GPS and Littlefuse

[exsterminator]

I finally purchased a GPS unit - Garmin 255W - and would like to permanently run the wire through the small, 2-slot vent on the dash to the left of the steering wheel (NOT THE ADJUSTABLE SLOTTED VENT, THE SMALLER ONE ABOVE IT BY THE WINDHSIELD AND A-PILLAR). Assuming I can snake the wire through there, I want to run the cigarette lighter charger to the fusebox by the steering wheel and make use of this:

 

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=071-580

 

In conjunction with this:

 

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=265-570

 

As described at the end of this post:

 

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=104260

 

My understanding is that then I would have the power cable for the GPS "permanently" installed without the need to hack the power cable up? Have I made any errors in my assumptions and from those of you with knowledge, are the parts I want to use correct???

 

Also, any ideas what kind of mount might "grip" the 2 angled pieces of the vent to provide some stability to the unit itslef???

[Kodax]

Wow. I cannot wait to see the final product! I have a Garmin too but I don't want to run the wire through it permanently because I might want to sell my car a couple of years down the road.

[exsterminator]

Wow. I cannot wait to see the final product! I have a Garmin too but I don't want to run the wire through it permanently because I might want to sell my car a couple of years down the road.

 

It wouldn't be a permanent install, just a way to conceal the wires from view through the panels and dash. Since the GPS will solely be used in my car it made sense.

 

Anyone with knowledge of the Littlefuse products able to chime in here on likelihood of success in my plan?

[TSiWRX]

I've never used those fuse-taps before, but I am familiar of their use, through my other hobby (speed-detection countermeasures), and they should work well for your needs.

 

Since you're going to go into the dash, anyway, why not, instead, run a dedicated hardwire? Usually, dedicated hardwires can be found on eBay and the like, for very reasonable costs, and this would then allow you to keep your factory 12V plug intact, for use in rentals, etc.

 

I haven't tried to use the mirror-defogging vents before, so I don't know if access there is easier - my portable GPS setup is through the center cubby vent on the driver's side, and there, I cut a little of the ductwork so as to allow the wire to clear without pinching.

[exsterminator]

I've never used those fuse-taps before, but I am familiar of their use, through my other hobby (speed-detection countermeasures), and they should work well for your needs.

 

Since you're going to go into the dash, anyway, why not, instead, run a dedicated hardwire? Usually, dedicated hardwires can be found on eBay and the like, for very reasonable costs, and this would then allow you to keep your factory 12V plug intact, for use in rentals, etc.

 

I haven't tried to use the mirror-defogging vents before, so I don't know if access there is easier - my portable GPS setup is through the center cubby vent on the driver's side, and there, I cut a little of the ductwork so as to allow the wire to clear without pinching.

 

Section in bold - can you provide a link to what you are talking about for reference please?

 

Had hoped you would pop into this thread . . .

[TSiWRX]

^ I'm just glad to help, and I'll give it a try!

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hardwire-Power-Cable-Garmin-Nuvi-255W-260W-265WT-/310232456963?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483b4b9f03

 

Caveat: I don't know this seller - but all these items are pretty much the same.

 

Tap power and ground, and you're good to go.

 

It basically spares you the work of having to open up your 12V plug and build the enclosure.

 

The one in my LGT's been in for going on 3 years, no problems yet.

 

Basically, the entire thing in the open space inside my center cubby, and only a length of the Mini-USB cable snakes out of the vent. The vent's ductwork is cut a little to allow the cable to pass without pinching.

[exsterminator]

^ I'm just glad to help, and I'll give it a try!

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hardwire-Power-Cable-Garmin-Nuvi-255W-260W-265WT-/310232456963?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483b4b9f03

 

Caveat: I don't know this seller - but all these items are pretty much the same.

 

Tap power and ground, and you're good to go.

 

It basically spares you the work of having to open up your 12V plug and build the enclosure.

 

The one in my LGT's been in for going on 3 years, no problems yet.

 

Basically, the entire thing in the open space inside my center cubby, and only a length of the Mini-USB cable snakes out of the vent. The vent's ductwork is cut a little to allow the cable to pass without pinching.

 

Again, for the bold part: if I understand correctly, this method will not use the Littlefuse I proposed but instead straightforward wire taps, one to a power fuse and one to a ground source? Please clarify this for me!

 

What I was looking at wasn't to hack up the original cable but simply use the Littlefuse like the link in my OP at the end of the thread where the poster suggests using the Littlefuse along with a cigarett lighter adapter and the original cable.

[exsterminator]

Also, how could one modify the spare middle switch by the drivers left knee - VDC and windhsield wiper deicer are the other two IIRC - to make it a power ON/OFF for the GPS hardwire?

[TSiWRX]

OK, for the life of me, I can't get the side window defoggers to release from the main dash body. I believe it comes out, as the '05 Parts List lists the left and right side units as separate from the main dash surface, but I can't get them to release.

 

And by shining a flashlight into its recess, with the endcap pulled off of the dash, I don't see any light transmitted through - the same attempt in-reverse, with my flashlight (a Q5 binned CREE, BTW) shining into an approximate area within the dash (via the displaced endcap), also does not show any light coming from inside the vent.

 

If you want to have the cord coming out of that vent, exsterminator, I think that'll be a project in and of itself, as you'll likely have to pull the gauge-cluster's binnacle, if not the entire dash panel.

 

If you can get that little vent out, though, I think it might be possible to "blind drill" the ductwork and then fishtape the wire through, but again, I don't know. I've never tried before.

 

If you can find that thread you spoke of in our PMs, of a similar install on an STi, I'd be glad to take a look, and see if I can make heads or tails out of it. But as I've confessed on so many threads, I'm a hack, myself - only a hobbyist, and by far not a pro at this kind of stuff.

