powering a gps unit

Home / the12volt's Install Bay / Car Audio / powering a gps unit (

Topic Closed)

Welcome Guest :)

Members

< Prev Page < Prev Topic Next Topic >

jdohe2002

Member - Posts: 8

Joined: November 23, 2010

Location: Florida, United States

Posted: November 26, 2010 at 1:42 PM / IP Logged

Your reply below was brilliant! The best reply I've gotten on this subject ever. Yes, the device is 5v and 2.x amps, but I think it should be on a 12v line.

Preferably, I would like to splice into some wire under the glove box that is concealed by the removable plastic panel.

I've done a bit of poking with the multimeter days ago, but didn't find anything live yet. I'll give it another shot tonight.

soundnsecurity wrote:

even though it might physically run on 5v, the red and black wires are there for a reason. if they are meant to be hooked to the car then they will need to see 12v on those lines. the GPS will internally convert it to 5v just like a lot of GPS accessories and sat radios, they have 5v converters built into the cigarette lighter adapter. some dont but most do. plus you will not find a constant 5v source in any car, if you do it is almost certainly low current and the car uses it for transmitting data or sensor status to the cars BCM. if you hook something to it that draws any current you can fry something.

the power wires from the GPS are already fused so it doesn't matter where you get 12v from as long as it can supply the 2amps or so of current.

the constant 12v wire is blue with a yellow stripe at the ignition harness. ground gets screwed to bare metal with a ring terminal.

if you connect to the ignition harness i would suggest soldering the connection. at the very least wrap the wires together and basically tie it onto your constant wire and wrap it generously with electrical tape and then put a zip tie around the tape so it cant loosen itself over time.

jdohe2002

Member - Posts: 8

Joined: November 23, 2010

Location: Florida, United States

Posted: November 26, 2010 at 2:04 PM / IP Logged

oldspark wrote:

Plus you'll be replacing the GPS battery far more often if you cycle it fully instead of using the car battery.

And whilst those devices tend to consume very little power, it's when they transmit that consumption can be quite high. (I'm assuming it's a an on-line system with periodic check-ins rather than only transmitting after it's stolen?)

The battery cannot be replaced, it is sealed into the device. The purpose of the device is actually to track a vehicle that is going places it has no business going.

I wonder why car manufacturers still fiddle around with useless car alarms and transponder keys that cost a fortune. Install these things and nobody would dare risk stealing a car. However, my understanding is that pro car theives acquire the car - by towing or sticking it onto a flatbed truck, and stripping it of all it's goodies, then dumping the rest in a lake or in a junkyard, etc.

oldspark

Gold - Posts: 4,913

Joined: November 03, 2008

Location: Australia

Posted: November 26, 2010 at 3:44 PM / IP Logged

jdohe2002 wrote:

I wonder why car manufacturers still fiddle around with useless car alarms and transponder keys that cost a fortune

Because some people prefer real-time first-hand alerts rather than being notified (if they can be).

Also GPS does not stop a vehicle being robbed - it is merely tracking.

Some have to pay for service subscriptions - or may eventually have to.

Some do no like being tracked.

It doesn't prevent, it merely aids recovery. (It helps them - not you; you get your money anyhow - and probably more or easier with total loss!)

And like most systems, is defeatable. And being wireless and GPS it is very easily defeated.

They are but a few reasons....

But it should definitely be connected. The power connections are not there to tell it it has been stolen. Being battery operated, it expects to be powered externally.

Consider it like a house alarm - external power with internal backup.

soundnsecurity

Gold - Posts: 2,711

This member has made a donation to the12volt.com. Click here for more info.

Joined: November 10, 2008

Location: Louisiana, United States

Posted: November 26, 2010 at 5:45 PM / IP Logged

jdohe2002 wrote:

Your reply below was brilliant! The best reply I've gotten on this subject ever. Yes, the device is 5v and 2.x amps, but I think it should be on a 12v line.

Preferably, I would like to splice into some wire under the glove box that is concealed by the removable plastic panel.

I've done a bit of poking with the multimeter days ago, but didn't find anything live yet. I'll give it another shot tonight.

thanks, i guess it helps that i install those things all the time for dealerships. still never had to install one with a battery though thats a new one for me. but they are very much like a home alarm which has small 12v batteries inside the alarm panel, i used to install those for a year or so too.

if you are hell bent on finding a constant 12v source behind the glove box you probably can find one at or near the A/C unit. or maybe in the passenger kick panel. if you have an interior fuse box on that side there should be there too.

remember to test any wire you tap onto first and test it with the key on in every position to make sure it never loses power. same goes if you end up tapping onto the A/C, test it with the a/c on and off.

any wire you tap should be around 14 to 16 gauge

STAY AWAY FROM BRIGHT YELLOW PLUGS. dont unplug them and dont test them.

Search for other posts by soundnsecurity

< Prev Page

Sorry, you can NOT post a reply.
This topic is closed.

Printable version

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Search the12volt.com

Follow the12volt.com

Disclaimer: *All information on this site ( the12volt.com ) is provided "as is" without any warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to fitness for a particular use. Any user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and use of this information. Please verify all wire colors and diagrams before applying any information.

powering a gps unit

Sorry, you can NOT post a reply.This topic is closed.

Sorry, you can NOT post a reply.
This topic is closed.