Hard wiring a GPS - and yes I did do a search!

[Gman71]

Hi

I want to know the best way to hard wire my GPS mount- being a bit of an electro-phobe.

Ideally want it connect via the power/ignition of the bike, ie, through a tail light or something), not direct to the battery..

I have a connecting wire for the mount with a red wire with a fuse in it, and a black wire.

once you've finished laughing, tell me what to do and what goes where.

[Hitcher]

Find somewhere to wire it so that it's on all the time, rather than being switched on and off with the key. They use bugger all power, and if you're only planning to be away from the bike for a matter of minutes you won't have to fart around waiting for the device to do its start-up routine.

[Gman71]

ok, sweet.

how???


red wire on to the positive terminal and black wire onto a metal contact point on the body? or on to the negative terminal?

[Hitcher]

ok, sweet.

how???


red wire on to the positive terminal and black wire onto a metal contact point on the body? or on to the negative terminal?

I'd go terminal to terminal, but I'm funny like that. Presumably your GPS wiring kit has an in-line fuse? (The zumo does)

[Gman71]

yup it's a zumo, and the red wire has a fuse in it.

wasn't sure if black wire should be on to bike chassis (earth) or straight on to negative battery terminal.

which is it?

dont want to blow up bike OR new Zumo.

[Hitcher]

which is it?

Black to earth sounds right to me.

[Ixion]

IUh, just a wee question . It *is* 12V , isn't it. I only ask becasue some (Navman, f'instance) are actually 5V. They come with an adaptor which plugs into 12v, but the unit itself is 5V. Connect it directly to 12V and it'll blow.

[Hitcher]

The zumo is 12V.

[Gman71]

ok thanks

i'll give it a whirl.

[TLDV8]

Hi

I want to know the best way to hard wire my GPS mount- being a bit of an electro-phobe.

Ideally want it connect via the power/ignition of the bike, ie, through a tail light or something), not direct to the battery..

I have a connecting wire for the mount with a red wire with a fuse in it, and a black wire.

The battery is the most direct power and ease wise.

Yes the fused red wire goes to the positive (+) terminal,the black to the negative (--)
One problem is the lugs needed are around 6mm to suit the battery terminal bolts,the Zumo wires are small gauge so they need to be stripped further so they can be doubled up or more so they fit into the lug better.
Crimped lugs are ok but ideal would be soldered and a lug with a smaller bore to suit the Zumo wires.
The excess of the Zumo wires needs to be routed so it can not be damaged also,they are way longer than needed for most bikes.
I would get a protective screen cover.

[Gremlin]

I would get a protective screen cover.

Only problem is that it is a touch screen. Anything permanently on the screen, and you'll lose the ability to use most of it.


You sound like you know less than me (I didn't think it possible, tbh). Put Ram Solutions mount on bike, where you want the zumo to be. This will give you an idea of where the power feed for the zumo needs to go to.

Then take the zumo hardwire cable and the bike to your bike shop, and explain what you want. Depending on the wiring of your bike, you may have auxiliary circuits (mine has two, one permanently live, the other live when ignition is) which are the best place to wire it in.

Pick up, pay bill, all done. Easy huh?

[banditrider]

I'm no sparky but managed to sort mine out ok the other day. I'd suggest you follow exactly what TLDV8 suggests above as that's what worked for me. Having it hard wired is the way to go.

[Gman71]

The battery is the most direct power and ease wise.

Yes the fused red wire goes to the positive (+) terminal,the black to the negative (--)
One problem is the lugs needed are around 6mm to suit the battery terminal bolts,the Zumo wires are small gauge so they need to be stripped further so they can be doubled up or more so they fit into the lug better.
Crimped lugs are ok but ideal would be soldered and a lug with a smaller bore to suit the Zumo wires.
The excess of the Zumo wires needs to be routed so it can not be damaged also,they are way longer than needed for most bikes.
I would get a protective screen cover.

thanks, just what I was after. wish me luck.

[vifferman]

Only problem is that it is a touch screen. Anything permanently on the screen, and you'll lose the ability to use most of it.

Not necesesesesarily. Our GPS came with the usual peel-off plastic on the screen when we got it. We left it on for a few weeks, and it worked fine with it on.
You can buy proper plastic screen protectors on the Interdweeb (or from a camera shop?) that are both clear and resiliant - you just measure up the screen and cut to fit.
I've got one on my camera LCD, and it's almost undetectable.

I have a question about hardwiring the GPS: is it picky about voltage? Wiring direct to the battery, it's both unfiltered current and quite variable (could go as high as 15V and as low as 11V). Is this a problem? Does it require some voltage regulation (beyond that supplied by the bike's R/R)?

[TLDV8]

Only problem is that it is a touch screen. Anything permanently on the screen, and you'll lose the ability to use most of it.

You should have told me that 15000+ kms ago,oddly all functions work perfectly in my case.

At AU$1250 i intend to look after it,i got one for my Canon G9 at the same time,if the protector was really thick it might have an effect .