Is there a DIY for hardwiring the tomtom into my car?

[scottd1975]

Does anyone have a good DIY for the hardwire install?

 

[Birdman]

Does anyone have a good DIY for the hardwire install?

This thread may have some info that you are looking for:
DIY wiring

But be careful. Your car is a 12VDC supply and the TomTom takes 5VDC...you need the Voltage divider circuit inside that adapter...

 

[scottd1975]

cant you find a 5v fuse on the fuse box and split the power from there?

 

[Birdman]

cant you find a 5v fuse on the fuse box and split the power from there?

If there are 5V circuits being routed through the fuse box then yes. You MUST make sure you measure the voltage with a voltmeter to insure you are supplying 5V. Be sure not to confuse 5 VOLTS with 5 AMPS on the fuses. 5A is a current rating, not a voltage rating.

Also note, I am not certain the TomTom input is 5V, I am only assuming that because the USB voltage supplies 5V as shown below:
>>> USB Specs <<<

and you connect the TomTom directly to the PC USB port.

 

[scottd1975]

do they sell hardwire kits for the tomtom?

 

[Birdman]

do they sell hardwire kits for the tomtom?

32 bucks on Ebay

 

[adblink]

wow thats expensive

 

[pajuggalo]

I can tell you what I did, I did it with my XM too. On the lighter plug the pieces on the side are the grounds, the little nub on the end is hot. You can either drill a hole in the nub, or unscrew the end and put the wire up there and screw it back together, and tape the crap out of it. I'll tell you why I did this, after looking at the hardwire cables, they look like they just took the lighter end apart and soldered the wires to the contacts on the little circuit board.

 

[Langod]

I haven't done this yet, but when I do I think I'll just get a female cig lighter socket and wire that directly to the fusebox under the dash. Then plug the TomTom charger cord into it and run the cord up through the dash and pillar. (My One is mounted near the top left of my windshield.)
That way I don't have take the charger apart.
To make the OEM power cord removable, just get a USB extension cord with the appropriate ends on it and run that though your dash, leaving the OEM cord coiled up under the dash near the female socket.

 

[irvinf]

Switched Power

Langod:

My planned installation is like yours(cig lighter socket and additional power adapter).
Connected to a switched power circuit so when the ignition key is removed, my XL-S will automatically power down.

Waitinf for warmer weather to install.

 

[Three3]

Try the search function here on the word 'hardwire.' About 16 threads will pop up, and there's lots of good info there (and some bad).

Basically you have two choices, both of which start with identifying a convenient place in your car to tap off 12 volts:

- Extend the 12 volts to a convenient location, where you terminate it in a cigarette lighter socket (available at auto parts store), and then plug the normal TomTom power adapter into that.

- Wire a 12 volt to 5 volt supply into the car and connect it to the TomTom via a mini-USB cable. The easiest way to do this is with a USB car charger, easily available on eBay. It delivers the 5 volts that you need, already wired up to a USB socket, ready for you to plug a mini-USB cable into it. This appears to be the approach that the eBay supply mentioned above has taken, though I think that it's vastly overpriced at $32.

 

[danjreed]

- Extend the 12 volts to a convenient location, where you terminate it in a cigarette lighter socket (available at auto parts store), and then plug the normal TomTom power adapter into that.

This is by far the best, and safest move.

Ive seen too many people go way crazy and in turn just about set things on fire working under the dash.

I hard wired my Wife's Sirius unit this way.

It works very good.

Here is a link.

http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/Campingart/jettatech/satradinstall/index.htm

*Before you condemn wire mess.... this is how a VW is wired from the factory!* Its a love hate thing...

 

[Hudnut]

I found this small adapter at a local autoparts store (autozone). You just plug it into any fuse spot, switched or unswitched, and it provides a positive fused wire. All you need to do is hook that wire to the + of a cig lighter and ground to chassis. what I like about it is that you don't need to modify the factory wiring.

 

[Hudnut]

*Before you condemn wire mess.... this is how a VW is wired from the factory!* Its a love hate thing...

Probably why you see so many german cars with messed up tail lights!

 

[danjreed]

hahah!! too true!

The Germans use some 5 year life foam for tail light seals and then fast rusting tail light bulb sockets... lol..