Quick Release Electrical Connector?

I'm thinking about adding some LED to the saddle bags. 4:
Cutting/drilling into them does give me pause.

A wider spread of rear lighting has obvious benefits. More importantly I like the idea/looks.

Besides finding lights that look 'right' to me there's the problem of getting DC to them. I'd like to find a connector that is:

1) waterproof
2) quick release as in 1/4 or 1/2 turn
3) panel / surface mount
4) 4-conductor
5) not too huge

There may be other factors/metrics needing consideration but I can't think of any at the moment. Obviously I may have to compromise but would rather not.

Here's what I suggest. I used this 2 pin trailer connector to add an LED to the rear fender.



I think adding lights to the back of the saddlebag is a great idea and I've considered it, but haven't found quite the right lights yet so I'm curious to see what you come up with

A 4 Pin like what Ur looking for, prob. cld. be found at a Boat or Marine shop.
Or POWERLET.

You can use the two pin connectors and put these in you saddlebags for quick connections.

Powerlet tankbag-or-saddlebag connectors

SupraSabre said:

You can use the two pin connectors and put these in you saddlebags for quick connections.

Powerlet tankbag-or-saddlebag connectors

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+1 Simple and secure. Panniers, topcase, tankbag...

SupraSabre said:

You can use the two pin connectors and put these in you saddlebags for quick connections.

Powerlet tankbag-or-saddlebag connectors

Click to expand...

This is a good one to use, I like the cover. I would add some dielectric grease to the connector as well to help prevent corrosion / oxidization. There are probably much cheaper options available depending on what your local electronics shop has, an SAE connector will handle a lot more current than an LED light set would require.

ddemair said:

Here's what I suggest. I used this 2 pin trailer connector to add an LED to the rear fender.



I think adding lights to the back of the saddlebag is a great idea and I've considered it, but haven't found quite the right lights yet so I'm curious to see what you come up with

Click to expand...

My suggestion for the solution to the OP's post would be something along these lines, except using 4-pin connectors to meet his needs. The recommendation by SupraSabre is a good one, but would be cost-prohibitive to me. Two connectors per bag would be $80 and would not include the connectors from the bike's wiring.

If I were to take on this project, I would look closely at this solution. Get one of these for each saddlebag: https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Draw-Tite/18004.html
Get one of these for each side of the bike, appropriately wired to the bike's electrical system: https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Tekonsha/18252.html

All the connectors would be external to the saddlebags. Obtain the proper-sized rubber grommets to fit into holes drilled into the bags to route the wires through, and seal with RTV (silicon sealant). I'm not pushing any particular brand name, just posted the above links to convey the idea. You could probably get equivalent connectors at a trailer supply store, possibly even Wally World. Note that the cost is only a fraction of the Powerlet answer to the original question.

This one meets all of your criteria except that it is not panel/surface mount. It has four conductors that are sufficient for powering LED's and they are cheap.

Bestem T-Box 929 LED Strip Wiring Harness

Admore lighting has two strips of LED's. One goes on each side case (mine are mounted vertically) and they flash red for brakes, yellow for indicator. These come with a flat two pin connector that goes inside each pannier and the kit comes with a waterproof multi pin connector. Female goes on the side of the bag, male plugs into it and a quarter turn locks it in place. Kit cost me 155 a couple of years ago. I hot melt glued the wires inside the case and drilled two small holes. No real problems though the connector is a bit tight to unlock when removing the side cases.

I just bought one of these for one of my top cases:
OptiMATE CABLE O-20, Weatherproof SAE socket, front panel mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0031BOTFC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_-m6IAbSGTPET0

A web search can find a lot of waterproof connectors (AMP, Deutsch, etc.), but not a lot of surface mounts.

John

John, those are quite impressive, but at nearly $70 (2/side) it's still a bit costly just to connect four wires to each saddlebag.

Andrew Shadow said:

This one meets all of your criteria except that it is not panel/surface mount.

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Andrew that's near perfect! Panel mount would be nice but I can compromise. Besides... It has one additional metric I didn't consider:

Andrew Shadow said:

they are cheap.

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That counts for a lot. I wasn't finding anything to my liking. I didn't want to go with a row of BNC connectors and Cosmoline. Thanks Andrew!

John OoSTerhuis said:

but not a lot of surface mounts.

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You're quite right John. I wasn't finding anything in surface mounts that came close.

I was wanting to do something similar once and could not find a good panel mount connector. So, seal your wires through a small hole in the panel and put in a good in-line connector...... the Sumitomo MT series are waterproof and have lock features that are easily press and release..... get some extra terminals to practice your crimping...
http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Products/Connectors/Sealed/SM-MT/sm-mt.html

I have used these connectors quite a bit...very inexpensive, and not a failure in years. I use two of these for powering up some LED turn signal lights, and they work great. I added a bit of dielectric grease, but the waterproofing seems to be pretty good.

https://www.banggood.com/123456-Pin-Car-Motorcycles-Waterproof-Electrical-Connector-Plug-w10cm-Wire-p-995003.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN

I think these are used as oem equipment on GM vehicles .

https://www.ebay.com/itm/PER-087-14-16-Gauge-Weather-Pack-Connector-4-Pin-Kit-Square-Weathertight-Sealed/260956907581?hash=item3cc23e683d:g:PlMAAMXQlrxRb4by&vxp=mtr

They also come in an in-line form,

I have one mounted to the switch mounted to on my side fairing for easy removal of the fairing .

