Fitting an additional auxiliary power socket

Fitting an additional auxiliary power socket

Author: ‘cookie’ ukGSer.com 04/01/2007
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Fitting another auxiliary socket  (external link)

The auxilliary socket on my R1200GSA is in a really awkward place so I decided to fit another one on the beak a la the GSAs of old.
Easy enough to do with one hand behind my back but I get cramp with it tied up there so I took some pics with my free hand instead 🙂

I used the TT kit but most of it is no use at all. The bracket would look awful if used, wires are too short and the sleeving is WAY too short. And I wouldn’t use those IDC (quick fit wire connectors) things if you paid me . Just buy a socket from somewhere cheaper and scrounge some wire and sleeving or heat shrink tubing.
(AndyW – the link below will show the items available from Touratech just as a guide – as cookie says, try elsewhere e.g. BMW Dealer, Nippy Normans etc).
You can do this with the beak on the bike but I reckon it’s better to take it off. Similarly, you can take the tank right off to run the wires but I didn’t.

The panel bolts are all of different lengths so I’ve noted which are which:

Bodywork
First take the winglets off (20mm) (na to R1200GS 😉
Tank side covers off:  Rear bolt (20mm)

Front bolt, just behind the forks (12mm)

pull the cover off. it’s now held by this push fit thing into grommet shown on frame. use silicone grease on reassembly so it doesn’t pull the grommet out next time

Beak to tank top cover screw (16mm)

Beak to frame screw (16)

Beak extender screw (25mm). This also fixes to the frame and holds the temperature sender if OBC is fitted to your bike.

Just pull up the inner trim panels

The beak should now pull forward off the pins (locating pegs) shown centre pic

Here’s the temperature sender hanging free

The inside of the beak is marked where the socket should fit. Who knows why they did it with an oval though?! Marked with felt pen so i don’t drill the wrong side

Socket diameter measured for size of hole to be drilled

Hand mark location of the hole centre with a punch and drill a pilot hole

Stick some masking tape over the top side of the beak and drill the hole out bigger

You could use a cone cutter now to enlarge the hole but I used a round file, it’s safer

Good job but……….rubbish photo!

Wiring
I used a piece of twin and earth house flex as a mouse to draw the socket wiring through the gap between the tank and the LHS of the frame. Wiring taped to household cable

…in here

…and emerges here. Small side panel needs to be removed (just pull it off).

Wires zip tied (tie wrapped) to the frame as shown to keep them safe and secure

Crimp on a couple of electrical connectors for the socket (red to centre)
(soldering connections always recommended 😉

The wires can be piggy backed onto the standard auxiliary socket if desired. I put them across to the battery via a fuse. This bypasses the limit of 7amps dictated by the canbus system and it allows a non bmw 1200 charger to be connected. If you do this fitmant of an inline fuse is essential. The other fuse visible is an earlier fitment for my gps. I could have taken that from the back of the new socket but it would have needed a lower fuse rating and I just didn’t want to put a second one in line

Finished wiring at the battery end. 10amp fuse fitted

Sling it all back together and this is the finished job

I’ve got a handy place to plug my bmw waistcoat in now. Until the cable breaks anyway………if I’ve missed something or you know of any improvement, feel free to point it out.

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