2610 bike power concerns

swebb

Guest

• Dec 17, 2006

• #1

Hello again everyone...

it's time for my next stupid question....

I've recently hardwired my Garmin 2610 direct to the battery (with inline fuse) as suggested by the forum, and so far it's been excellent.

However while my bike (R1200GS) was parked outside of work the other day, the heavens opened, and when i say opened, i thought i was going to need an aqua lung to get home!!!

Anyway, it got me thinking when i went to connect my 2610 up to the bike for my journey home, what can i do to protect these "live" electrical contacts on the Garmin power cable?

As an electrical numpty, I don't know if i'm worrying over nothing, but am concerned as to any potential damage to either the bike, or the 2610 that may be caused by the end of the power cable getting wet.

Will i cause any damage if the contacts just get wet? Or will it only cause damage if the wet contact is then plugged into the GPS? Or will there not be any damage anyway and i'm just being stooooopid? (entirely possible)

If there is a risk of damage, what steps do you (more wise) folks take in order to prevent such damage?

Thanks... sorry it was long winded, but i think you've got the idea of my concerns?

Fanks.....

-Stu.

 

Deleted account W

Guest

• Dec 17, 2006

• #2

I'm sure you have nothing to worry about.

 

chasr

Well-known member

UKGSer Subscriber

Joined

May 19, 2004

Messages

584

Reaction score

1

Location

Northants, England

• Dec 17, 2006

• #3

You could use the plastic cap for the power lead, which should have come with the unit (the mains adaptor also has this cap). I don't think the cap makes the contact area fully waterproof, but you'll feel better

 

Davy F

Registered user

Joined

Jun 7, 2005

Messages

7,438

Reaction score

2

Location

36th Ulster Divison

• Dec 17, 2006

• #4

Never go out when it's wet...............

 

John Armstrong

Well-known member

UKGSer Subscriber

Joined

May 25, 2002

Messages

14,001

Reaction score

46

Location

Siorrachd Obar Dheathain

• Dec 17, 2006

• #5

Shouldn't be a problem in the short term, if I was you I'd disconnect it if you're not using the GPS for a long period. It's not unknown for the power connector to corrode and damage the GPS, DAMHIK

 

cookie

Stay Frosty

UKGSer Subscriber

Joined

Aug 29, 2002

Messages

31,184

Reaction score

315

Location

Failed State

• Dec 17, 2006

• #6

John Armstrong said:

if I was you I'd disconnect it if you're not using the GPS for a long period

Click to expand...

take the fuse out.

John Armstrong said:

It's not unknown for the power connector to corrode and damage the GPS, DAMHIK

Click to expand...

smear the contacts with silicone grease & use the plastic cover supplied by garmin. i wrap a bit of insulating tape around the cover to stop it falling off.

 

John Armstrong

Well-known member

UKGSer Subscriber

Joined

May 25, 2002

Messages

14,001

Reaction score

46

Location

Siorrachd Obar Dheathain

• Dec 17, 2006

• #7

cookie said:

take the fuse out.
smear the contacts with silicone grease & use the plastic cover supplied by garmin. i wrap a bit of insulating tape around the cover to stop it falling off.

Click to expand...

The problem is galvanic corrosion among other things IIRC. Unless you completely insulate the +ve and -ve points corrosion will occur

 

Dabba

Registered user

Joined

May 11, 2004

Messages

178

Reaction score

0

Location

Leeds, England

• Dec 17, 2006

• #8

had the same worry -but never did anything about it and its been fine for 3 years now.

 

cookie

Stay Frosty

UKGSer Subscriber

Joined

Aug 29, 2002

Messages

31,184

Reaction score

315

Location

Failed State

• Dec 17, 2006

• #9

John Armstrong said:

The problem is galvanic corrosion among other things IIRC. Unless you completely insulate the +ve and -ve points corrosion will occur

Click to expand...

went green & gungy within weeks of initial fitting. applied grease, now been 2 years and it hasn't reoccurred yet

 

Redboots

Member well-known

UKGSer Subscriber

Joined

May 16, 2006

Messages

7,797

Reaction score

997

Location

Deux-Sèvres

• Dec 17, 2006

• #10

I use small (micro) toggle switches with rubber hats on from Maplins to isolate the live on the GPS and Autocom feeds.

J

 

John Armstrong

Well-known member

UKGSer Subscriber

Joined

May 25, 2002

Messages

14,001

Reaction score

46

Location

Siorrachd Obar Dheathain

• Dec 17, 2006

• #11

cookie said:

went green & gungy within weeks of initial fitting. applied grease, now been 2 years and it hasn't reoccurred yet

Click to expand...

Yet Will do one day Hopefully you'll have a 3160 and they'll use bluetooth to send the power to it.

 

greencat

Guest

• Dec 17, 2006

• #12

Stu,

Rain is essentailly demineralised water IIRC and as such does not conduct electricity but, as has been pointed out already...with a little dirt applied the voltage does encourage oxidisation of electical contacts (verdigree...spl?!). This oxidisation requires oxygen (funnily enough) so applying a bit of vasaline or grease should slooooow the whole process down.

There ends todays physics lecture...if only I'd payed propper attention in Science (and probably English )

 

swebb

Guest

• Dec 18, 2006

• #13

Not so stupid after all

Well at least from the number of replies, i don't feel the question was so stupid after all

thanks for the response... me thinks the combined wisdom is something along the lines of:

1) smear the contacts in vaseline
2) use the protective plastic cap
3) remove the fuse to isolate the contacts, when not in use.

hmmm me thinks these are all manageable and will shortly become my new working practise...

thanks oh wise ones of the Oracle that is known as GS Forum....

 

Droopy Dick

Registered user

Joined

Jun 20, 2004

Messages

3,240

Reaction score

1

Location

Southampton, UK/Naples, Fla. USA

• Dec 18, 2006

• #14

The water may fall from the clouds demineralised.

But it picks up all manner of crap as it passes through the atmosphere.

 

Macca2321

Well-known member

UKGSer Subscriber

Joined

Dec 20, 2005

Messages

519

Reaction score

2

Location

Terjärv, Finland

• Dec 18, 2006

• #15

Just received my cable from TT. I am about to set mine up today......Was thinking of just running straight to the utility socket at the front. That way you can just pull the cable out when not in use....However I am assuming that powering up straight to the battery is a better way of doing things

What you guys reckon? Seems i will have to keep checking the power lead if i connect to battery and permantly leave the cable there to see if its died of rainwater or whatever else the atmosphere is throwing at us...thats of course if i am too tight to buy some vaseline lol.

Majority decision please?

Thx
Mac

 

Bazza

Registered user

Joined

Nov 27, 2005

Messages

160

Reaction score

0

Location

Cumbria

• Dec 18, 2006

• #16

Can you not just solder the cable to the back of the auxillary socket?
Will it work or bugger up the canbus??????
At least it will be dead when the bikes off..

 

swebb

Guest

• Dec 22, 2006

• #17

Bazza said:

Can you not just solder the cable to the back of the auxillary socket?
Will it work or bugger up the canbus??????
At least it will be dead when the bikes off..

Click to expand...

I already have my Autocom soldered to the back of my aux socket, so not really wanting to risk overloading the socket, or else the canbus will halt the power to the socket all together!! doh!