Quest, RAM mount and power

[Phil Clarke]

Just got a quest and a Ram mount. The instructions on the Ram website tell you to unscrew the 12v cable off the supplied car mount and attach it to the ram cradle. However I want a wire I can plug into the power take off on the bike. I don't want the speaker attachment although I may engineer a connection to my intercom at some point. So has anyone clipped the wire on the supplied speaker / cigarete lighter connection and wired them into the bike? Is there a transformer in the speaker / connector thingy? Or do I have to spend out even more cash on another power lead.

Help gratefully received...

 

[nick]

Don't do it.

In the speaker thingy the voltage is converted from 12v to 5v.

 

[Kritou]

You need a PACQ unit from RAM - about £15 I recall. This steps down the bike's 12v to the Quests required 5v and bolts on to the back of the RAM cradle

 

[RAM-man]

Just got a quest and a Ram mount. The instructions on the Ram website tell you to unscrew the 12v cable off the supplied car mount and attach it to the ram cradle. However I want a wire I can plug into the power take off on the bike. I don't want the speaker attachment although I may engineer a connection to my intercom at some point. So has anyone clipped the wire on the supplied speaker / cigarete lighter connection and wired them into the bike? Is there a transformer in the speaker / connector thingy? Or do I have to spend out even more cash on another power lead.

Help gratefully received...

The RAM cradle has an apearature and can accept the Garmin *auto/car* power lead , but this does *not* suggest/say/imply/instruct/tell (delete as applicable)to use it on a bike. If you decide to use the garmin car power lead then its down to you, your decision.

To power Quest on a bike with a RAM GA15 cradle, then is QPAC which is designed to do the job, the car power isn't. Audio connection between bike comms and Quest/QPAC requires a male jacke ended lead with a smoothing filter to reduce noise, a 'I got one in maplins jack lead' will not suffice.

 

[Phil Clarke]

Tah folks
As expected spending money is the solution! Annoyingly GPS warehouse didn't make it clear that you need to buy an extra wire to power the unit from the Ram mount else I would have bought one.... Or if they did I was too stupid to see it.....

 

[Bumpkin]

Audio connection between bike comms and Quest/QPAC requires a male jacke ended lead with a smoothing filter to reduce noise, a 'I got one in maplins jack lead' will not suffice.

For clarity I've highlighted 'bike comms' as with a plain audio feed, to an ear-piece or helmet speakers, that doesn't go through a bike powered intercom the special lead isn't required. One from Maplins will do fine for that, that's what I use, albeit with a Gramin cradle. I think the issue is down to having a bike powered audio output device (your GPS) feeding though another bike powered audio device (the intercom)