Alternator Question?

Streak · Mar 6, 2011

Good Evening All,
I want to put a 12v Cigarette lighter plug on the bike so i can charge my iphone, or run my gps, but i have been told something about the Alternator on my 1996 ST1100 would not handle it. can anyone help me with info?

Cheers

Graham

Avtrician · Mar 6, 2011

Charge the phone, not a problem. but if you dont have the 40 amp alternator, then extra lighting and high draw equipment could be a problem..

Rick Gibson · Mar 6, 2011

96 should have the 40 amp alternator. You should be good to go.

Tankereng · Mar 6, 2011

Whoever told you that must not have known your '96 has a 40amp alternator. Even the 28amper could charge a cell phone.

George · Mar 6, 2011

I think you should get a new VFR 1200 and just crate up that 96 and send it to me.

Ross Smith · Mar 6, 2011

Your bike has a 40-amp alternator.

I have a cigarette lighter on my bike in the hole left by the right-side lock for the pocket that used to be located there. It's now a speaker.

Suggest that you wire it directly to your battery and use heavier wire with a 10-12 amp fuse, max. A cig lighter draws about 8 amps temporarily. If you're only going to use it as a PTO, then you can easily put it in the accessory circuit.

Ross

Streak · Mar 7, 2011

Thanks guys : )

Question, if it is the 40amp does that mean I can put a double plug setup in?

I was going to run off battery and just put a switch in, was either going to put it in the space on the left panel or mount it where the switch panel is...

Cheers

Graham

Sam McLeod · Mar 7, 2011

Shouldn't be a problem.

Sam McLeod · Mar 7, 2011

p.s. Great shot of the bike!

Streak · Mar 7, 2011

Thanks

I am really getting excited about all the things I can do : ) I have to get the comms system sorted out as well

Avtrician · Mar 7, 2011

You can put as many as you want really, as long as you dont overload the alternator. A switch is a good idea, or use a relay that will only allow the socket to be powered when the engine is running. You dont want to leave the sockets live , as there could be a chance of flattening the battery.

Ross Smith · Mar 7, 2011

You're basically running a car alternator charging system in the post/95 St's, so, as mentioned by Brock you can pretty much do anything you like.

Just remember to keep heavy-loads on their own protected circuits and close to the battery, so you don't fry the bike's wiring. It's that you have to be careful of, not the alternator so much. Using the battery +post and frame bolts as tie-ins puts you as close to the alternator's output as you can easily get to and keeps you on the correct side of the alternator's 55Amp fuse.

Ross

LoSTBrit · Mar 7, 2011

Karen said:
Because clearly you don't have enough 1100's!

I really like the badges on your side case. Is that an Aussie thing or did you do that custom?

You can never have enough 1100's !

Streak · Mar 7, 2011

Thanks gents!

Excellent feed back, i think I have worked out what I am going to do

Bigmak96 · Mar 7, 2011

If you have not thought about a fuse block, a member here, crazykz, makes a very good one.

broc11 · Dec 1, 2012

I have recently installed a 12 volt socket,in the left glove box,fiamm horns,and hella ff50'sunder the mirrors,also hazard lights and admore lighting leds to the top box.
I noticed my heated grips aren't as hot as normal when riding with full headlights on,(the hella ff50's driving lights come on with the high beam.
I ran one common live from the battery,with a 30 amp in-line fuse,then took out four lives from that to the ff50's, horns ,hazard lights, and 12 volt socket.
the 12 volt socket isn't wired from a relay and is constantly live as are the hazard lights.
both the ff50's and the fiamm horns have their own relay.
Question is have I overladed the alternator and is this why the grips aren't as hot?

the led lights on the givi box are just wired into the tailights but I don't think they are the issue being led's which draw low power,any thoughts ?

jvick98 · Dec 1, 2012

Your 01 ST1100 has a 520 watt alternator. You can search Google for the wattage requirements of the bike itself, say 200 watts. That would leave 320 watts to run your "stuff". Not all of the wattage requirements are constant, brake lights for instance. Mount a volt meter in your system to monitor things and you will then know if you are trying to power too much.

EDIT: I'm wrong on the 520 watt alternator. Owners manual says 540.

Jim

broc11 · Dec 1, 2012

Thanks for that Jim,just googled that like you said,found this site very interesting.

http://www.pan-europe.utvinternet.ie/owners_manual/features.htm

Alternator Question?

Avtrician

Ross

Avtrician

Ross

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