.... A wider spread of rear lighting has obvious benefits....

Click to expand...

Here’s a thought: mount a bar on the fender (or other part of the ST; hey, I ride an ST1100 and am not intimately acquainted with the rear end of a ‘13 ) and mount the aux lights on that permanently. Saves one from drilling holes in panniers.

Can the LED strips simply be epoxied to the outside of the pannier and the short lead left dangling when the bike is parked and panniers removed?

For me, panel mounts are to provide 12V DC for charging devices. As my friends here know, I’m all for function over form, or supposed resale value - if it makes sense to cut a hole in the tupperware to enhance the riding experience just do it! FWIW YMMVAPW

John

A couple of alternative possibilities.

One is to use something like this and forget about it being panel mounted.
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/pcb-connector-housings/3141211/

I use these connectors to connect heated gear.

Another is to have a lead from the pannier and connect to a standard hitachi style 4-way connector in the rear cowl under the seat. There is a little indentation in the moulding of the lip over which the seat sits, which allows room for the exit of a cable without being pinched. Of course, it means lifting the seat a tad to disconnect, but for me, that isn't an issue. The panniers stay on the bike most of the time.

I have seen another solution - in line with John's last post. Dave - a ST1300 friend showed up one day with this on his bike. See attached pic.
The square section bar is mounted underneath the top box bracket, held in place with two bolts and supported with a couple of spacers. The bar is wide enough for a hole to be drilled that allows the bolt head to pass through one side of the tube and to be secured from the inside. Not sure what size bolts he used, but he said that the hex socket also passed through the hole.

John OoSTerhuis said:

Here’s a thought: mount a bar on the fender (or other part of the ST; hey, I ride an ST1100 and am not intimately acquainted with the rear end of a ‘13 ) and mount the aux lights on that permanently. Saves one from drilling holes in panniers.

Click to expand...

I've already got plans for the fender. I'm exploring the pannier addition because of the wider pattern.

Probably the best option for not cutting into the bags would be to use 3M body moulding/trim tape. It sticks very well on cleaned surfaces. Thumperjdm used it to mount heavier LEDs to the side vents on the 1300's middle cowl (? I'm still not down with the Tup nomenclature.) That area gets pretty warm and he said his has held for 5yrs IIRC.

The key is finding LED shapes that I can live with. As to resale value I fully expect my ST to be sold at an estate sale or given to my ST buddy as an update to his '04. (Unless that ST1800 rides even better than it fits me. That could be a problem.)

I think a bar or metal tab mounted to the license plate frame would make a good spot for a coaxial socket for the Batter Tender! Right now I run the lead under the back of the cover to the plug amidship. Haven't a good place to mount a port for my WnS. Maybe on the side plastic bit that was added to the '07 or '08 and later.

RaYzerman said:

get some extra terminals to practice your crimping...

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Absolutely! I got a bunch of 2.5mm bare connectors (must get some good heat shrink tubing) to practice with. I still have to upgrade to a wider better crimper before sending innocent terminals to a premature grave.

klaproth said:

the waterproofing seems to be pretty good.

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Pretty good would be good enough. When the sky falls I head indoors. So washing the bike is it's only real exposure to the wet.

v8-7 said:

I think these are used as oem equipment on GM vehicles .

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I've considered keeping an option to power something a bit heavier in the bag but I don't know what that might be. Those would be good connectors for that.

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. Stuff out there I haven't seen and wouldn't have considered. MUCH appreciated.

I'm going to add another thought...

It seems to me that LED's draw so little current that they could be powered by batteries (8 1.5 volt batteries would work). If they were only used for brake lights and not running lights, the batteries should last a really long time and even if they died, we're talking about auxiliary brake lights so it wouldn't be a big deal until new batteries could be installed.

Now, the challenge is sending a signal to the wireless LED's when the brakes are applied. I have seen accelerometer-activated lights (such as the one that mount on a helmet), but I think that a proper wireless connection to the actual braking system would be preferred (if I use substantial engine-braking, I KNOW to tap the brakes to activate the lights). If there were a market for it, it would be an inexpensive proposition to make a device that detects current flow in the brake light wire and sends a signal to a switch for the auxiliary LED.

Just sort of thinking out loud here.

I use these purpose built side case connectors to mount Skene LED Turn signal lights in the panniers on my 2015 BMW K1600GT

https://www.skenelights.com/online-store/Side-Case-Kit-p80300633

Very neat, small and waterproof. They disconnect easily when I remove the side cases.