Hardwiring a GPS to your bike

[Raphy]

Hey guys, this is my dilemma, so i hope you can get creative...

My GPS (Garmin Quest) takes 5V and the battery outputs 12V. I have a home-made regulator to convert the voltage... Now, if I wire it to the battery and leave it there, the regulator will use up battery on a constant basis (not a lot, but if i leave it there for the season it might be an issue)...

TO get around the battery draining problem, i think I will need to tap into a 12V line (headlight, ignition  maybe?) so the regulator only turns on when you turn the key on the bike... I would like to stay away from that idea and leave the wiring alone...

What are my other options ?

Having an aux 12V outlet would allow me to plug in the entire car speaker... and then my seat would be telling me "turn left"..."recalculating" ... lol...

I also thought about having the regulator powered by the battery, but having an ON/OFF switch so the regulator can be turned off when the bike is parked...

Maybe i'm over analizing this or someting...

ANY help would be appreciated !

THANKS A LOT !!!

I don't know much about fuses, etc... and i would like to stay away from the Garmin kit (since that costs money)...

What have some QUEST users done to hardwire their GPS ?

[marc11]

I dunno, I ordered the motorcycle mounting kit from Garmin and wired it up to my Centech fuse box, which is fed by a relay switched source.  No muss, no fuss, works great.

[Raphy]

I dunno, I ordered the motorcycle mounting kit from Garmin and wired it up to my Centech fuse box, which is fed by a relay switched source.  No muss, no fuss, works great.

I know... but that's the EASY way....  

[Clive]

I'm not familiar with the Quest, but doesn't its cradle provide the stepdown?

Barring that, how about wiring a relay into ignition-on position, so that turning the key to ON closes the relay and lights up the regulator?  Perhaps you can just tap into the horn relay, if your bike has one.

[chornbe]

I don't recall the motorcycle mounting kit doing any voltage conversions on my old Quest. I think the unit itself is doing conversions and can probably handle a full sweep of 5v - 14v input, converting it down to 5v for the internal battery.

Long story short, hook it up, turn it on, live life.

[Snowdog]

There are 6 contacts on the back of the Quest - does the 5v charger connect to the same pair as the 12v car/bike kit? If it does what are the third pair for - one for voice out, one for power in and what else?

[marc11]

Well you have power and ground, doesn't audio also have a positive and negative?  Is the voice stereo or mono?  (I forget, it is connected to my Autocom so I hear it in either real or simulated stereo)

[chornbe]

Well you have power and ground, doesn't audio also have a positive and negative?  Is the voice stereo or mono?  (I forget, it is connected to my Autocom so I hear it in either real or simulated stereo)

The audio on the Quest is mono, using a groundless, 2-wire connection. You need an isolation transformer to wire it to a conventional amp.

[marc11]

Yep, if you want decent audio, although, while my Escort required isolation, the Quest DID NOT, in fact, I get louder audio (as in 100% louder) going direct to the Autocom than when I run it through isolation.

[forester]

I used a 10A automobile relay with a wire hooked up to my tail light wire for my GPS hardwire, but the 5v transformer thing sounds strange...

[vitaminC]

I have a home-made regulator to convert the voltage...

I don't know much about fuses, etc...

These two lines seem a bit troublesome.

How much is that kit from Garmin?

[RickC1957]

  You guys slay me...I have a 2610 with the hardwire setup...has a inline fuse...direct to the battery, the draw is so small it would take a week to drain a healthy battery. When I tour, I leave the 2610 on all day...that way I know how much time we dick around gas stops and get a true trip average speed.

[Corbeau]

Bingo, Rick.

Exactly the same thing for mine, and for the same reason.

'xecpt I have an old GPS V  

[cyjo]

Not too sure about the quest but I have a cigarette socket under the seat wired to the battery with an inline fuse. The gps draws so little  power that I don't worry about it. I also leave it on all day to try and get a true average. I also charge my ipod and cell phone off the socket when needed. Neither of those draw much juice either.

[Raphy]

These two lines seem a bit troublesome.

How much is that kit from Garmin?

LOL... the home-made regulator was made by someone else (that knows about fuses, etc.)  

I'll figure something out  

[Ant]

I know that the Garmin mount also draws a constant current due to the in-built regulator (ask me how I know this... go on   ) However we're talking a month of not using it for it to drain the battery so in normal usage and even down to "light" usage of once a fortnight or something you'll be fine. You should be riding more than that anyway!!

Otherwise just do as other people have said and tap into a switched power supply such as headlights or rear light, I couldn't be bothered faffing about with the wiring harness to track the wire down so I just remember to disconnect the mount whenever I think it might be a few weeks before I next ride.

[Raphy]

I know that the Garmin mount also draws a constant current due to the in-built regulator (ask me how I know this... go on   ) However we're talking a month of not using it for it to drain the battery so in normal usage and even down to "light" usage of once a fortnight or something you'll be fine. You should be riding more than that anyway!!

Otherwise just do as other people have said and tap into a switched power supply such as headlights or rear light, I couldn't be bothered faffing about with the wiring harness to track the wire down so I just remember to disconnect the mount whenever I think it might be a few weeks before I next ride.

I wonder if this would work... Let's assume the regulator is situated close to the mount/GPS... if i install an ON/OFF switch to cut the power to the regulator, it shouldn't be draining any power in the OFF position... and when i want to use it, i simply turn the swithc ON to let power into the regulator....

What do you think ?

[Ant]

I wonder if this would work... Let's assume the regulator is situated close to the mount/GPS... if i install an ON/OFF switch to cut the power to the regulator, it shouldn't be draining any power in the OFF position... and when i want to use it, i simply turn the swithc ON to let power into the regulator....

What do you think ?

That'll do it, just don't forget about the switch  
Oh and make sure that the switch is water resistant if it's going to be exposed to the elements... Bad Things may happen otherwise