usb charger

[elmsoft]

This is actually a motor bike question but perhaps someone can help anyway.

I fitted a usb charger to my bike. It came with a long cable- two strands, a black and a red with an inline fuse fitted to the red. Each had a large ring terminal connection "clearly" intended to fit directly to the battery.

But it appears to drain the battery if the bike is left standing for a few days.
I obviously expected that when not in use the charger would not use current.
How likely is it that such a unit would have a small, constant drain?

 

[Burnerman]

Unfortunately the device will draw a small amount of current, and as there isn't much to play with anyway, a flat battery will result.
Does the thing get warm at all?
John

 

[elmsoft]

Thanks for your info

Doesn't appear to. But then it's plastic and as you point out, a few milli-amps is enough to do the damage Long before the molten plastic stage. lol
I could of course wire it through an ignition switched relay but, as I said, it certainly doesn't look like that was the intention, and being lazy.....



Live and learn.

 

[mattylad]

Put a switch inline.

Or power it from the ignition switch.
Or, a relay that is powered off the ignition switch so that when you turn the bike on, the USB also becomes powered.

 

[elmsoft]

Thank you both.
I"ll take a feed off a relay.
Did think for a moment about an inline switch, and then a little neon to show whether it was on, and then a warning buzzer ...
And now I'll just do it properly!