Hi,
I want to add a 12V power socket (i.e. a cigarette lighter socket) to my XM-2000.
Do you think I should:
(a) connect directly to one of the batteries in the string
(b) connect to the DC to DC convertor (which I assume is the black box that sits where a battery for a gas scooter would have been)
(c) something else?
I know that (a) will create an unequal load on my batteries - but then my PowerCheq's should compensate for that, right? This is the most trivial approach.
I'm leaning towards (b) - I just have to figure out which wire does what (shouldn't be too hard ;-) )
Do you think I should add an additional fuse? If so then am I right in thinking that one should always put the fuse on the negative wire? (If so, why?)
Thanks,
John H.
Definitely a fuse. I'd put it just under the 12volt socket for easy reach.
http://www.scooterparts4less.com/web_electric/fuse_holder.htm
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(b) connect to the DC to DC convertor (which I assume is the black box that sits where a battery for a gas scooter would have been)
This is what I'd go for. In fact there most likely is a 12v power system already in place to run the lights, which most likely already has a DC-DC somewhere, and you could tap into that.
The reason for DC-DC is it keeps the pack better balanced. If you tap just one battery that battery will be unbalanced relative to the others, because it will see higher load. That is, unless you install something like the powercheq's which will keep the pack in balance.
The alternative you didn't mention is to add another battery and charger. Such as a 12v NiMH pack.
- David Herron, http://davidherron.com/
- David Herron, The Long Tail Pipe, davidherron.com, 7gen.com, What is Reiki