Car Charger Problem

[rndhl]

Hi Guys--Lately my car charger works only if I hold it in position carefully. I think the male tip that plugs into the device may have some loose connection. If so, is there a fix for that, or do I need to replace the car charger?

(The device works and charges fine in the house or on my blackberry's car charger. The green light is on, on the charger. I've replaced a fuse in the past.)

Thank you for any help.

 

[dhn]

I would think that a replacement charger is in order then. You can get one through TomTom. Something like this:
http://www.tomtom.com/en_us/products/accessories/chargers-connect-cables/universal-car-charger/

or your big box store has generic ones which will work,

 

[Andy_P]

You say that you've replaced the fuse in the past. That implies that it's one of the older chargers, and those came apart quite a bit easier that the newer ones.

If you're resigned to buying a new one, I'd suggest seeing if you can fix the existing one first.

Usually with those cigar lighter chargers its just the two metal springy "wings" on the sides that hold it in place in the socket, and if those lose a bit of springiness, it keeps slipping out.. A gentle bend with a small screwdriver can ease the "wings" out a bit and make them grip the sides of the socket better.

If it's not as simple as that, you could try a bit of gentle surgery to see if you can get the two halves apart (they're glued), and you'll probably find its something easy to fix inside.

You've nothing to lose at this stage!

Yours might look slightly different, but to give you an idea of what's involved inside, there's a couple of pictures here. The electronics may look scary, but you won't need to get involved with that. If it's just intermittently losing contact it's bound to be just the mechanical springy bits at the tip, or at worse, a wire coming off.

 

[rndhl]

Thank you. The problem may be at the other end of the cord--the end that plugs into the Tom Tom itself. Is that fixable?
Thanks,
Rndhl

 

[canderson]

The only way to fix the other end would be to cut off the existing connector and replace it with a fresh one - and that would require some skill. I'm just hoping that it's the charger plug that's the issue and not the socket in your device.

 

[Andy_P]

Ah sorry, wrong end of the stick! (or cable).

Which version of XL do you have? Does it use the USB connection for power?

If so, I wouldn't even bother trying to fix it, there are loads of replacement USB chargers around. They will ALL be the same voltage (5V DC) so there's no danger of harning the TomTom, the only issue is that one with a higher current capability (above 1 amp) will charge the TomTom faster.

 

[KevK]

Hi Guys--Lately my car charger works only if I hold it in position carefully. I think the male tip that plugs into the device may have some loose connection. If so, is there a fix for that, or do I need to replace the car charger?

(The device works and charges fine in the house or on my blackberry's car charger. The green light is on, on the charger. I've replaced a fuse in the past.)

Thank you for any help.

Think I have been having the same sort of problem. I use the Go expert 7 when driving my lorry but because I drive different lorries every day I had to unplug power lead from back of connection plate at end of each day and because of this they plug connection became loose and would loose connection if I drove over a bump in the road.
So what I have done is to buy a new lead and using some gorilla tape tape the plug into the back of the charging plate so that it is permanently connected and when it comes to packing it up at the end of the day I just rap up wire and put whole thing, lead and connecting plate into a TomTom carrying case.

 

[Willy875]

Think I have been having the same sort of problem. I use the Go expert 7 when driving my lorry but because I drive different lorries every day I had to unplug power lead from back of connection plate at end of each day and because of this they plug connection became loose and would loose connection if I drove over a bump in the road.
So what I have done is to buy a new lead and using some gorilla tape tape the plug into the back of the charging plate so that it is permanently connected and when it comes to packing it up at the end of the day I just rap up wire and put whole thing, lead and connecting plate into a TomTom carrying case.

You don't have a cigarette lighter socket in your truck?
.To connect the plug supplied with your GPS

 

[KevK]

Yes but it is the end that fits into the back of the magnetic mounting plate on th Go expert 7 that becomes loose .
When I use a new one it is fine and fits as it is supposed to but as I said because I have to pack away satnav and disconnect the lead at end of every day the lead would become loose that is why I have decided to tape a new one in place to the back of the magnetic mounting plate and leave it connected.