This should be pretty standard, and would be even more so if my cigarette lighter worked, but I plan on installing a GPS unit below the headunit in my car, and I wanna hardwire it and permanently mount it in my dash. I've done all the electrical work in my car to date, including a pretty complex stereo system, so this should be pretty easy, but I'm looking for any tips on what ya'll think may be the best place to get power from for the GPS.

Right now I was thinking of running an add a circuit off the fuse box in the driver side kick panel...i think it is fuse #10 that I would use. I planned on just cutting the cigarette adapter off the GPS and soldering the wires from the fuse box to the GPS. Any better ideas, or confirmations of my plan would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

sounds like how I would do it, just make sure the fuse you use is rated to match what the GPS draws... the only thing I'd worry about is start-up reception (from the time you turn the car/GPS on to when it gets a signal) but thats probably dependent on the GPS you have

 

my garmin nuvi 260, if plugged up to the cigarette lighter. which powers up with acc control on the cigarette lighter. powers up on start and powers off by itself. so i think if you cigarette lighter doesnt work it may be the lighter part itself so id try the wiring from there. it be the easiest.

 

Hahah I have a 260w! you could tap into the cigarette lighter socket (obviously it can provide the amperage for a GPS since that'what we plug them into in the first place) but make sure you don't use the cigarette lighter at the same time or you might blow fuses. I don't have my GPS on hand, the amp rating could be used to calculate the total draw from the cigarette lighter socket i.e. if the cigarette lighter fuse is a 20a and the garmin only draws say, 2-4a, I don't think it'll be dangerous to up the fuse from a stock 20a to a 25a.

 

Let's say I am using the 12v going to the cigarette lighter as a remote for my headunit. If I split this 12V line between the GPS and my headunit could this be a serious problem? Since the draw will be pretty low for both of them couldn't I simply just split it and still have a remote for my HU and a power supply for My GPS? My HU isn't using the 12V line as a power source only as a remote.

thanks again

 

You could but if one day you forget to turn the GPS off, it's a constant drain.

another option:

How about wiring a relay from the 12v+ line to the GPS, with a switched 12v+ (say from the cigarette lighter wire) that will only activate the relay with the key in ON or ACC? That way the load will not affect the stock circuitry and there will be no power running to the GPS without the key in the ignition?

 

well see, as it is, I think the 12v for the cigarette lighter is only on when the key is in the ignition. That is how it works as the remote for my head unit...I think...I might have to look at how I have it wired again, it's been about a year and a half. But yeah, if that is the case then I should just have to solder the GPS power line to the 12v power and then ground it out, correct?

Otherwise, I either need to do a relay or just run a wire from the fuse box

thanks again for all your help raine

 

Yes, the cig lighter is 12v+ ACC. I was suggesting that you use 12v constant, through the relay, to the GPS - but use 12v ACC to activate the relay, since that would draw less from the cigarette lighter circuit in the first place (no need to change fuses or risk overload) and yet the GPS will get to draw as much amps as it needs from the battery direct.

 

oh that makes perfect sense. Thanks, now I just need to find a GPS....

 

Garmin 265w, text-to-speach, free traffic, no extra frills (bluetooth, etc.) - the garmin units are great, I'd recommend them over Tom Tom and other brands that I've tried (and not liked as well as the Garmins)

 

Consider buying a 12V extension cord and chop the plug off it instead of chopping off the plug off a much more expensive GPS power cord. I used an extension cord from Target -- $4.99. The add-a-circuit fuse seems the best way to get power to the cheapo extension cord into which you plug your GPS power cord.

I've done something similar in both our 00 LS (Magellan 2200) and 98 Camry (Garmin Nuvi 260W). In both cars, the GPS units are mounted on brackets from Pro.Fit International.

In the LS, I connected the cheap extension cord directly to the accessory power port wire. In the Camry, for now I've got the GPS power cord routed into the dash and then back out lower down so that it plugs into the accessory port by the cig lighter. I'll probably use an add-a-circuit fuse at the underdash fuse box at some point but my wife's Camry has plenty of accessory ports and she doesn't care if one of the ports is dedicated to the GPS.