Bike wiring query ?

[Smokeguy]

I'm trying to set up an external 12v power plug(s) to run(charge) navman and phone(music machine) whilst traveling. The initial setup of getting the plug installed and the wiring laid out is relatively easy. I have a 10a fuse setup also attached to the live line.
My main concern is connecting the live wire and earthing the other. I just did a test connection and the bloody twin external plug setup i had just went POP.  Now I know the wiring was correct, and I can possibly say it was a faulty unit (ya get what ya paid for - $12.50) .   Now my big question is:

can I use any live source within the wiring system ? I don't wish to set it up and it seems to work - connect my samsung galaxy II and have it explode :P and or connect the navman and have it melt in front of me.

Using a spanner and a screwdriver I can deal with but watts and amps is like black magic to me - when the plug on the end of the phone charger tells you you obviously can plug it into a 12v system i.e. car or other  but then it says something about 1 amp I'm a bit fearful after seeing this unit POP when connected to the bikes power.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

[Brock]

If you connected the red wire to he battery positive, and the black to the battery negative, then you connected the unit correctly.

What exactly popped, if the twin unit is just two cigarette sockets, there is nothing to go pop ( or shouldnt be). If it has a USB outlet, then the unit may have been connected in reverse internally.
The power outlet outer sleeve is the negative side, the centre connector is positive.

The best place to connect is straight to the batteRy, other wise you could be connecting to a line with a lower rated fuse.

[alans1100]

I did what Brock said but I'd add an inline fuse on the positive side as well.

I just use car chargers to suit my phone and GPS units usually supply one anyway.

[Smokeguy]

The unit was a twin with a USB port - and it was a small black diody thingy on the small pcb board inside that blew.
I have a single unit and also a double plug adapter I can use - at least this single unit has a definite red and black wire.
With reference to the wiring, I selected the thickest red live wire within the bunch to tap into - I assume it was a higher rated wire but as you know - Assumption can be the mutha of all screwups
Ill go with directly to the battery. My main worry was having my phone go pop on me that's all.

 

[Brock]

The diodey thing that went pop did its job, its a reverse connection protection and its purpose is to try and blow the fuse before connected equipment can be harmed. Its probably a good bet that the 5Volt regulator circuit for the USB socket is blown as well.

What were the colours of the adapters wires???

[Smokeguy]

it was a twin wire setup covered in black plastic - once i cut the plug end off to wire it up you can see the red and black wires inside - that's how I knew which was which.