gps directly connected to battery power

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Landy Fred

Guest
Hello,
I've my Gramin etrex GPS connected to the cigarette lighter of my Defender
TD5 130
When stopping the motor, the power is gone. So I like to have 12 V
continuously.
I want to connect a (set of three) cigarette lighter plugs using 12V
directly (a fuse of course inline) from the battery.
What I ask myself: will I get problems ('spikes') when starting the engine
whilst the GPS is connected?
Thansk for your answers
Fred
Holland


 
> I've my Gramin etrex GPS connected to the cigarette lighter of my Defender
> TD5 130
> When stopping the motor, the power is gone. So I like to have 12 V
> continuously.
> I want to connect a (set of three) cigarette lighter plugs using 12V
> directly (a fuse of course inline) from the battery.
> What I ask myself: will I get problems ('spikes') when starting the engine
> whilst the GPS is connected?

No. I've wired mine into the clock circuit - same situation as your
proposal.

 
On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 11:23:37 +0100, "Landy Fred"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Hello,
>I've my Gramin etrex GPS connected to the cigarette lighter of my Defender
>TD5 130
>When stopping the motor, the power is gone. So I like to have 12 V
>continuously.
>I want to connect a (set of three) cigarette lighter plugs using 12V
>directly (a fuse of course inline) from the battery.
>What I ask myself: will I get problems ('spikes') when starting the engine
>whilst the GPS is connected?

You can buy a regulator that goes in the 12V line to stop any voltage
changes being a problems. Or I presume you can buy them seperately - I
have a little 12V monitor and that has one in thje power supply lead.

 
On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 11:23:37 +0100, Landy Fred wrote:

> I want to connect a (set of three) cigarette lighter plugs using 12V
> directly (a fuse of course inline) from the battery.
> What I ask myself: will I get problems ('spikes') when starting the
> engine whilst the GPS is connected?

Not spikes dirty great big dips depending on what condition you
battery is in. If these dips a big enough it might cause the GPS to
think the power has been lost, repeated rapid on/off switching might
not be recommended.

I take it Defenders don't have an Aux position on the ignition switch?
Most vehicles have, Off (remove key), Aux (radio, etc on), Run
(ignition on, vehicle fully powered), Crank (start the engine, Aux etc
things off). The aux position is designed for feeding these sort of
devices and being on the key stop you leaving them on "accidentally"
and flattening your battery...

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail



 
>>I want to connect a (set of three) cigarette lighter plugs using 12V
>>directly (a fuse of course inline) from the battery.
>>What I ask myself: will I get problems ('spikes') when starting the
>>engine whilst the GPS is connected?
>
>
> I take it Defenders don't have an Aux position on the ignition switch?
> Most vehicles have, Off (remove key), Aux (radio, etc on), Run
> (ignition on, vehicle fully powered), Crank (start the engine, Aux etc
> things off). The aux position is designed for feeding these sort of
> devices and being on the key stop you leaving them on "accidentally"
> and flattening your battery...
>

I suspect that the OP wishes to maintain power to the GPS when he leaves
the vehicle for a period. The Aux position is not the answer in that
situation. The days of the permanently powered socket, regrettably,
appear to be over.

 

"Landy Fred" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello,
> I've my Gramin etrex GPS connected to the cigarette lighter of my Defender
> TD5 130
> When stopping the motor, the power is gone. So I like to have 12 V
> continuously.
> I want to connect a (set of three) cigarette lighter plugs using 12V
> directly (a fuse of course inline) from the battery.
> What I ask myself: will I get problems ('spikes') when starting the engine
> whilst the GPS is connected?
> Thansk for your answers
> Fred
> Holland
>
>
A colleague had the charging circuitry fail on his PDA, apparently from
having it connected to the cigarette lighter,
when starting the engine. I imagine that the etrex would be liable to the
same problems.

I use a 3-way cigarette lighter (Halfords) that has a power switch and (when
I remember) I switch this off when starting the engine. However, I plan to
hard wire a PDA mount into the car. Is there a filter that I can put in the
chain to protect the PDA?


 
On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 13:39:54 +0000, Dougal wrote:

> I suspect that the OP wishes to maintain power to the GPS when he
> leaves the vehicle for a period.

Wouldn't you take the GPS with you? B-)

The only advantage I can see in keeping the GPS powered when you are
not there is that you don't need to wait the few tens of seconds it
takes to re-aquire the satellites when you power it back up.

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail



 


Dave Liquorice wrote:

> On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 13:39:54 +0000, Dougal wrote:
>
>
>>I suspect that the OP wishes to maintain power to the GPS when he
>>leaves the vehicle for a period.
>
>
> Wouldn't you take the GPS with you? B-)

I tend not to unless it is going to be used or I don't wish to leave it
on public display.

> The only advantage I can see in keeping the GPS powered when you are
> not there is that you don't need to wait the few tens of seconds it
> takes to re-aquire the satellites when you power it back up.
>

True, it dosn't take long. One disadvantage is that turning the power
off also closes a track segment if you are recording so that you end up
with multiple segments instead of one continuous trace.

At the end of the day it's all about the convenience of being able to
take the key out of the lock and keep the GPS available for
uploading/downloading etc.. For many people that will not be a problem.

 
computer wrote:

> Oddly the new RR has permanent power sockets....so maybe those days are not
> over ;-)
>
> One of them is in th cubby box of all places :) (I know it makes sense to
> *us*, but not to the suit and tie brigade!)
>

A case of good news and bad news, then!

 
Thanks Niamh
Yes I know, I use a adapter.What I mean is, will the adapter survive
starting the engine while the adapter is directly connected to 12V power
supply
regards
Fred

"Niamh Holding" <[email protected]> schreef in bericht
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] (Landy Fred) wrote:
>
> > What I ask myself: will I get problems ('spikes') when starting the
> > engine
> > whilst the GPS is connected
>
> No, the eTrex lighter socket power lead steps the voltage down to the 3V
> that eTrexs run on... feed them 12V and they'll die anyway.
>
> --
> Niamh
> 4x4 Cymru
> http://www.4x4cymru.co.uk


 
In article <[email protected]>, Landy Fred wrote:
> Thanks Niamh
> Yes I know, I use a adapter.What I mean is, will the adapter survive
> starting the engine while the adapter is directly connected to 12V power
> supply
> regards
> Fred
>

I use my Etrex Legend from the lighter socket and it's survived countless
engine starts being connected whilst out lanning.

I always try to remember to give the little joystick a wiggle after turning
the ignition off, this keeps theh GPS running on batteries until I restart
the engine. It's normally only stopped when we take a break for a cuppa.

The batteries in my Legend are meant to last a full 12 hours so I dont mind
running on battery power once in a while.

--
simon at sbarr dot demon dot co dot uk
Simon Barr.
'97 110 300Tdi.
 
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