RW C55

I want to do some modification on the GPS car charger, so that i dont need to plug the ugly thing into the cig. lighter everything i need to charge.
Is it possible?

I'll cut the wire off and take a picture if somebody is willing to give me some instructions. Please make the instruction easy to read for a electronic noob. I dont have much experience on this field as I'v only done hardwiring a V1 with the kit included with the package, and thats all.

Some notes i think worth mentioning:
There's a tag which says "Input:12V/24V Output: 5V/900mA Made in China"
and, the plug (the plug which goes into GPS unit) is exactly like a Motorolla cellphone charger plug (the plug which goes into Cellphone).

Here's a picture of the charger:

XJ9

Dont cut the charger and try to wire it directly or you will damage your GPS. You need to get a direct wire receptacle (a cig jack on one end and open power wires on the other. and wire that to power instaed and then hide the whole thing under the dash somewhere.

RW C55

Thanks for the reply.
Does it mean that i just splice another cig. lighter with the wires behind the original cig. lighter?

UK-C200

So if I'm looking at your picture correctly, that's actually a "Cigarette Lighter to USB" power adapter. If that's the case, you need to retain the functionality built into the "cigarette lighter" end of the plug, which is to step down the 12 vdc supply in the car to a 5vdc for the USB end.

The pinout for USB is
1 VCC Red +5 VDC
2 D- White Data -
3 D+ Green Data +
4 GND Black Ground

I can think of a number of ways to step 12vdc down to 5, but if this is your first project, I'd just go to Radio Shack and pick up a "cigarette lighter socket", and wire that in behind the dash, and plug your adapter into that...

Diesel Benz

I agree with this, one could also use a cigarette lighter extension (power) cable but the ones I've seen usually have a poor plug that doesn't hold the plug well in place like a lighter socket would do. The extension cable just would be readily covered with an insulation. A bit of tape would do it for the socket, and would keep rattle away if fixed to the car at the same time.

RW C55

Thats actually not a USB, its a lot smaller than that.


But ya, i think i'll just do what u guys suggested.

Thanks a lot

Diesel Benz

Isn't that just a mini-USB? OK, not a USB then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB

RW C55

O crap. Thought there's only one kind of USB. Sorry for my lack of knowledge

RW C55

Thanks guys, I just followed the suggestions posted, went to electronic store and got another cig. lighter socket, hardwired it to the original cig. lighter and everything works perfectly.