How many extra watts of accessories can the CB1100 handle?

HondaFan_imp

First service completed
Thread starter
Does anyone know how many extra watts of accessories the CB1100 can handle? I have a 2016 CB1100.
 
Here is a thread that tells the alternator output. It also discusses the fact that we don't know how much the bike uses normally.
 
Lord Popgun_imp said:
Here is a thread that tells the alternator output. It also discusses the fact that we don't know how much the bike uses normally.
I don't see a link. Could you try again? I am interested as well. I would love to put a couple aux lights and a USB charger on the bike but don't want to overload the alternator either.
 
Whoops, I've been running a USB outlet for some years with no problems. Others have installed additional lighting. I'm sure many of them also have USB outlets. I've not heard of anyone having overload problems.
 
My 1995 Daytona 1200 is similarly rated, if not a little less, 25A @12V (~300w) and all the lights are regular bulbs. With the lights on, braking and indicating you could be using 150w in lighting alone (duel headlights). It still manages to run a heated vest drawing several amps so any auxiliary loads you need on the CB I would be fine. I would say you have a good few amps to spare. When Triumph released the Trophy Touring model (in the 90's) with the same 25A alternator it was widely panned as inadequate for a serious tourer and they changed the design to a 40A unit.
 
Hi,
I had flat battery a few years back on the CB. I was touring two up and rolled into a town for lunch. Bike wouldn’t start again when we returned. Had to bump it.
It was winter and we both had heated jackets on and heated grips were on. I’d been trickling along country lanes, low revs using the torque for super smooth, pillion friendly riding.

I looked into the alt. output and figured that it wasn’t making enough juice at low revs. I think sub 3,500rpm it’s not putting much out at all. Finished the rest of the trip in a lower gear at higher revs and turned the jackets down... it was fine.
It’s worth thinking about if your riding finds you often in the bottom end.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
There's enough juice for my Firstgear heated jacket/gloves cranked up to high while charging my cell phone and GoPro batteries. I have no idea how close to the limit that it is, but I have no plans for adding any more draw.
 
The question needs to be seen from a few different angles.
1) CB harness(es) -> can burn through
if you connect to an existing CB wire or harness (in the wrong spot), the risk is to melt that wire, can be a tricky repair; to avoid it you need to know or measure every piece of wire between the new accessory and the battery; a better solution, install a large enough wire / cable straight from the battery to the new accessory. PS: This is true despite the fact that every M/C has fuses installed.
2) alternator -> cannot break
if it doesn't produce enough juice, the extra Amps are drawn from the battery - if and when this happens depends on alternator size, total power draw, how often the new accessories are turned on etc. and last not least engine rpm.
3) battery -> might discharge, cannot break
this can be easily measured with a little Amp meter, temporarily installed (in sight somewhere) in the dash, best use digital.

Another solution, buy and install one of the available LiP phone rechangers. They come in many sizes and capacity and can power anything straight, with 5V or 12 V, without connecting to your CB's systems. I have one in the garage, which would re-juice my phone 10 times without going empty, and is barely larger than an Iphone. Unlike the Li-Ion batteries, LiP do not pose a fire hazard, fit under your seat, and can recharge while you eat a Pizza. Careful so, they don't like too much engine heat.

If you don't like that idea, here is a rule of thumb for your electrical system's capacity. All standard equipment (factory installed equipment) turned on, and the engine running at more than 1800 rpms (cont.), the alternator is dimension-ed to provide 120% of the total power draw, and keep the voltage in the system high enough to charge (a standard) battery up to full.
Hope this helps a little.
 
If you are not using heated grips, there should be plenty of headroom for small stuff (assuming it's connected in the right places). They built the charging system with the grips in mind.
 
j3gq_imp said:
The question needs to be seen from a few different angles.
1) CB harness(es) -> can burn through
if you connect to an existing CB wire or harness (in the wrong spot), the risk is to melt that wire, can be a tricky repair; to avoid it you need to know or measure every piece of wire between the new accessory and the battery; a better solution, install a large enough wire / cable straight from the battery to the new accessory. PS: This is true despite the fact that every M/C has fuses installed.
2) alternator -> cannot break
if it doesn't produce enough juice, the extra Amps are drawn from the battery - if and when this happens depends on alternator size, total power draw, how often the new accessories are turned on etc. and last not least engine rpm.
3) battery -> might discharge, cannot break
this can be easily measured with a little Amp meter, temporarily installed (in sight somewhere) in the dash, best use digital.

Another solution, buy and install one of the available LiP phone rechangers. They come in many sizes and capacity and can power anything straight, with 5V or 12 V, without connecting to your CB's systems. I have one in the garage, which would re-juice my phone 10 times without going empty, and is barely larger than an Iphone. Unlike the Li-Ion batteries, LiP do not pose a fire hazard, fit under your seat, and can recharge while you eat a Pizza. Careful so, they don't like too much engine heat.

If you don't like that idea, here is a rule of thumb for your electrical system's capacity. All standard equipment (factory installed equipment) turned on, and the engine running at more than 1800 rpms (cont.), the alternator is dimension-ed to provide 120% of the total power draw, and keep the voltage in the system high enough to charge (a standard) battery up to full.
Hope this helps a little.
This is the purpose of fuses. To protect harness wires and equipment.

