I know this has been covered MANY MANY MANY times....and I still don't understand how I can just hook up the gps to the bikes battery source. Can someone take 5 minutes and explain how I can accomplish this and where I can buy all the stuff....I am not electronically gifted. If Joe wasn't so busy right now...I'd take the easy way out and ask him to do it for me.

But I can't.

Help is appreciated.

Thanks

Do you want constant power or just power with ignition? Do you care? You can pick up ignition power from the back of the headlight with just a couple of spade connectors. They slide in between the plug plastic and the terminals, easily leeching power from them. You can do constant on by putting a couple of ring terminals under the battery bolts. In either case, a fuse near the source is good.

Dave I have constant power to mine. Ran it right from the battery to the unit. Since I unplug and remove when ever I park, I thought this was the best way for me.

With constant power I can leave it on when I stop at rest stops and still view with out turning on the key.

To each thier own I guess. Let me know if you need any help.

Ken

I want constant power but don't understans what I need to do...will the stuff in the photo above provide constant power ?


P.S. This is Cycoactives new power kit for 30 beans...prolly could do it myself for 10 ?

I don't understand this...but want to do it.

Put a ring connector on one side of the fuse, and a butt splice on the other. Put a ring on the ground from the power cord. Use the butt splice to connect the positive from the power cord to the fuse. Put the ring from the fuse on the + battery terminal, and the negative on the - side of the battery.

If you're in no hurry, PM me your address and I'll mail you the parts you need so you don't have to go buy a box of each. You'll still need a crimper though ($7-ish).

Make sure your GPS is 12v before direct wiring it.

Good point !

Yeah, that would be a basic requirement...but are any of them NOT 12v?

Yeah, I think some Magellan ones aren't. Seems like someone said one of the Garmin models wasn't but I'm not sure.

All three Garmin's I've had, have been 12v.

The Garmins I believe have a voltage regulator in them so they work with a range of voltage.
I hooked mine up to the clock circuit which is on a ten amp fuse.
Have to go to the wiring diagram in the shop manual to get the right wires and then solder splice a connection.
Ring connectors under the battery screws is easy and works good just be sure and use an inline fuse, considering the current draw of most GPS's, no larger than 5 amps.

Forrest

That plug in the pic is for the Garmin 3, 5, and a few other models, and yes they accept a wide range of input voltages. From something like 6v to 25v, I think. I forget exactly, but should be in the manual. Don't worry, 12v will be OK, Dave.

Steve

Steve....where the FUCK have you been...The nerve !

Missed ya man !

Dave thats the same wiring system I have for my Garmin V5. I am running directly off th battery on mine. I went to radio shack and picked up a double headed cig lighter plug. I use the cig plug in the plug kit to power it. I have the second one running my Sat radio. No hacking or spliciing required.

Direct wired the double cig plugs (female plugs) to the battery, pop in the GPS and Sat rad (male plugs) and I'm off.

Just been busy as hell the last few months at work, so not much time to post from there. I still try to lurk and check the posts daily.

It's been too fucking hot and humid to sit at the computer at home for very long. The one window A/C unit is on the first floor, and it's like a sauna upstairs where my computer is. The only reason I'm up here sweating my ass off right now, is that the girlfriend's mother is visiting, and she sleeps on the pull out sofa.

Damn, this weather sucks!


Steve

Those crazy northerners with no central AC. :lol:

Dave, plug it in your ass!!!!!