Trying to use an in car USB socket for TomTom start 50

[Pat Cresswell]

I am trying to use an in car USB socket for TomTom start 50, the problem is the TomTom appears to think it is connected to a PC and I cannot get it to navigate.
I do have a cigarette lighter and an USB insert this works OK but I also have a car-cam and that needs the cigarette lighter socket.
The car is a Citroen Picasso c3 about one year old.

What do I need to do so I can use both devices.

 

[dhn]

The usb socket is not providing enough power in the car for the device. With only .5A output (the same as a computer), the device thinks it is indeed connected to a computer. Thee are splitters on the market for a cig lighter outlet but BOTH must provide 5V at 1.5 A to power devices properly. Google for them.

 

[canderson]

Two things. First, the reason your device is unhappy is because you are using a real data cable and your USB port in the vehicle is most likely a data port for things like mp3 audio off a thumb drive, not just for charging. There ARE 'charge only' cables available that wouldn't trigger the data feature on your Start 50, but that still would not put you where you want to be. As dhn notes, the USB port in your vehicle is unlikely to support enough current to keep your Start 50 charged and running at the same time, so even if you weren't having the data issue, you'd still be running the Start's battery flat eventually. You're going to need an alternative connection method.

There are available 2 port USB cigarette lighter plugs. Use one of these and NOT a splitter. Using a splitter and expecting 1.5A out of both wires is asking the adapter itself to support 3A off a single port. Those are rare. More common are units that can support dual ports at enough on one side to handle your other device, and 1.5A to handle your Start 50. Try to find one of those. Here's an example of one at a very good price that will be more than adequate for both devices:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lifetime-W...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=PVNBX5S3H41Y5SFFVDM0