"Hardwiring" a portable navigation system
Discussion
I want to install a GPS navigation system into my dad's car (BMW e60 530d). I dont want something stuck to the dash with wires trailing everywhere. It looks like the Tom Tom one is one of the thinner systems. My question is what ariel could I use to ensuure that it has a GPS feed without being sat in the windscreen of the car?
As far as I know the TomTom systems have an inbuilt antenna system, so you just turn it on. No wires apart from power to the TomTom.
BUT..if you want to mount it other than on/near the dash, then you will have to use the external antenna port and connect it to an external antenna.
These folks have plenty:
www.easydevices.co.uk/pcp/Antennas.html
There are other suppliers etc etc.
>> Edited by Paul Drawmer on Monday 22 May 18:35
BUT..if you want to mount it other than on/near the dash, then you will have to use the external antenna port and connect it to an external antenna.
These folks have plenty:
www.easydevices.co.uk/pcp/Antennas.html
There are other suppliers etc etc.
>> Edited by Paul Drawmer on Monday 22 May 18:35
I've found the easiest way to hardwire is to use a cigar lighter triple adapter. Take off the end which plugs into the lighter socket, dismantle the back of the cigar lighter and solder the wires to it's live and earth connections. The adapter can be put somewhere out of sight but accessible - I've got an older A4 and the fuse box is behind a removable panel at the driver's end of the dash - you can dismantle the trim and there's loads of room for cables, connectors etc - there must be a similar place in many cars. All you have to do then is mount your sat nav and run the power cable behind the dash to the triple adapter.
Brodit make excellent, clip-on, vehicle specific plastic mounts for virtually any car and any position within the car, and they also make a Tom Tom specific mount which can be attached to the dash mounting clip. So you can position it over the central vents, on the side of the centre console like a mobile phone, or on the console near the handbrake. You will ned an external antenna for the Tom Tom, but the cable is nice an thin, very long, and so can be run under trim, carpets etc to the outside of the car. (I mounted mine at the bottom of the windscreen, right in the corner at the driver's side, and ran the cable through the door aperture to the unit.) If you're using the Tom Tom as a handsfree phone, you can also run their microphone through the trim and up to the head lining near the rear view mirror. You end up with three wires running to and from the tom tom - I used black insulating tape to strap all three tightly together. Once it's done there's just one wire running from the Tom Tom into the dash, and everything is powered from the hard-wired triple adapter. Looks professionally installed, and works perfectly.
The good thing about the Tom Tom is all the wires run fromn the base unit, so the Sat Nav itself can be unclipped in a second for when you leave the car, and all the mountings are left in place.
>> Edited by nubbin on Monday 22 May 20:34
Brodit make excellent, clip-on, vehicle specific plastic mounts for virtually any car and any position within the car, and they also make a Tom Tom specific mount which can be attached to the dash mounting clip. So you can position it over the central vents, on the side of the centre console like a mobile phone, or on the console near the handbrake. You will ned an external antenna for the Tom Tom, but the cable is nice an thin, very long, and so can be run under trim, carpets etc to the outside of the car. (I mounted mine at the bottom of the windscreen, right in the corner at the driver's side, and ran the cable through the door aperture to the unit.) If you're using the Tom Tom as a handsfree phone, you can also run their microphone through the trim and up to the head lining near the rear view mirror. You end up with three wires running to and from the tom tom - I used black insulating tape to strap all three tightly together. Once it's done there's just one wire running from the Tom Tom into the dash, and everything is powered from the hard-wired triple adapter. Looks professionally installed, and works perfectly.
The good thing about the Tom Tom is all the wires run fromn the base unit, so the Sat Nav itself can be unclipped in a second for when you leave the car, and all the mountings are left in place.
>> Edited by nubbin on Monday 22 May 20:34
sybaseian said:
Thanks nubbin
2 questions
I presmume that you do not have to mess about with plugging in wires from the antenna
Could I use a bluetooth enabled GPS receiver (hardwired for power)
I use a bluetooth GPS with my PDA.
Me too - I bought the Tom tom Bluetooth as it integrates seamlessly with the PDA - I tried a third party bluetooth receiver and couldn't get it to pair up with my PDA, but the TT version paired straight away almost as soon as I switched it on. The GPS receiver is plugged into my multi-way adapter as well.
All gps receivers can see through plastic, so you could try installing a gps antenna in your wing mirror if you have the space, then just run the cable back through the door frame with the other wiring loom. Alternatively you could install a bluetooth gps receiver in your third rear brakelight. I did this on a nissan primera then just ran a wire via a fuse to the back of the cigarette lighter. This had the brilliant effect of finding the satelites almost immediately as soon as you turn on the ignition. I think it remembers them because of the fact its in exactly the same position as when you turned it off.
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