I'm looking to hardwire my GPS to my Magna. The kicker is that I have to have a special converter inline so I don't over juice the GPS. The GPS draws a little over 5 volts. One issue is the converter always draws some power, even when the GPS isn't plugged in. I was thinking about tapping into the taillight or ignition switch so it can only draw power when the bike is on. Would this cause any problems? I would like to tap into the taillight as it is easily accessible.
Herman, what you are looking for is a switching power converter. You need to check the current draw (not the voltage) on your GPS unit in order to get the least cost one that will fill your needs. You want an input voltage from 11-20 volts, and an output at 5V, with output current a bit more (like at least 20% more) that your GPS draws. There are lots of 'em available.
At no more than this unit should draw, you can easily tap onto the ignition switch, headlight circuit, or others that are on whenever the ignition is on for the input to the converter.
Good luck, and post what you come up with, or send me a PM with a link to a unit you think would work, and I will look over the specs for you if you would like. :smile:
Not much of an electronic freak except computers LOL But Greg and I on out R/C stuff have voltage regulators so we can use higher voltage batterys and use the 5 volts the converter puts out. Here is a link to what we use but there are plenty out there.. http://www.smart-fly.com/Products/Regulator/4.htm
Here is what I was going to get.
http://www.gilsson.com/garmin_gps/cables/GUSB5V-B.htm (http://www.gilsson.com/garmin_gps/cables/GUSB5V-B.htm) ($18 on amazon.com)
I've got Coaxial connections for a hook up. I've got a Size N Panel-Mount Coaxial DC Power Jack
(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa74/herm0162/CoaxialFemale.jpg)
mounted into the right plastic panel infront of the tank and a Size N Coaxial DC Power Plug
(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa74/herm0162/CoaxialMale.jpg)
attached to the wire that plugs into the GPS unit. I just need the converter to get me to the correct voltage/draw. I'm not 100% sure what the GPS unit draws I THINK (from looking at a GPS forum) it draws 140-160mA and if left pluged in the converter alone (not connected to the GPD) draws 13.3mA. I've got the Garmin nuvi 200
Here is what I have for the coaxial hook up
(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa74/herm0162/DSC01195.jpg)
That should work just fine. Happy mapping!!
I personally recommend making a stand a lone harness to the battery and simply put a switch on it so you can turn it on and off as needed.
This way you do not have to worry about something harming your bikes harness or altering it either.
But that is just my preference. I have had some horror issues when a PO tapped into a wiring harness and it ended up frying the harness after I had it GRRRR.
I was thinking about making my own y connector with matching factory bullet connectors so I can connect everything and if I want, remove my setup and reconnect the factory bullet connectors so it was like it was never there.
I thought about mounting a switch, but couldn't think of a decent and accessible place to put it.
If you are careful to use the proper suage connectors and not leave any wires that are exposed or could become exposed, you can tap into the wires that exist without danger. I do not tap into bundled wires, but find a spot where the wire runs alone. The wiring diagram from the shop manual is helpful. I got into mine inside the headlight housing. :-)
I'm going to tap into the taillight (Where the individual wires show under the seat), do you think I should put an in-line fuse between where I tap into the circuit or will I be OK with the fuse that is already on the bike for the taillight?
Oh, and I didn't get a converter. I have two cigarette lighter power cords with the converter built in, so I opened up one of the cigarette lighter power cords, soldered in my own positive and negative wires to the built in converter, put things back together and presto, I'm all set to go concerning the converter 8).
Without looking at the current requirements for the power converter you rigged up (congrats on the low cost solution, by the way!) and the tail light, I would guess that your GPS/Power converter combo will draw much less current than the tail light.
So... If you want to protect your GPS unit, put in a fuse properly sized to protect just this investment. If my hunch is right, you could smoke the GPS without blowing the tail light fuse.
The fuse that was in the cigarette lighter power cord has 1AL250VP stamped on it. I would assume this is a 1 amp 250 volt fuse...?
I believe that is correct. 1 amp @ 13 volts = 13 watts. There is no way your GPS comes anywhere close. It would get too hot to touch.
With the converter limiting it to 5 volts, the GPS is well below 5 watts.
