GPS Power question - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

MuseChaser · 04-15-2017, 10:55 AM

OK, I'm already sure this is a stupid question, but I'm going to ask it anyway..

I've got a Rexing dashcam who's lighter-plug power supply is routed inside the headliner and down the passenger A-pillar into the glove box lighter jack. The power supply has a USB jack in the plug end.

My Garmin GPS unit (ancient, but still works great) is also mounted on the front windshied up near the rear-view mirror. It, too, has a lighter plug for power that I've got plugged into the lighter jack in the center console. The wire's just hanging down, and I hate it. The power cord plugs into a mini-usb jack in the back of the Garmin. Could I just get a standard 6' long or so mini-usb-to-regular-usb cable for it, route it next to the dashcam wire, and plug it into the USB jack of the dashcam's lighter plug? Any concerns about power draws?

I know USB is 5 volts, but with pretty large variations in wattage dependent upon device. I'd sure love to hide the stupid hanging GPS wire and free up the lighter socket in the center console.

Soo.. flame away. I can take it...

Thanks!

bcj · 04-15-2017, 12:07 PM

You can get lighter adapters that have more than a single USB port.
Run them both to the glovebox.

MuseChaser · 04-15-2017, 12:14 PM

That's not what I was asking; sorry for the admitted lack of clarity. The plug for the dashcam incorporates a piggybacked USB port, so I have a USB port available in the glove box. My Garmin GPS (Nuvi) came with a cable that attaches to the Garmin via a mini USB plug and has a lighter plug on the other end of that cable. My question is.. can I use a regular USB-to-USB (mini to regular) cable instead to supply power to the Garmin?

Thanks.

XK4 · 04-15-2017, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

That's not what I was asking; sorry for the admitted lack of clarity. The plug for the dashcam incorporates a piggybacked USB port, so I have a USB port available in the glove box. My Garmin GPS (Nuvi) came with a cable that attaches to the Garmin via a mini USB plug and has a lighter plug on the other end of that cable. My question is.. can I use a regular USB-to-USB (mini to regular) cable instead to supply power to the Garmin?

Thanks.

Yes. That's exactly what I use. I got a 10' USB cable and routed it around the windshield down to the glovebox outlet.

Dave

nico_rsx · 04-17-2017, 01:02 AM

I'm 99% sure there would be no problem in powering a GPS and a dashcam together. The amps draw of these device is usually quite low.
But there is the possibility that the glove box outlet is on the same fuse as the cupholder outlet, and the USB port below the radio (if the 2013 had it).
So you may need to take into account if you plug something in those too.

04-15-2017, 10:55 AM	#1
MuseChaser Feeling like thinking.... Join Date: Oct 2015 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: CNY Posts: 1,664 Thanks: 1,664 Thanked 2,433 Times in 1,064 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	GPS Power question OK, I'm already sure this is a stupid question, but I'm going to ask it anyway.. I've got a Rexing dashcam who's lighter-plug power supply is routed inside the headliner and down the passenger A-pillar into the glove box lighter jack. The power supply has a USB jack in the plug end. My Garmin GPS unit (ancient, but still works great) is also mounted on the front windshied up near the rear-view mirror. It, too, has a lighter plug for power that I've got plugged into the lighter jack in the center console. The wire's just hanging down, and I hate it. The power cord plugs into a mini-usb jack in the back of the Garmin. Could I just get a standard 6' long or so mini-usb-to-regular-usb cable for it, route it next to the dashcam wire, and plug it into the USB jack of the dashcam's lighter plug? Any concerns about power draws? I know USB is 5 volts, but with pretty large variations in wattage dependent upon device. I'd sure love to hide the stupid hanging GPS wire and free up the lighter socket in the center console. Soo.. flame away. I can take it... Thanks! __________________ Drive like everyone's life around you depends on it...

04-15-2017, 12:14 PM	#3
MuseChaser Feeling like thinking.... Join Date: Oct 2015 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: CNY Posts: 1,664 Thanks: 1,664 Thanked 2,433 Times in 1,064 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	That's not what I was asking; sorry for the admitted lack of clarity. The plug for the dashcam incorporates a piggybacked USB port, so I have a USB port available in the glove box. My Garmin GPS (Nuvi) came with a cable that attaches to the Garmin via a mini USB plug and has a lighter plug on the other end of that cable. My question is.. can I use a regular USB-to-USB (mini to regular) cable instead to supply power to the Garmin? Thanks. __________________ Drive like everyone's life around you depends on it...

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04-17-2017, 01:02 AM	#5
nico_rsx Senior Member Join Date: May 2016 Drives: BRZ 2017 Pure Red, MT Location: Quebec, Canada Posts: 309 Thanks: 122 Thanked 121 Times in 83 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I'm 99% sure there would be no problem in powering a GPS and a dashcam together. The amps draw of these device is usually quite low. But there is the possibility that the glove box outlet is on the same fuse as the cupholder outlet, and the USB port below the radio (if the 2013 had it). So you may need to take into account if you plug something in those too.

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