Bohemian Biker Blog

Our 12V Power Port Adapter Assembly allows a Biker to tap into his or her motorcycle battery and charging system’s 12 Volt power while on the go.  This handy adapter assembly is designed to specifically address the needs of the Biker with a motorcycle not outfitted with a faring/dash mounted power port.  It facilitates convenient connection to an installed Battery Tender Fused Quick Connect pigtail, and thereby it allows the Biker to charge handheld electronics, such as a cell phone.

Sweet, Simple & Secure – the beauty of this setup is the ability to stow all involved components in an adjacent saddlebag.  In fact,  the design length of our assembly was set on that basis.  We chose SPT-1 cord with 18 AWG leads to minimize thickness –  thereby allowing the ability to close a hard case saddlebag across it without excessively stressing the hinges.  Often using this setup myself, I find it works very well for me.  In the event of traveling rain, obviously this setup would negatively impact the seal and should be avoided.

Not long for reaching 2000 of these assemblies sold, with nothing but positive feedback, continued popularity and sales are certain for this conveniently useful piece of electrical gear.  Many a do-it-yourself type has cobbled together a similar assembly, and it was just a matter of us taking on the manufacture of an optimally designed assembly a little more than 3 years ago.

Cheap insurance at our bargain price of $4.95 + shipping (less than $2.00 for USPS 1st Class shipping here in the US).  One of these adapters could very well save the day in the event yo find yourself in need of a means of communication and your cell phone battery is D-E-A-D.

Here’s a suggestion – consider talking it up with with friends such that you could assemble an order and share the cost of shipping.  Six or eight could still ship via economical USPS 1st Class Mail, 10 or 12 could ship via USPS Priority Flat Rate small box for $5.35.

We were pleased to see our industry partner – Deltran, bring their model to the table.  Outfitted with a 5 foot cord and a tethered cap for the power port socket – this is a great alternative.  A bargain as well at our price of $8.95 + shipping, we carry this model for those desiring its particular features.  This model facilitates the hot set up for a tank bag, or rally bag.

Please comment or email any questions or concerns – we welcome email at: bohemianbiker@bohemianbiker.com

Here are the links directly to the above assemblies:

http://www.solarcapitalist.com/12volt-power-port-sae2pin-adapter-assembly.aspx

http://www.solarcapitalist.com/deltran-12volt-power-port-sae2pin-adapter.aspx

Solar Capitalist LLC is our sister company handling products such as the above, Deltran Battery Tenders & accessories, and Global SUNLINQ Portable Solar Chargers & accessories.

Capitalize on the Sun’s Energy !

Over the past 6 months, we’ve distributed several hundred of our replacement SAE 2 Pin Caps !!!   

SAE 2 Pin Caps

Customers have been excited to find a source for this previously unavailable product.   

Very few lamented the absence of a tether.  Those that have, understood the simplicity.        

The soft rubber makes them easily installed, and they’re just snug enough to stay put.   

Understanding that we shouldered the cost of mold development prior to production, our price of $1.00 each has been found reasonable.   

As always, we use economical USPS 1st Class Mail – several caps will ship for $1.56   

Email us a bohemianbiker@bohemianbiker.com  and we’ll simply invoice you via Pay Pal !!! 

Currently, our products are available through our new e-commerce website at:  www.solarcapitalist.com    

Solar Capitalist LLC is our sister company handling products such as those discussed above, as well as Portable Solar Chargers – Capitalize on the Sun’s Energy ! 

New Deltran Zippered Carry Case sizes available!

Questions or comments ???  We welcome email at: bohemianbiker@bohemianbiker.com

Currently, our products are available through our new e-commerce website at:  www.solarcapitalist.com  

Solar Capitalist LLC is our sister company handling products such as those discussed above, as well as Portable Solar Chargers – Capitalize on the Sun’s Energy !

Solar Capitalist LLC is our sister company handling products such as those discussed above, as well as Portable Solar Chargers – Capitalize on the Sun’s Energy !

By the number of 12 volt power ports with pigtail leads I ship to motorcyclists, I recognize there are a large number of Bikers adding this circuit to their ride.  More often than not, they tell me they are wiring up a rig to power/charge a GPS unit.

