triggering a relay with a usb cable...

[hubcapsc]

Didn't work for me 



Our regular Valkyries have a several amp "accessory" wire behind one of the side
covers. On the 1800 Valkyrie the accessory wire is set up to have a Honda
"cigarette lighter" plug-and-play hooked up to it, it is 3 amp.

I got the bright idea of plugging a two-usb adapter into the "cigarette lighter"
and use one of the usb plugs to drive a relay. I was sure it would work, but not
for me. So I rigged up a regular cigarette-lighter style plug to drive the relay...

-Mike

[Gryphon Rider]

USB power is 5VDC. You'd need a relay with a 5VDC coil.

[Robert]

Gryphon is correct usb is 5v all automotive relays are 12v. Someone including myself would be happy to help you design a circuit for what you want to do if you explain what you are trying to do. Cant tell from what you have said do far.

[hubcapsc]

Gryphon is correct usb is 5v all automotive relays are 12v. Someone including myself would be happy to help you design a circuit for what you want to do if you explain what you are trying to do. Cant tell from what you have said do far.

I just wanted to plug this in and use one line to drive my heated clothes relay, and still
have another line to charge a phone or a tablet.



Instead I plugged in one of these to drive my relay. Works great, but now I can
only drive the relay.



I didn't think about the difference between 5 volt and 12 volt. I can see online that
there's such a thing as a 5 volt relay, but they don't seem appropriate for switching a
heated clothes circuit.

There's such a thing as this if I really wanted to have two low-powered hookups...



Thanks for the explanation and the offer to help...

-Mike

[Robert]

I am assuming you have one lighter socket and 2 items you want to power both with different voltages and a relay controls the lighter. From the relay you have 12v that connects to the center pin in the cigarette lighter plug. There are 2 choices connect your heated clothes with a separate plug to the center pin at the base of the lighter or do the same for the usb adapter. This way you have the plug and have the relay but can still use both the 5v and 12v off the relay at the same time. In the pic you have the big plug that goes to your heated clothes. If you cut the wires between the end and the plug and put a different connector on the end of that with the mating connector connected to the base or pin that goes in the lighter socket then you can use both. The separate plug for your clothes and the lighter socket for the usb. You could also make your own usb hard wired in adapter by soldering wires onto the center terminal of the plug and the side terminal of the plug and running wires from that to a good power source. I have included the post below that shows a usb hard wired adapter that is a bit expensive but looks pretty neat. I hope I answered correctly if not just ask. Cigarette lighter kind of plugs do not hold to securely and can be pulled out pretty easy I would think you would want a more secure plug on the clothes. One last thought if you wired in a usb adapter and hid it out of sight and used a usb extension cable and put the end that you want to plug into in a out of the way place that could also be a neat idea and it would be hidden for the most part. Plus the adapter could be mounted in a safe dry place.   But for future reference this should be on the tech board.

http://www.uniqueusbflash.com/cart/index.php?l=product_detail&p=132 

[RP#62]

I didn't think about the difference between 5 volt and 12 volt. I can see online that
there's such a thing as a 5 volt relay, but they don't seem appropriate for switching a
heated clothes circuit.

What it takes to drive the relay has nothing to do with what it controls.  You can get 5VDC relays that will switch 110V AC if you want.

-RP

[hubcapsc]

I didn't think about the difference between 5 volt and 12 volt. I can see online that
there's such a thing as a 5 volt relay, but they don't seem appropriate for switching a
heated clothes circuit.

What it takes to drive the relay has nothing to do with what it controls.  You can get 5VDC relays that will switch 110V AC if you want.

-RP

I'm sure that must be true in theory... I never even thought about a 5 volt relay until
this morning. When I look them up, the ones I find have these funny connections and
as best as I can read the notations on them they aren't for 10/15 amp circuits like
I want for my heated gear.



Now that I know it doesn't work like I hoped it would, I think I'd use one of these
splitters if I wanted to control more than just my relay...



-Mike