When a properly-sized fuse opens, it is telling the owner something is wrong with the circuit (e.g. overloaded).
 
GoldOxide_imp said:
j3gq_imp said:
The question needs to be seen from a few different angles.
1) CB harness(es) -> can burn through
if you connect to an existing CB wire or harness (in the wrong spot), the risk is to melt that wire, can be a tricky repair; to avoid it you need to know or measure every piece of wire between the new accessory and the battery; a better solution, install a large enough wire / cable straight from the battery to the new accessory. PS: This is true despite the fact that every M/C has fuses installed.
2) alternator -> cannot break
if it doesn't produce enough juice, the extra Amps are drawn from the battery - if and when this happens depends on alternator size, total power draw, how often the new accessories are turned on etc. and last not least engine rpm.
3) battery -> might discharge, cannot break
this can be easily measured with a little Amp meter, temporarily installed (in sight somewhere) in the dash, best use digital.

Another solution, buy and install one of the available LiP phone rechangers. They come in many sizes and capacity and can power anything straight, with 5V or 12 V, without connecting to your CB's systems. I have one in the garage, which would re-juice my phone 10 times without going empty, and is barely larger than an Iphone. Unlike the Li-Ion batteries, LiP do not pose a fire hazard, fit under your seat, and can recharge while you eat a Pizza. Careful so, they don't like too much engine heat.

If you don't like that idea, here is a rule of thumb for your electrical system's capacity. All standard equipment (factory installed equipment) turned on, and the engine running at more than 1800 rpms (cont.), the alternator is dimension-ed to provide 120% of the total power draw, and keep the voltage in the system high enough to charge (a standard) battery up to full.
Hope this helps a little.
This is the purpose of fuses. To protect harness wires and equipment.

When a properly-sized fuse opens, it is telling the owner something is wrong with the circuit (e.g. overloaded).
This is the purpose of fuses. To protect harness wires and equipment.

When a properly-sized fuse opens, it is telling the owner something is wrong with the circuit (e.g. overloaded).
Correct, that is the theory. But unfortunately it happens (in all sort of machines and machinery) whenever very small wire gauge is used. Is it, because the designers still live in a world where only 1A, 2A and 10A fuses exist, is it for other reasons ... believe me and do yourself a favor : do not trust that the fuse always goes first. It does not.
 
j3gq_imp said:
GoldOxide_imp said:
j3gq_imp said:
The question needs to be seen from a few different angles.
1) CB harness(es) -> can burn through
if you connect to an existing CB wire or harness (in the wrong spot), the risk is to melt that wire, can be a tricky repair; to avoid it you need to know or measure every piece of wire between the new accessory and the battery; a better solution, install a large enough wire / cable straight from the battery to the new accessory. PS: This is true despite the fact that every M/C has fuses installed.
2) alternator -> cannot break
if it doesn't produce enough juice, the extra Amps are drawn from the battery - if and when this happens depends on alternator size, total power draw, how often the new accessories are turned on etc. and last not least engine rpm.
3) battery -> might discharge, cannot break
this can be easily measured with a little Amp meter, temporarily installed (in sight somewhere) in the dash, best use digital.

Another solution, buy and install one of the available LiP phone rechangers. They come in many sizes and capacity and can power anything straight, with 5V or 12 V, without connecting to your CB's systems. I have one in the garage, which would re-juice my phone 10 times without going empty, and is barely larger than an Iphone. Unlike the Li-Ion batteries, LiP do not pose a fire hazard, fit under your seat, and can recharge while you eat a Pizza. Careful so, they don't like too much engine heat.

If you don't like that idea, here is a rule of thumb for your electrical system's capacity. All standard equipment (factory installed equipment) turned on, and the engine running at more than 1800 rpms (cont.), the alternator is dimension-ed to provide 120% of the total power draw, and keep the voltage in the system high enough to charge (a standard) battery up to full.
Hope this helps a little.
This is the purpose of fuses. To protect harness wires and equipment.

When a properly-sized fuse opens, it is telling the owner something is wrong with the circuit (e.g. overloaded).
This is the purpose of fuses. To protect harness wires and equipment.

When a properly-sized fuse opens, it is telling the owner something is wrong with the circuit (e.g. overloaded).
Correct, that is the theory. But unfortunately it happens (in all sort of machines and machinery) whenever very small wire gauge is used. Is it, because the designers still live in a world where only 1A, 2A and 10A fuses exist, is it for other reasons ... believe me and do yourself a favor : do not trust that the fuse always goes first. It does not.
This is the purpose of fuses. To protect harness wires and equipment.

When a properly-sized fuse opens, it is telling the owner something is wrong with the circuit (e.g. overloaded).
Correct, that is the theory. But unfortunately it happens (in all sort of machines and machinery) whenever very small wire gauge is used. Is it, because the designers still live in a world where only 1A, 2A and 10A fuses exist, is it for other reasons ... believe me and do yourself a favor : do not trust that the fuse always goes first. It does not.
That is why I was careful to quote, " ... properly-sized fuse ... ".

Good design requires it. A formally reviewed design will not permit an oversized fuse on small gauge wire.

If somebody wishes to put in an incorrectly-sized fuse after the fact, well then that is a different issue and small gauge wires may suffer.
 
Back
Top