Xm Cig Lighter Fuse Blowing (pls Help)

I keep blowing the fuse in the cigarette lighter adapter for my XM...

I spent the morning adding all kinds of electrical stuff to my bike to get my XM Radio going.

I added a relay-controlled terminal block, an AmpliRider, and a cigarette-style outlet to power the XM radio. The relay is triggered by the license plate light. I have a 5-amp fuse on the positive side between the battery and the relay. When the ignition is on, the AmpliRider powers up, and the cig. lighter socket gets juice, too. I did some initial testing with a portable air compressor/light, and it works fine.

The problem comes when I plug the XM car adapter into the socket. The "slow blow" fuse in it blows really fast. It's a wimpy 2A one that sits in the adapter. I got more fuses and tried the unit in the car again, and it works fine. So, I know I didn't fry the XM unit. If I go back to the bike, it blows the fuse again.

Does anyone have any thoughts/experience on this? I figure if there is a short, the air compressor wouldn't work, either. Is there a jump in current when the ignition is turned on? There is no fuse in the adapter for my air compressor, so I wonder if it's getting zapped, too.

The detailed list of stuff I used is listed in this post.

Thanks in advance to the electrical wizards!

I have the Roady 2 with this on both my bikes.
http://www.myradiostore.us/power-accessori...er-adapter.html

Had no problems with the power issues.

jstanwood,

Just a data point, I installed a similar setup for a cigarette lighter style outlet - same power point (battery), same relay, same trigger, the only difference is that I have a 10A fuse rather than your 5A. I have NO problems with my air compressor.

But, I have real difficulty with a cellphone charger. What I noticed is that the charge light on the cellphone adapter does not illuminate at idle - indicating to me that it is not getting enough juice to initiate whatever charge sequence it has. [Keep in mind that I am not electrically inclinded by birth, training, or marriage...] I can blip the throttle, wiggle the connector and get the LED to light up, but on slowing the engine to idle, the light goes out again.

It sounds to me that you are checking the right things and that the problem solving method is correct. The only thing possibility to me is that the XM lead wires may short at an angle on the motorcycle and, hence, not in the car. The test would be to plug the unit into the car and to try to replicate the angle of the cable coming from the plug that you find on the bike. [I just don't see voltage spikes on your bike as an issue if the R/R isn't frying.]

Good luck.

Make sure the polarity is correct at the cig lighter plug. The center pin should be positive.

I had the same problem... both wires from the female cig outlet were black, I got the polarity reversed, the XM fuse burned...
I changed polarity... no prob...

try checking your voltage... i think the amperage, being inversely related to voltage, will rise when your voltage(supply) drops.
try reving the engine to get your voltage up and then plug your xm unit in when the revs are elevated.
haven't really thought this thru but this came to mind.

what to do if it is from a low voltage source??? check you voltages at the battery and at the cig plug with the engine off. if there is an appreciable voltage diff, then there is something causing resistance between the batt and cig plug. cheap relay? dirty conections at the 5a fuse? poor conections anywhere? bad ground(don't discount the importance of checking grounds!)?

but good luck with your problem and let us know how it works out!

Me I am more likely to believe that the cigg outlet your using is not making good connection. (shorting out or just not designed well).

VFRD comes through again. I leave for a wedding reception, sleep, and look at all the responses!

The (IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/beer.gif) goes to gbryant.

(IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/rolleyes.gif) Basic polarity!!! I never knew the center pin was supposed to be positive. What a great place to start. I was issued 2 really nice multimeters from work, but I don't even know how to use one, except for voltage and continuity. Knowing the way the current is supposed to flow sure helps! I thought I followed the correct wire all the way back, but that obviously wasn't the case.

The odd thing is that when I tested using the air compressor, (excuse the reversed Spaceballs reference) I would have expected it to go from blow to suck if the polarity was reversed. I guess that thing is idiot-proofed.

Now I don't have to hum to myself for 1500+ mi for the VFRD Fall Dragon Ride.

jstanwood, Sep 3 2006, 07:35 AM
VFRD comes through again. I leave for a wedding reception, sleep, and look at all the responses!

The (IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/beer.gif) goes to gbryant.

(IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/rolleyes.gif) Basic polarity!!! I never knew the center pin was supposed to be positive. What a great place to start. I was issued 2 really nice multimeters from work, but I don't even know how to use one, except for voltage and continuity. Knowing the way the current is supposed to flow sure helps! I thought I followed the correct wire all the way back, but that obviously wasn't the case.

The odd thing is that when I tested using the air compressor, (excuse the reversed Spaceballs reference) I would have expected it to go from blow to suck if the polarity was reversed. I guess that thing is idiot-proofed.

Now I don't have to hum to myself for 1500+ mi for the VFRD Fall Dragon Ride.

Glad I could help (IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/fing02.gif)