12v accessory socket

[chalky4]

Evening all, just bought a ciggy lighter socket from towzatronics, it comes complete with harness and fuse. it says in the instructions that it should be wired direct to battery but I have read on hear somewhere that anything addition you fit (electrical wise) should go through a relay. Can you please explain (in laymans terms) what a relay does and advise me whether i should fit one for this.

Many thanks
Chalky

[ADE THE BLADE]

hello mate,, i got an optimate ciggy socket that utilises their charge point connector. not fitted permanently to bike. mainly used for tyre compressor if any, sorry. with regard to relays they are a switch (?) needed for most electrics otherwise if you have something like sat nav plugged in then its permanently powered up ( direct from battery) end result......flat battery. no doubt some of the leccy whizz kids will be along and explain things better. good luck oh the spots you wanted to see are on my " new spots" thread !!

[chalky4]

oh the spots you wanted to see are on my " new spots" thread !![/quote]

Cheers for that Ade makes it bit clearer.
Love the spots Gonna fit mine on the engine bars (when they finally arrive from M&P)
Don't worry about the sticker, my better half wanted to put an Arsenal one on my screen, she was nearly sacked.... LOL

[ADE THE BLADE]

[russh]

Hi chalky4

you only need to fit a relay if you want the socket to turn off with the ignition. I like my socket to be live all the time so I can charge say my moby phone whilst camping without having the engine running. Just don't leave the charger plugged in for too long

I started to write a bit about fitting an aux power socket and relay for heated grips here, I've yet to finish the page so at the moment related more to fitting the relay but maybe of use- http://humphrey.myzen.co.uk/relay.htm