I’m not sure how sophisticated they are getting with their circuits, but it sounds like most are keeping it pretty simple.  I offer inline fuseholder assemblies, but I could count the number of those I’ve sold on one hand.  I’m not sure if they are tapping into another circuit on the bike, or going straight to the battery.  It doesn’t seem like I sell SAE 2 Pin connectors to these do-it-yourselfers, so I don’t think they are connecting the power port to a battery quick connect.

Part of the reason I wanted to begin this Blog site was to open the door to interaction along lines such as these.  Provide a forum for dialogue specific to topics like this – thereby, providing the opportunity and means to capture the experiences of others…to the benefit of interested viewers.

I see blog postings on other blog sites addressing these and related topics, but my desire was to drill down on these topics specifically.  With the number and speed with which handheld electronics are coming at us, and the growing popularity of riding on 2-wheels, I decided to seize the opportunity.  Being an engineer…and a biker…I was naturally drawn into this area of interest.  I also appreciate the interaction with those that share a love of motorcycles and motorcycling.

Getting back to the topic at hand, the 12 volt power port I’ve been supplying is of good quality, and manufactured by a company well known for this sort of equipment.  The leads are relatively light and the unit is rated a 5 amps maximum, but that is certainly sufficient for applications such as powering or charging a GPS unit.

It seems that most Bikers are just making up an assembly that they view as relatively temporary…maybe removing it after each use.  Probably figuring they only need GPS when they are on a trip, or traveling in unfamiliar territory.  Hopefully, for more permanent installations they would get a little more sophisticated with their add-on circuits.  Although, if that was the case, they’d probably get more sophisticated with the power port design, as well.  Maybe even one of the power ports suitable for handlebar mounting, with a spring-loaded cap, etc.

At any rate, currently there seems to be plenty of interest in these low cost power ports, and this is no doubt a great opportunity to smoke out the issues that will lead to the development of add-on power ports and circuit designs that will prove best.

We welcome email at: bohemianbiker@bohemianbiker.com

Currently, our products are available through our new e-commerce website at:  www.solarcapitalist.com  

Here’s the link leading directly to the product discussed above:  http://www.solarcapitalist.com/motorcycle12vpowerportleads.aspx

Solar Capitalist LLC is our sister company handling products such as those discussed above, Deltran Battery Tenders, as well as Portable Solar Chargers – Capitalize on the Sun’s Energy !

I’m probably not alone with respect to finding myself with a dead cell phone battery at inopportune times.  Being caught in this position when preparing to go out for a day of riding, prompted me to come up with a way to charge a cell phone using my motorcycle’s battery and charging system.

I was convinced that the “pig tail” (or “fused quick connect”) generally left connected to one’s motorcycle battery for use as part of a battery tender system, provided a handy means of connection to the motorcycle’s battery and charging system.  It was just a matter of coming up with a cable having that SAE 2 Pin connector at one end and a “cigarette lighter” style power port at the other.

Encouraged by discussion with those with whom I shared this idea, I set out to make these 12 volt power ports readily available to bikers with a desire to power their 12V chargers, etc.

After assembling and trying out a few prototypes, I contracted a manufacturer here in the USA to produce a large quantity of power port assemblies at a length that seemed like it would be popular with many bikers – just long enough to reach our saddlebags (I discuss use of this power port assembly in conjunction with saddlebags in a separate post).

12V Power Port Assembly

This was a power port assembly from the initial shipment.

They were about 14″ long, with about 9″ of Black SPT-1 Cord (18 AWG conductors), which was shorter than anticicpated.

Right off, I was thrilled with the high quality SAE 2 Pin connector that our manufacturer turns out.  It’s sturdy, and the size makes it easily grasped.

Since then, the assembly has been lengthened, such that the overall length of the assembly is about 15-1/2″, with 11″ of Black SPT-1 Cord (18 AWG conductors).

We’ve gone through several hundred, and bikers seem to be very pleased with the current length – long enough to reach…yet short enough to make it handy and compact for easy storage.

We welcome email at: bohemianbiker@bohemianbiker.com

This product is available through our new e-commerce website at:  www.solarcapitalist.com  

Here’s the link leading directly to the product discussed above:   http://www.solarcapitalist.com/12voltpowerportxsae2pinadapterassembly.aspx

Solar Capitalist LLC is our sister company handling products such as those discussed above, Deltran Battery Tenders, as well as Portable Solar Chargers – Capitalize on the Sun’s Energy !