Well, I got everything installed and it works perfect! You can see the cable running from the GPS past the risers and down by the right side of the tank. Much cleaner than having a cigarette lighter plug and receptacle on the handlebars. I think a road trip is calling my name!! :) Lets see, it's only 998 mile drive from my place to Austin.... Actually I would like to ride my bike back home to MN one of these days. I could take the I-10 here in AZ, head east to Austin and take I-35 all the way to MN. I'll let you guys know if I am ever able to get around to it.
Some of the guys I ride with give me a hard time about using a GPS, but guess who never gets lost, has to ask for directions, knows where the closest shop/store/bar/gas station/etc. is? ME :cool:
Here are some pics.
(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa74/herm0162/DSC01214.jpg)
(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa74/herm0162/DSC01218.jpg)
Nice looking installation, Nick. :cool: :cool: Is that a Garmin Nuvi? I notice that Costco has (had??) them on sale through their web site, and (who knows, I haven't checked?) in their store as well. I have been really tempted... :smile:
Is it bright enough to read easily in full sunlight? Do you wear sunglasses or use a tinted face shield? Do these affect the display?
My point about the low power drain is that you may want a smaller fuse to protect your converter and GPS unit. The GPS and/or converter can be smoked long before the 1 amp fuse will blow. A smaller fuse can be installed in line between the tail light circuit and the converter, in series with the fuse that protects your tail light circuit.
Your choice, of course. If it was mine, I would install the extra, smaller fuse. :cool:
It's the nuvi 200. It is the most basic one, but it has everything I want. It doesn't speak the street names or give you traffic updates, but I could care less about that, it just says turn right in xxx feet (but I put it on mute most of the time. It's a woman's voice and I don't need another woman telling me what to do! :shock: :lol:). I was amazed at the stuff that came preloaded, it's like a map and phone book all in one. You can pick up a refurbished one around $100 and new around $150. I got a refurbished one from circuit city (has full warranty) for $127. I found a site (POI Factory) that has millions of free custom points of interest you can load, from places like biker friendly bars to all the wall-marts in the US. I don't think I will live without one now that I have one.
I have no problems reading the display with my sunglasses on. It only gets a little difficult to see when the sun is shining directly on the screen at just the right angle (which isn't very often at all). My sunglasses have no affect when looking at the screen. I can even operate the touch screen with my (warm weather) riding gloves.
How low of a fuse would you suggest going with if it had a max draw of 140-160mA? the 1 amp fuse came factory with the nuvi. I've got a 5x20mm inline fuse holder between the taillight wire and the converter (I already smoked one GPS with a careless move. It couldn't quite handle being hooked directly up to the 12v battery :shock: :mad:. All I heard was a quiet sizzling and saw some smoke and off to the great GPS in the sky she went :(. I wasn't using my brain on that one).
Hey, Nick, if the factory supplied a 1 amp fuse, I would use it!! My bad. I thought the 1 amp fuse was already in the tail light circuit on the bike. If I had bothered to look up the wiring diagram I have in a book right behind me, I would have known better. My apologies.
I think they make a 0.25 amp fuse in that size, which should be margin enough, but the factory guys know what they are doing, so I would just roll with it.
There is a trade-off in selecting fuse size. If you select one that is slightly higher than the current the device draws, you will have maximum protection. A fuse is just a weak wire, after all, and they will eventually "wear out" or blow even if there is no fault on the system. Going for maximum protection means you will have to replace it more often.
The manufacturer of the unit you smoked could have helped prevent that by adding one more component that would draw a great deal of current when presented with 12 volts, and almost none at 5 volts. Had they done so, you would have blown a fuse, but the unit would have survived. Would have cost them maybe 20 cents more at manufacture, or about $1 at retail. But hey, I purchase mostly on price, so I understand their obsession with reducing cost...
Thanks for the review of the Nuvi. I have used Garmin in the past with good results. I have heard good things lately about the Tom-Tom unit, but don't know anyone who has personal experience with one.
Happy navigating. Looks like you are set!! :grin:
I looked at the Tom-Tom units also, but the online reviews every where I looked the nuvi had slightly better results (both had good reviews) and I think the nuvi 200 costs a little less....I think, plus I believe the nuvi has a longer battery life (4-5 hrs.) If you go to Cnet.com and do a search on whatever electronic device you are interested in, they have pretty good video reviews of things (GPS devices, cell phones, etc.) plus lots of consumer reviews.