Direct (hard) wire?

Joined
Jan 2, 2008
Messages
85
Location
Ohio
TomTom Model(s)
GO 720
Has anyone bought or installed direct-wire for their TomTom?
I am thinking about buying one for $25 from Amazon.

My intent is to hard-wire my 720, by running the cable from the fuse box up A-pillar (hidden) to my rear-view mirror (hidden inside the rubber by the windshield). Yes, this would only apply to mounting it on the windshield, but that way no wires would be dangling and I wouldn't have to worry about the cig-plug. Also, I wouldn't leave the unit inside the car other than the windshield mount (suction cup).

Any thoughts...?
 
Has anyone bought or installed direct-wire for their TomTom?
I am thinking about buying one for $25 from Amazon.

My intent is to hard-wire my 720, by running the cable from the fuse box up A-pillar (hidden) to my rear-view mirror (hidden inside the rubber by the windshield). Yes, this would only apply to mounting it on the windshield, but that way no wires would be dangling and I wouldn't have to worry about the cig-plug. Also, I wouldn't leave the unit inside the car other than the windshield mount (suction cup).

Any thoughts...?
No problems except the afternoon getting the job done!

The current TT power scheme is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing in that any computer with a USB connection can be used to power and charge the TT with the requisite 5 volts. It's a curse in that you can't power the unit directly from the 12V automotive power as is possible with a typical radar detector and other in-car devices, so a 12V/5V regulator is necessary somewhere along the way (e.g., the two available cig lighter plug adapters). I haven't seen a hardwired power kit on Amazon for these units. Can you point me to a link?

My radar detector is wired into the overhead console, and the cord snakes tightly down the rear view mirror bracket with a very short jump to the detector. Winds up being only about 1-1/2" of cable to notice. Pretty tidy installation.

The problem with the TT is that there's not really enough room with any of the current add-on cabling designs to do something like that because the regulator is in too big a package -- far bigger than necessary. There's actually enough room in most of the overhead systems to hold something as small as the 12V/5V converter really needs to be. My plan, when I can get around to it, is to build a small (to fit into the back of the overhead console) voltage regulator to handle this, and run a dummy (2 wire 5V only, no data) USB cable from that along with the cable for my radar detector to power my 720.
 
I'm waiting for the arrival of my hard-wire Proclip cradle. It is inconvenient that the voltage coversion needs to be done, but I don't really expect any different. I probably wouldn't have bothered with the hardwire if my car's cigarette lighters were switched power supplies instead of always-on...
 
No problems except the afternoon getting the job done!

...Can you point me to a link?

My radar detector is wired into the overhead console, and the cord snakes tightly down the rear view mirror bracket with a very short jump to the detector. Winds up being only about 1-1/2" of cable to notice. Pretty tidy installation.

The problem with the TT is that there's not really enough room with any of the current add-on cabling designs to do something like that because the regulator is in too big a package -- far bigger than necessary.


Click on Amazon in my original post and it should take you to the page (it says that is does have built-in converter so it will convert to 5v). The only thing is it's sort of universal (or at least I think) since it can be used on 3-4 GPS brands along with Blackberry's? That's what sort of threw me off: does Garmin and TomTom have the same plug-ins?

As far as RD goes, yeah, I have X50 and I'm going to hard-wire it as well (just not sure if I should get one with mute button or just solid wire)...
 
When I get around to hard wiring mine, I am just going to tap into the cig lighter wires inside the dash and attach a spare cig plug to plug the GPS cable into. Luckily I have a tonne of room - from what I remember - behind the middle console. The question I have to figure out now is where I am going to run the cable to. Originally when I had it mounted on the windshield, I was going to run the cable up through a plug-cap that is in the centre of the dash where the windshield meets it. It is for a temperature sensor that is not included with my trim level of the truck. But now, my TT is mounted on the vent, and there is no sense in running the wire down the top of the dash to the TT...
Decisions Decisions. Probably won't be able to answer them until it's warm enough to rip my dash apart... ;)
 
Click on Amazon in my original post and it should take you to the page (it says that is does have built-in converter so it will convert to 5v). The only thing is it's sort of universal (or at least I think) since it can be used on 3-4 GPS brands along with Blackberry's? That's what sort of threw me off: does Garmin and TomTom have the same plug-ins?..
Great. I see it now. And yup, there are a number of gizmos out there with USB 5 wire connects using a mini-B plug. I have a separate unwired (lasts for several days on a charge) hands-free unit that fits on my visor that can even use the TomTom's charger.

The only thing you want to be careful about when purchasing an item like this is that it has some really good transient suppression. I've seen some pretty amazing spikes come off of auto electric systems, although not in recent history. Trouble is, there's no way to tell for sure how good the design is.
 
Yes, I saw it on-line before, but was unsure just how "good it is." So I'll take it you have problems with it? I don't mind the windshield mount (yet), but I definitely want to hard wire it...

No. No problems at all!
It's not OEM, but the fit and function is fine.
I've been very happy with it!

The cable is nice in that it can easily be "snaked" down tight spaces (I cut the inline fuse box off of the cable and then used Molex connectors to reconnect to the fuse box).

On a scale of 1-10, I honestly have to give it a 9.0. It's far better than anything else that I have seen out there.

A nice touch also is that there is both a hardwired connector, as well as a cigar lighter connector.

I'd buy it again.
 
I sure hope that the usb pin sticking up is a better and stronger unit than what one will find on a Sirius Sportster 4 car dock...mine just broke and I'm a bit pissed at the lousy construction/engineering gone into that dock.!

Oh well it was just about time for a sportster 5 anyway.

rgds,

stk
 

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