GPS with borken cigerette lighter

[danz24 10+ year member]

Is there anyway I can still get power to a GPS unit even if the cigarette lighter is busted?

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[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

put in a new cig lighter!?

 

[danz24 10+ year member]

put in a new cig lighter!?

cost much?

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

um....$2

edit: and 2 minutes

 

[atoz350 10+ year member]

Yep, you can go to almost any auto parts store and look up your car, buy a new cig lighter element, unplug your old one, and plug in the new one. Check your fuses too.

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

Yep, you can go to almost any auto parts store and look up your car, but a new cig lighter element, unplug your old one, and plug in the new one. Check your fuses too.

you wouldn't believe how many people have brought me a car that had a blown fuse for cig lighter, and had a coin completing the circuit

 

[AC Slater 10+ year member]

are we talking about the cig lighter on the car being busted or the adapter on the unit being busted?

either way, it can be fixed. easily. find another power source in the car, or hardwire the GPS unit into the cars wiring. problem solved.

 

[htownplaya456 10+ year member]

All it is is an accessory 12volt and ground. Cut that plug off and hardwire it to your car. Ground the ground and then run the accessory to the ignition switch. If your not comfortable doing that then grab the accessory at the headunit. If the wire isn't long enough you can extend it too. I have hardwired a lot of radar detectors like this as well.

 

[atoz350 10+ year member]

All it is is an accessory 12volt and ground. Cut that plug off and hardwire it to your car. Ground the ground and then run the accessory to the ignition switch. If your not comfortable doing that then grab the accessory at the headunit. If the wire isn't long enough you can extend it too. I have hardwired a lot of radar detectors like this as well.

Wait!! DO NOT CUT THE PLUG OFF!! Alot of those plugs are fused, or have resistors or carbon transducers to reduce current or noise. Instead, solder wires to the plug itself. The metal prong in the middle of the plug is the + the two metal bars on the sides are the - .

 

[danz24 10+ year member]

Wait... So you are telling me I can cut the cord and splice the + and - wires into existing wires? Im asking this because I have a tachometer on my dash and maybe I can just tap onto the + and - wires from there.

So is that possible??? Or do i really need a fuse as said by poster above

 

[Worlddre 5,000+ posts]

All it is is an accessory 12volt and ground. Cut that plug off and hardwire it to your car. Ground the ground and then run the accessory to the ignition switch. If your not comfortable doing that then grab the accessory at the headunit. If the wire isn't long enough you can extend it too. I have hardwired a lot of radar detectors like this as well.

only do the above if you are certain the gps unit takes a 12v input voltage.

 

[danz24 10+ year member]

only do the above if you are certain the gps unit takes a 12v input voltage.

Its the Garmin Nuvi 250W and Nuvi750. Near the adapter end there is a small cylinder object, is that the fuse? So I just have to cut after that right?

 

[AC Slater 10+ year member]

only do the above if you are certain the gps unit takes a 12v input voltage.

hows the son doing?

 

[Worlddre 5,000+ posts]

do not cut it unless you know it takes a 12v input. Many devices such as these take 5v or other input. Look at the back of the unit around where the power connector plugs in and see if it says the required input voltage. If its not there check the manual for it. If you still do not find then do as atoz350 said

 

[Worlddre 5,000+ posts]

hows the son doing?

gained 1lb in a week