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Author Topic: Wiring GPS tracker  (Read 1803 times)

Offline Zork

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Wiring GPS tracker
« on: September 27, 2021, 01:34:23 PM »
I need to wire pos and neg connections for a small gps tracker on my K1100. I want to install it under the seat where it is best protected by the seat lock. I think I should wire it to the fuse block or somewhere in the relay box. Recommendations on where best to splice the wires? And yes, it has an inline rocker switch on the positive wire to turn it on and off so it doesn't suck the battery dry when sitting in my garage...
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  • MA
  • 1995 K1100LT SE
A black hole is where <insert favorite imaginary deity here> divided by zero.
To err is human. To do so repeatedly is evidence of imbecility.

Offline frankenduck

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2021, 01:46:15 PM »
I would tap it into the Green/Brown wire of the white alarm connector in the relay box.  That's switched power from Fuse 7 so you don't have to worry about it draining the battery.  The brown wire of that connector is ground.



Posi-Taps are very handy for this.

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Offline Zork

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2021, 03:12:35 PM »
It cannot be switched power, the point is to be able to track the location of the bike whether or not the ignition switch is turned on. The tracker has an inline switch that I installed to turn it off when it is safe in my garage. And I have tried to find posi-taps, but have failed. Who sells them?
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  • MA
  • 1995 K1100LT SE
A black hole is where <insert favorite imaginary deity here> divided by zero.
To err is human. To do so repeatedly is evidence of imbecility.

Offline frankenduck

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2021, 03:19:01 PM »
I thought you wanted it for a track of your riding. If you want unswitched power then tap into the red/gray wire of the alarm connector. That's unswitched power from Fuse 4.

Posi-Taps: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2505460.m570.l1313&_nkw=posi-tap+20+22&_sacat=0
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Once I had a Collie pup. Dug a hole and covered him up. Now I sit there by the hour. Waiting for a Collie-flower.
New to K bikes? Click here.
K Bike Maintenance & Mods: Click here.
Buy parts here.

Offline Zork

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2021, 03:24:42 PM »
No, the GPS tracker I have doesn't work that way. To get that kind of tracking I have to pay some sketchy Chinese outfit for the service. Instead, I use SMS. I send a message to the tracker and it responds with the coordinates and a link to Google Maps that shows me where the bike is located. If it can't see GPS satellites it give me cellphone signal triangulation. Not as good as GPS, but better than nothing, and free (other than the cost of the cell service).

So I get power from that and ground the other wire anywhere on the frame?
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  • MA
  • 1995 K1100LT SE
A black hole is where <insert favorite imaginary deity here> divided by zero.
To err is human. To do so repeatedly is evidence of imbecility.

Offline Zork

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2021, 03:35:51 PM »
I found the manufacturer's web site at www.posi-products.com. Much cheaper to order directly from them. I ordered the Posi-Tab 79 piece assortment with free shipping.
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  • MA
  • 1995 K1100LT SE
A black hole is where <insert favorite imaginary deity here> divided by zero.
To err is human. To do so repeatedly is evidence of imbecility.

Offline frankenduck

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2021, 03:37:45 PM »
I wouldn't try to ground from the frame unless you sand the area first for good contact. Just how I do things but I would tap into the brown at the alarm connector so that both wires for the device are run next to each other.
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Once I had a Collie pup. Dug a hole and covered him up. Now I sit there by the hour. Waiting for a Collie-flower.
New to K bikes? Click here.
K Bike Maintenance & Mods: Click here.
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Offline Zork

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2021, 03:38:36 PM »
Ok, I was going to tap to the big grounding point where everything else grounds to but this makes sense.
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  • MA
  • 1995 K1100LT SE
A black hole is where <insert favorite imaginary deity here> divided by zero.
To err is human. To do so repeatedly is evidence of imbecility.

Offline frankenduck

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2021, 03:49:05 PM »
What device are you installing? Got a link?

I assume you're doing this for anti-theft purposes, right? One thing good about the K1100 ignition is that it takes a fair amount of effort for thieves to hotwire. On K75s and K100s you can hotwire them in less than a minute.

I know a guy in Seattle who had has K75 stolen a couple of weeks ago. Here's what the ignition looked like when he got it back:



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Once I had a Collie pup. Dug a hole and covered him up. Now I sit there by the hour. Waiting for a Collie-flower.
New to K bikes? Click here.
K Bike Maintenance & Mods: Click here.
Buy parts here.

Offline Zork

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #9 on: September 27, 2021, 04:01:05 PM »
Not anti-theft. For that I use locks and cables. This is for post-theft. There's more than one way to steal a bike. This tells me where it is no matter how they steal it, assuming they have not found it and/or disconnected the battery.

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/gp/product/B07KR98Q4V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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  • MA
  • 1995 K1100LT SE
A black hole is where <insert favorite imaginary deity here> divided by zero.
To err is human. To do so repeatedly is evidence of imbecility.

Offline frankenduck

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #10 on: September 27, 2021, 04:09:28 PM »
Or park it in a metal garage. :johnny
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Once I had a Collie pup. Dug a hole and covered him up. Now I sit there by the hour. Waiting for a Collie-flower.
New to K bikes? Click here.
K Bike Maintenance & Mods: Click here.
Buy parts here.

Offline Zork

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #11 on: September 27, 2021, 04:10:28 PM »
Not too many of those around here. And it will tell me where it was before they put it into the garage.  :laughing1:
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  • MA
  • 1995 K1100LT SE
A black hole is where <insert favorite imaginary deity here> divided by zero.
To err is human. To do so repeatedly is evidence of imbecility.

Offline rbm

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #12 on: September 27, 2021, 04:50:15 PM »
Wouldn't you want the power source for your GPS tracker to be independent of the main battery.  They just need to disconnect the battery and you are SOL.  If your unit has low quiescent current draw, then you can use a separate lithium cell to provide power. Replace as needed when it's low.
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Offline Zork

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Re: Wiring GPS tracker
« Reply #13 on: September 27, 2021, 05:01:38 PM »
No, that just needlessly complicates things for something that will only require me to locate the bike within minutes or hours after it is stolen.
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  • MA
  • 1995 K1100LT SE
A black hole is where <insert favorite imaginary deity here> divided by zero.
To err is human. To do so repeatedly is evidence of imbecility.
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