Autocom install

[Bigfish]

Just picked up an older pro7 autocom and want to hook it up to power on my 04 1150rt.

 

Also have a V1 ready to hook up to power.

 

Will be adding GPS and XM Radio in the future.

 

I want a nice clean installation.

 

Main question is should I add some sort of additional relay/fuse box to run all these post farkles?

 

Or is it fine to just tap into a hot wire? If so, what wire?

 

Trying to get set for the Fall Torrey.

[jakfrost]

Lots of folks use the Centech (sp?) aux fuse box powered directly from the battery. This is probably the cleanest and safest way to power your accessories. I added my accessories one at a time over time...and so haven't bothered to go back and 're-wire' everything thru an accessory fuse panel. Consequently my installation isn't as neat as it might be.

 

You have the advantage of starting from scratch. Just saying if I had it to do over that would be the way I would go...

 

Jim

[ashleybiker]

Try this link to Eastern Beaver

 

It's an alternative to the Centech fuse panel.

 

Hope this helps!

[ltljohn]

Check out Eastern Beaver they have good quality stuff. I used the 3 circuit fuse kit and it works well. According to the instructions that came woth my autocomm it is best to take your power and ground directly from the battery to prevent unwanted noise in the system.

[johnlt]

I prefer a switched power triggered fuse block for all accessories including Autocom. On the autocom, you can take your power from the fuse block but run the ground directly to the negative terminal on the battery; not from the negative terminal on the fuse block or the frame etc. This really helps elliminate noise in the curcuit.

[TandemGeek]

I recently purchased an '04 RT that had a rat's nest of wiring for the Autocom, a Passport SP1 radar detection 'system' and a Garmin GPS stuffed into the left front radio compartment / glove box while the Autocom was stuffed in the tail cone..... what a mess. The power for the GPS and radar detector was all routed to a three-pronged toggle switch in the glove box that was hot wired to the battery and the Autocom was running hot off the battery; ground's OK (see notes above).

 

It worked, but it just wasn't clean, robbed some valuable storage space, and I don't like hot leads where a relay is really called for.

 

I did some surfing around and found some good ideas HERE.

 

I opted to go the Centech route ($52), to include using their relay harness ($45) as it turned out to be the no-brainer, e.g., 70amp relay, correct gauge wires, and easy-as-pie to hook-up. I had originally foo-foo'd the harness at $45 but once I looked at the cost of a 70 amp relay and wiring the $20 premium for the Centech harness became 'meh' in light of the total expense of the second beemer.

 

Unfortunately, my RT is at the dealer for a 12k mile service / going-over today otherwise I post photos of the installation. It's similar to the one in the link I provided, I just used a wider platform and simply velcro'd it to the rear frame under the tail cone vs. using hardware. Again, I'll post some photos after I get the bike back home tomorrow. However, in summary:

 

1. The relay is attached to an existing bolt in the tail cone that attaches the rear body work to the frame, with the nut easily accessed by removing the tail light assembly.

2. The battery lead wiring runs along the frame rails to the battery box, with the hot lead for relay making a detour through a grommet in the fuse box that's tied into the Horn fuse slot using an Add-A-Circuit connector. You have to trim away the section of foam in the fuse box lid that presses down on the fuses to get the lid back on, but other than that it's a perfect tie-in.

3. The 'shelf' is a sheet of aluminum where I reinforced the front edge with a 1/2" piece of aluminum flat bar that's riveted in place. I drilled holes through the aluminum and installed grommets so that the wiring can run in below the shelf to the Centech fuse block which is bolted to the shelf: it just made for a cleaner installation. The Autocom sits along the left side the Centech and the Passport interface sits on the right.

4. I ran all of the wiring in plastic conduit that's wrapped in electrical tape such that there are three circuits: Power, GPS and Radar.

5. If I had to do it over again I'd probably eliminate the radar detector and run the GPS conduit in it's place as running down the center of the inner rear fender required some additional trimming on the pillion's seat bottom.

 

Probably overkill for the average installation, but I just don't like loose or unbundled wiring running through cars or bikes.

[RBertalotto]

Doesn't the RT have an open slot in the factory fuse panel like the Rs has?

I used this slot to install a four fuse aux panel and another open hole in the fuse box for the switched relay......

 

 

A bit of cutting with an xacto knife and it fit right in..

 

 

[TandemGeek]

Doesn't the RT have an open slot in the factory fuse panel like the Rs has?

 

Mine had the one open box next to the fuse box, but that was it: no others for the relay. Your approach is one that I didn't see and it also looks promising / clean / more economical.

 

[TandemGeek]

For reference purposes, this is what the wiring looked like once it was pulled out of the glove box... (click on photo for larger image). Note all of the 3M quick locks and other crimped male/female connectors....

 

I eventually pulled off the upper cowl to get full access to the front end of the frame for the rewiring which made things a whole lot easier. Not to mention, it gave me a chance to clean the bike inside and out.

[Bigfish]

THANKS Everyone. I want the cleanest install and really like the idea of adding to the existing fuse area. I will pursue this install.

 

[hopz]

I just got the Pro AVi Autocom and did a fresh install. Mine is on an '05 RT so it is a little different than yours.

 

If I can help please feel free to PM or email me.

 

Bob

[TandemGeek]

Although OBE, as mentioned earlier here's how I integrated a Centech in the tail section of my '04 RT that's presently powering my Autocom, Passport SR1, Gerbings and Garmin StreetPilot. The 7-pin leads for the Autocom are presently coiled-up and stuffed under the shelf in the tail cone which makes it look a bit more cluttered than it really is.

 

 

Here's the bigger picture, noting that this 7.2" image is hot linked to a very large image for anyone looking to see more detail. Anyway, as mentioned earlier the conduit on the right side (top) of the frame contains the wiring for the Passport, the conduit on the left side (bottom) of the frame contains the wiring for the Garmin and Gerbings, and what you can't see is a third coiled-conduit that contains the Centech power/ground/relay lead running under the left side (bottom) of the frame that you can just see peeking out near the seat height adjuster in the blue shrinkwrap as it snakes its way to the battery and about .5mm of the orange relay lead going into the side of the fuse box via a hole with grommet.