Modifyng 850MKIII accessocory socket for battery charging

Hello Commando owners one and all,

I'm newly subscribed from the UK. I have an 850 MKIII Roadster with 28,000 miles, 10,000 of which have been in my happy ownership. I've read the threads about modernising the power take off socket which originally seems to have been intended to power accessories but also as a means of charging the battery when necesssary- you don't have to remove seats and side panels and fuss about with crocodile clips. What I'd like to know is has anyone modernised this socket by replacing it with an automotive female cigarette lighter socket and then using this to charge the battery? Is it a good idea to attempt to charge the battery from here? I even thought I could relocate the socket under the seat ( I have a Corbin gunfighter) and use it to recharge my phone or run a wandering lead/torch.

I'd welcome your thoughts

crusadersports (yes I like small British ligtweights too!)

Re: Modifyng 850MKIII accessocory socket for battery chargin

I'm speaking blindly here, as I've never examined a MKIII... but many folks simply wire an accessory plug of their own directly across the battery and just leave it there for battery charging. In fact, some commercially made chargers come with one. I'd think that a cigar lighter socket in the stock location would be big and fugly.

I remember having a mating plug for the 2-pin connector on my MKII that came from Norton and was in the original toolkit when I bought the bike new. It's long disappeared. And AFAIK they're only available if you buy the plug/socket set, if at all. I've often considered making a mold or three for a plug and selling them on eBay. I'll bet there's a market.

Re: Modifyng 850MKIII accessocory socket for battery chargin

Hello- the charger I have for my bikes comes with a plug that you can hard wire to the battery, and it is much less conspicuous than a socket would be. If, however, your intention is to also run a light or other accessory off the same lead, it should not be a problem to hard wire an auto-type socket, especially if it's more or less a trickle charge for keeping the battery topped off. The usual cautions ie well insulated connections, waterproof, etc.

Re: Modifyng 850MKIII accessocory socket for battery chargin

Try this thread:

auxillary-electrical-outlet-plug-t4702.html

My post on converting the power point to a 12v marine connector (cigar lighter) appears 2/3 down the first page.

Recently, I converted my Mk3 to negative ground, and now use a conventional 2-prong (Harley-type) connector that couples directly to my Tender Junior. My marine connector is now conventionally wired, and drives my GPS, charges my phone, and powers my trouble light with no worries about shorting to the frame. If you attempt this on a positive-ground system, the exposed plug prong will be "hot" at -12v, and you'll pop a fuse every time you touch the cable shield to the frame.

Re: Modifyng 850MKIII accessocory socket for battery chargin

google "powerlet" Used on BMW, Triumph (Hinkley) etc. The proper way to do things.

Re: Modifyng 850MKIII accessocory socket for battery chargin

The '72s have a socket near the air cleaner on the right side. I just found my matching plug that came in a little envelope with the bike (also with muffler mutes and smaller main jets!). Been looking for it for years. It is an oddball but someone could mold a suitable plug and find pins with a decent fit. In that case there are no mods to the bike. Someone brought up earlier that if the original zener regulating method is still there then the zener(s) may start to conduct and tend to reduce charging voltage to the battery. I think this makes sense but I've never really had any problems using a cheapo 1 amp 12V charger. You will still be above the voltage needed to charge a dead battery and the Zeners would barely get warm. The MkIIIs have a strange arrangement with the Zeners so may be a different situation.

Later on I realized that I never really had to charge the battery except when the battery was out of the bike during the winter months. That's when the plug must've gotten lost...

How long is it between rides? One advantage of the lighter socket would be you could have a real lighter in there and it would be kind of a novelty to your riding friends during smoke breaks. How many Brit bikes have cigarette lighters?

Re: Modifyng 850MKIII accessocory socket for battery chargin

Hi crusadersports

I modified my socket with a DIN socket the same as the one on my BMW. I use one battery charger (clearly marked) for the pos earth bikes and another for neg earth bikes. A found a nice little socket on ebay, even comes with a sprung cover for a couple of pounds and plugs are plentiful.

I use an adaptor from Din to cig socket for phone charging, I may even just solder some wires to a spare phone charger and keep it on the bike.

Ps I also like small bikes and have owned a few Crusaders, My first had a front brake plate broken in half.
I couldnt afford a new one so a mate of mine shortened the spokes and laced a Dominator hub complete into the wheel for me.
My first experiance of a brake upgrade. Superb!

Re: Modifyng 850MKIII accessocory socket for battery chargin

I use one of these on my boat for a hand held spot light. It occurs to me I should try it on the Norton receptacle to see if it fits!

http://www.perko.com/catalog/category/l ... oduct/357/

Chrome plated zinc is not great in a marine environment as it eventually starts to lose the chrome. But it is much less expensive and would probably hold up OK in most climates.

Russ

Re: Modifyng 850MKIII accessocory socket for battery chargin

G Day All,

Many thanks to those who posted a thought or two about updating the 850 MK III power socket. I got some v helpful stuff! Rick in Seattle has been along way down the power socket mods road as and as soon as I can work out how to email you Rick, I'll be bothering you for more details (i'm at crusadersports@hotmail.com)

Thanks too to gcooperIII- the powerlet socket looks like a modern way of doing it all- their website is a wonder to behold if you want to spend loads to run your laptop on your Roadster! ( www.powerlet.com). Prob here is that you need an adaptor for each appliance you want to attach.

Basically I reckon the factory idea is still a good one but the socket on the bike is now pretty much obsolete. The Powerlet is much smaller than a cigarette lighter socket and provides a more positive connection if you want to charge your phone while riding...

Lastly, thanks to Rocker1- mate your bike looks just like mine except mine's black. Are you in Portsmouth, Hants? I'm in Chatham, Kent. Enjoyed the bit about the Dommie brake in the Crusaders- I've always thought these bikes were crackers and deserve the title 'mini manx' more than any other British 250.

Thanks again to you all- just got to scatch my head some more which to choose. Small matter of new rings first...

crusadersports

Re: Modifyng 850MKIII accessocory socket for battery chargin

Hi crusadersports

Yes I live in Lee on Solent, just over the water from Portsmouth.

The socket I used is the "Hella" type, looks to be the same as the "Powerlet."

my email is bob.coombs@yahoo.co.uk

My shed is always open....