BMW, power socket, cigarette socket size ghaaaaa!!!!
 

Gaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!
Here is the deal! I got a BMW fitted with a BMW power socket.
I bought a PDA and adaptor to recharge the battery in my power socket! The problem is: the BMw power socket is not the usual car size power socket, it´s smaller! What´s the big deal would you say! Well, I went to BMW to buy an adaptor so that I can plug various things that are for car power socket (easy to find ) but they do not have any adaptor! They just don´t provide it! :cursing: So, surely I´m not the only one having various toys to plug and recharge!
Where can I find an adaptor from cigarette car plug size to BMW socket size? How are you guys recharging the batteries of your PCs, PDAs, Cameras etc on an unconventional size power socket??????? :eek:

PLEASE PLEASE!!! tell me where I can find an adaptor! !!!! :hammer:

Thanks!

You can buy some useful plugs and sockets with leads from Maplins. They call them race leads. I've wired a couple of the sockets up on each of my bikes via an inline fuse, one direct to the battery and another into the wiring so it's only live when the ignition or accessories are switched on. I've fitted the corresponding plugs to most of my accessories. I've also made up a short lead with a race plug and a car type style socket so if I want to I can use an accessory with a "normal" car plug.
Can you not buy a BMW plug and wire it up to a car type socket, which you can buy from somewhere like Maplins or Halfords?

Powerlet has what at you looking for.
See at:

Powerlet :: Adapter Cables

As Harleyrider suggested, I bought from BMW a male plug to go into the bike's female socket and connected to it a short wire that I connected to a 'car cigarette' male thingy (Maplins). I then alternately plugged the car type plugs on my mobile phone, i-Pod etc when they needed charging - and boogied all the way to mid-Italy quite happily. I also had ready wired up an inspection light but didn't need it!

I did take care when connecting the wire at both ends to keep the correct polarity to the plug centre and the centre of the socket (similarly the other polarity to the surrounding sheath) just in case it was wrong and something managed to reach earth.

Question - can you charge a digital camera off this or is some transforner required?

In Brisbane Australia, I fitted the socket you talk about into my Honda ST1300, then went off to the local BMW shop and easily purchased the plug. Then it was off to the car accessories shop to buy a standard cigareete lighter plug. After a little soldering of wires, I now have an extension/adapter cord. Suggest you try another BMW dealer.

Maria
The BMW plug is £5.50 + postage from MotorWorks Motorworks BMW and Guzzi Spares their ref item number 'ELA60106 Auxilary power plug'.

That depends on your camera and whether it only comes with a mains charger. Some laptops need more than 12 volts. I also have a 12v to 240v ac invertor, which I can use to recharge my laptop and my own camera and camcorder batteries (which only have a mains charger). A 150w transformer is not particularly heavy, bulky or expensive.

In North America we can get the 'BMW plugs' from BMW (natch), John Deere, or Powerlet Products.

They are much nicer than the automotive-style, because they don't tend to pull out or have a partial connection, IMO.

Maria, Motorworks sell 2 options.
Option 1 is to buy a plug and chop off the 'car cigarette' size and wire on the new one.
Option 2 is an adaptor cable. This has a 'car cigarette' size on one end and a BMW accessory socket size on the other.
I prefer option 1 as it's less bulky. I also bought option 2, though as I have a further adaptor that lets me use USB plugs and saves loads of space.
Email me if you want some photos.
Charles

BMW power socket adaptor
 

power socket adaptor

I got mine from NIPPY NORMANS - the No. 1 supplier of BMW motorcycle accessories!

nothing to cut/screw/weld ...

its plug and play

Thanks!
 

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! :thumbup:

When I started phoning shops around to get an adaptor they reacted like I came from planet Zorb!
Will get my adaptor as soon as I get back from "Mordor", as some colleagues like to call the Head office of company! :D

This is a useful discussion for all BMW bike owners.

You can get the converter from Maplin for £ 3.99. Don't by the one with cable from Hama. Go for the one with out cable from Hella. It is compact and no dangling wires. Sturdy and stays put.

The design of socket used by BMW is basically "German" to DIN standards i.e. it is used extensively and not just by BMW; many folks think it is superior to the car cigarette type of connection for the reason given in the quote.
It is far more resistant to vibration - obviously quite useful on a motorbike :innocent:

Thank you Walkabout for your clarification of the well known type of plug! It seems that Maria comes from planet Zorb ;-)

Maria, please be informed that you might have a second problem: if you drive a newer BMW model with CAN bus like the R1200GS, the original socket will switch off within 1-2 min after stopping the ignition- independent of the type of plug you will use.


Stefan


Gesendet von meinem GT-I9300 mit Tapatalk 2

Old thread fron 2007, I'm sure Maria got sorted.

The likes of Motorworks and Vehicle wiring products will sell you all the bits you need to make your own power sockets on any length of cable or relay you like in the UK. My Wee has two DIN sockets (one switched for small stuff the other permanant and wired for big currents like a compressor, heated jacket or charger), a USB and a car type!

The BMW CANBUS thing is best solved by a trip to the dealers (The Yamaha dealers! :innocent: :rofl: ). More seriously, it's not insurmountable. You need a CANBUS relay which I think Sherlocks in the UK can supply. The relay "coil" side convinces the computer not to say no and you can then use the contact side to add a conventional loom of whatever you need.

Andy