Short cables

[tuna101]

I'm installing a garmin nuvi that I have and want to use a 12v plug, the GPS is mounted right next to the plug. The only cable I can find is 5-6 ft. long. Any place to get cables under 1ft.? Custom made? I dont want a bundle of wire zip tied hanging there. Really don't want to hardwire to the battery, prefer to plugin.

[Mudcat]

I shortened a power cable that fits a Nuvi 500 series down to 8 inches without any issues. If you need a fuse too, the cable will be about 10 inches probably plus the length of the plug
Garmin Power and Data Cable for Nuvi 5xx Zumo 220
Model: 010-11131-00
Oh, btw, this cable has a voltage reducer on it. That is why I couldn’t make it shorter

GPScity has them for about $24

[tuna101]

I would be leaving the plug that goes in to the GPS and adding a plug, is that what you did? I imagine the wire guage is really small can you splice a 12v plug with that small of wire? Obviously I'm not a elect person.

[Mudcat]

Originally Posted by tuna101

I would be leaving the plug that goes in to the GPS and adding a plug, is that what you did?

Yes. You need the Nuvi plug and the voltage reducer. The voltage reducer is a rectangular little box about 7 inches below Nuvi plug on the cable.
You said a 12v plug; I assume this is a cigarette lighter type plug? If it’s not a Powerlet plug / BMW plug I suggest you change out the plug. They are easy to wire, small wires not a problem.
Cigarette lighter plugs become loose easily and cause an intermittent electrical connection. A Powerlet plug will not do that yet it is easy to unplug
http://www.powerlet.com/
or you could go to a BMW shop and tell them what you are doing but you may pay a premium there.

[tuna101]

If I can plug my Nuvi directly in to my truck power outlet without a voltage reducer why do I need one on the bike? My factory plug does not have one and it came with the Nuvi. Boy those Powerlet plugs are expensive. I've seen nuvi plugs with bare wires on the other end to hardwire direct to your battery and they don't have a voltage reducer in line.

[Mudcat]

Originally Posted by tuna101

If I can plug my Nuvi directly in to my truck power outlet without a voltage reducer why do I need one on the bike? .

Your Nuvi is a 5v system without the voltage reducer you will ruin the unit as soon as you hooked it up to a 12v system.
The voltage reducer for the automotive cable is in the plug itself. But I don’t believe you will be able to shorten that cable nor use that plug.
Try

[250senuf]

Does it plug into the USB port on the NUVI? Then 12V will fry the NUVI.

Take a real close look at that cigarette lighter plug-in that came with it. The one that came with my NUVI states that it outputs 5.25 - 4.9V 1A. Reducer is built into the plug-in.

[Grinnin]

Originally Posted by tuna101

If I can plug my Nuvi directly in to my truck power outlet without a voltage reducer why do I need one on the bike?

You haven't told us WHICH model of nuvi you have. Mudcat responded with info about the nuvi 500 which is different than other nuvi models.

As far as I know, all nuvi models use about 5V. My nuvi 1300 has an odd version of a USB power supply built into the cigarette-lighter-type plug. As far as I know all the nuvi models that use USB plugs need 5-wire USB, not 4-wire USB; the fifth wire is connected to others by a resistor to tell the nuvi that it's a power connection. (They use 4-wire USB for data and 5-wire USB for power.)

Tell us which nuvi model you have and you'll get more specific info for your model.

[tuna101]

It's a Nuvi 255W. The bike I'm using is a XT225 Yamaha. Over on that forum everybody seems to just hardwire direct to the battery with a standard 12v socket with a inline fuse and call it good???? What am I missing? Want to use it for the GPS, camera, cell, and maybe my 12v compressor. Was looking at the Tusk unit. http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/...er+socket+plug

[Grinnin]

The nuvi 255 is supposed to take 5V (USB). http://pinouts.ru/GPS/garmin_nuvi_power_pinout.shtml

I'd be wary of wiring it directly to 12V. Are you absolutely sure that the folks on that forum are omitting the Garmin plug? That would make all the difference.

For my nuvi 1300 I coiled the excess wire. I know that you don't want to do that, but it works.

[250senuf]

Originally Posted by tuna101

It's a Nuvi 255W. The bike I'm using is a XT225 Yamaha. Over on that forum everybody seems to just hardwire direct to the battery with a standard 12v socket with a inline fuse and call it good???? What am I missing? Want to use it for the GPS, camera, cell, and maybe my 12v compressor. Was looking at the Tusk unit. http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/...er+socket+plug

That unit gets you convenient access to 12V just like the cigarette lighter in your truck. You NEED/MUST USE the proper adapter between that outlet and your GPS.

[tuna101]

I gather if I have a 12v socket and just use my factory cord I'll be fine ? You know I don't know what plug everybody is using over there as it's post in re-guard to installing the 12v socket. So if I just use the stock cable and wind it up I'll, be ok? What about Cell and camera and other stuff?

[Grinnin]

Originally Posted by tuna101

So if I just use the stock cable and wind it up I'll, be ok?

I know this to be true. I cut an inner-tube to hold my Garmin plug in the cigarette-style power outlet -- vibration can work them loose on bikes because of the spring-loaded tip.

Originally Posted by tuna101

What about Cell and camera and other stuff?

My phone has it's own cigarette-style plug. I believe that there are some phones that charge off of USB-standard outlets, but I'm not a phone expert. My camera requires AC household current but the battery lasts a LONG time even with flash pictures.

[tuna101]

Well I pretty much gave up on a short cable, bundle the long one up I guess. Ordered my mount from GPS city(great site) and my Tusk 12v power port from Rockt Mountain ATV. Going to hook it up to my battery Tender lead. Thanks to all who helped.

[Mudcat]

Originally Posted by tuna101

Well I pretty much gave up on a short cable,

From my limited experience with shorting GPS power cables, a hardwire power cable can be shortened up to the voltage reducer. You will be removing the inline fuse but you can splice it back in and you will need to add a plug for power hookup.