 

OK, with that in-mind, let's backtrack:

 

Again, for the bold part: if I understand correctly, this method will not use the Littlefuse I proposed but instead straightforward wire taps, one to a power fuse and one to a ground source? Please clarify this for me!

 

Correct, that's one way to go - old-school: just strip a bare section of the power lead, shove it into one of the recesses for a fuse (I like to use non-critical stuff, so that if the fuse suddenly blew as I'm driving, I wouldn't be out of, say, windshield wipers or something like that!), and stick the fuse back in. You can then take ground from any of the chassis bolts in that area, of which there are plenty.

 

The "add-a-fuse" type of things, such as the Littlefuse, would give you some extra protection, as well as help clean-up the install, in a manner of speaking.

 

What I was looking at wasn't to hack up the original cable but simply use the Littlefuse like the link in my OP at the end of the thread where the poster suggests using the Littlefuse along with a cigarett lighter adapter and the original cable.

Ah! Now I understand your original intent. Indeed, you could do it that way, but you'll need to find a clean place to put that 12V receptacle. I just liked having only the Mini-USB visible. A small - clean, relatively speaking - cable to work with.

 

[ With regard to some saying that the hardwire would put their GPS into "data mode," I honestly don't know. I'm a TomTom user, so I cannot speak for anything but. For our TomToms (a One, 3rd. Ed. and an XL340S), I haven't had any such problems. ]

 

Also, how could one modify the spare middle switch by the drivers left knee - VDC and windhsield wiper deicer are the other two IIRC - to make it a power ON/OFF for the GPS hardwire?

 

^ That, I honestly do not know. I'm trying to search up a few "blank" or "switch blank" posts here, but my connection is pretty crappy now, with a storm outside..... I'll give this another try tomorrow!

 

Edit - OK, here's one old post -

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/stopped-parts-dept-suby-dealer-vdc-airfilter-12817.html?t=12817&highlight=blank

 

still trying to find more....

[exsterminator]

Thanks for the detailed reply TSi - the thread I referenced in our PM about the small vent install is below. Basically, the vent pulls out and then you need to drill a hole for the cable to run through in the receptacle. Could always add a grommet of some sort if needed:

 

http://www.iwsti.com/forums/how-install/133864-garmin-gps-hardwire.html

 

My understanding of Littelfuse is that it would be put into a slot where power is activated with the key. The fuse it replaces slots into the back of it. The cigarette lighter adapter or whatever it is called then runs to the Littelfuse and to a ground. Seems there are a couple of places for putting the lighter adapter in and around the fusebox and it would be a clean install. The only visible part for the install would be the USB connector of the Garmin adapter poking through the vent and I think I would need to rig something to prevent it slipping in!

 

The only downside I see to the Littelfuse option is that I am using the Garmin adapter and it would be "permanently installed". The hardwire option seems to have lots of issues with placing the GPS unit into data mode (doesn't seem to be an issue with TomToms according to what I've read) and this makes it unusable as a GPS as it is constantly charging. Examples below:

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Hardwire-Cable-Mini-USB-connector/product-reviews/B001M09L20/ref=cm_cr_dp_hist_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&filterBy=addOneStar]Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Garmin Nuvi Hardwire Cable (Mini-USB connector) for Garmin Nuvi[/ame]

[TSiWRX]

Thanks for the detailed reply TSi - the thread I referenced in our PM about the small vent install is below. Basically, the vent pulls out and then you need to drill a hole for the cable to run through in the receptacle. Could always add a grommet of some sort if needed:

 

http://www.iwsti.com/forums/how-install/133864-garmin-gps-hardwire.html

 

I think I need a more aggressive pry-tool.... My current pry tools are self-made from old credit-cards, etc. I don't think I exerted sufficient pressure to displace the vents.

 

I'm hesitant to use a screwdriver, though, as-indicated by the IWSTI thread, as the vent trim on my '05 LGT sits much more flush than what is seen on the pictured STI's.

 

My understanding of Littelfuse is that it would be put into a slot where power is activated with the key. The fuse it replaces slots into the back of it.

 

If the Littelfuse is anything like the other "add-a-fuse" devices I've seen/used, then yes, that's absolutely what you'd expect.

 

The cigarette lighter adapter or whatever it is called then runs to the Littelfuse and to a ground. Seems there are a couple of places for putting the lighter adapter in and around the fusebox and it would be a clean install. The only visible part for the install would be the USB connector of the Garmin adapter poking through the vent and I think I would need to rig something to prevent it slipping in!

 

That would be a very clean install, I agree. I had not originally pictured it like that, in my mind, but as of my 11:26 post last night, I'd finally worked it out, in my head.

 

I'm not sure that you'll need to worry about the Mini-USB slipping inside the vent - that'll depend on the slat size/configuration. With my setup on the center cubby's flanking vents, the USB remains "out."

 

The only downside I see to the Littelfuse option is that I am using the Garmin adapter and it would be "permanently installed". The hardwire option seems to have lots of issues with placing the GPS unit into data mode (doesn't seem to be an issue with TomToms according to what I've read) and this makes it unusable as a GPS as it is constantly charging. Examples below:

 

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Garmin Nuvi Hardwire Cable (Mini-USB connector) for Garmin Nuvi

 

Ah!

 

 

Indeed, I don't think there's a way around it. Given that's what happens to the Garmins, I think your original idea is the way to go.

[exsterminator]

TSi, as usual, extremely informative and appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. I'm going to try this route so will buy the parts and get it done. Will try to put up some pix of the install if I get a break from "family time"!!!

[TSiWRX]

Again, no need to thank me - I haven't been of much help at all!

 

Best of luck!