Garmin Etrex - getting power from a GS

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Kit

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Dear GS Collective!

I want to hardwire my Garmin Etrex GPS onto my GS.

I don't want to use the power socket on my bike and want to permanently hard wire the beast to the power loom (possibly with a switch) hence it should be on all the time.

I know that Touratech/Garmin offer the parts but the bits come with a car ciggy lighter adaptor on one end. This adaptor steps down the voltage from 12v to 3v DC which the GPS can use. How do I get 3v out of a 12v battery in a simple and straightforward way. Where's the best place to do this and what are the pitfalls???

Any thoughts on the procedure would be avidly received.

Thanks to one and all

Kit
;)
 
GPS connection

Hi Kit

I can think of a couple of ways you could try to easily connect your GPS to the bike's supply, both of which require you to buy the Touratech lead with the regulator built in (to get the 3V o/p).

1. Fit another accessory socket in the top lip of the beak (like the Adventurer), or if you don't want to drill any holes in the plastics you can cable tie it to one of those plumbers 15mm cooper pipe clips and clip it to the fairing frame.
Connect with suitably rated cable and in-line fuse direct to the battery. This option at least gives you another accessory socket which could be used for other things.

2. If you're any good at soldering you can remove the regulator circuit from the lighter plug, if this is possible, and mount it in a water-proof box, solder on an extra length of cable with in-line fuse holder and connect directly to the battery.

If you want to fit a switch you'll have to cut into the cable somewhere and connect the switch to the live wire. You can mount the switch on the handlebars by cable tying it to a 22mm pipe clip which fits the bars just right.

Hope this is of some help to you, it's hard enough connecting anything into the GS11's loom at the best of times, especially when you don't have a wiring diagram!

All the best.

Lee.
:cool:
 
Thanks Lee - unless there's an off the shelf solution (and I'm waiting for Garmin to get back to me) then I might just have to pull one of these wiring sets to pieces and bodge (ahem) a solution.

Anyone else have any bright ideas???

:confused:
 
Update

Just to let you all know - Garmin were as useless as tit's on a fish - and all they could say was that Maplin might have some in line cigarette lighters I could order. This from the company that have just done a deal to put GPS into BMW's as part of the options list. Amazing.

Anyway it looks like I shall be shopping from the Touratech catalogue via Brackens for a second accessory socket (page 222) and tucking this away somewhere discreet with a suitable adaptor for tbe ciggie lighter as well.

Looking forward to getting this done now.

Take care y'all

Kit

:cool:
 
Buy the cigarette lead, and unscrew the knurled piece. The fuse will pop out. You can now remove the silver collar which holds the casing together. Remove the circuit board from the case, and unsolder the earth wire and the live spring. Solder in 2 wires and reassemble the case with the wires running out of the hole the fuse lived in. Screw the knurled nut back on to hold it together. Block the hole with silicone sealer. Solder the wires to the brake light wiring (to the right of the headstock on 4 valve models). This will power the GPS when the ignition is on.
 
Thanks John, that's clarified things for me a lot.

Since last posting I have acquired a Garmin 'cigarette' 12v to 3v power converter, a Touratech ciggy to BMW socket adaptor and a Wonderlich spare power socket.

Having considered everything I would now like to be able at some point to remove things progressively if there a problem - or to use the socket for something else.

I plan to put a new power socket somewhere under the seat - perhaps near the fuses and maybe even put it under the fuse box lid. The adaptor from Garmin doesn't look too robust and certainly the circuit boards look like they will fry when H2O gets anywhere near them! It must be better to put them out of harms way in the dry.

I shall put it all together on Thursday this week and let you know what happens!!!

Thanks again

Kit

:cool:
 
OK - worked it out! Take the ciggie adaptor from Touratech and cut off the BMW plug off the end. Connect cable (via an in line fuse set) to the battery direct. Run this cable through a hole in the bottom of the fuse box and connect it to the ciggie adaptor giving you a 12v standard cigarette lighter size plug inside the 'waterproof' fuse box. Plug in the Garmin adaptor, thread the cable under the tank to the handle bars and voila! Power to the Etrex!

Now I will be able to tell exactly where I am when next I get lost!

Kit
 
Etrex power optons

Anybody got any pictures of these fitting options?..and what about the switch for when you haven't got the GPS mounted?

Cheers

Chris Ibbotson, (Jersey)
 
etrex

I put a cig lighter socket under the tank and plugged the power lead in so when i dont want it i just unplug from the socket and the upside is when ur away and need to charge ur phone u can .
 
I would recommend that you wrap the transformer in some bubblewrap to give it some shock resistance. I did this with mine while it was housed under the seat and it survived OK.
 


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