Garmin GPS and the cigar lighter power adapter

[cat843]

I really like the Garmin GPS we have. There are several in the family. But the power adapter is a piece of poo. It works, then stops, you wiggle it and maybe it will work again, maybe not. Its got a fuse inside that check OK with ohm meter. Does anyone have a fix?

I tried plugging the GPS into the USB in my car and works OK when the car is off, but turn on the car where it can see the radio and the GPS seems to think its connected to a computer and goes into a mode where it does not do anything (probably waiting to be loaded). Unsure if its charging or not in that mode.

 

[Ramblejam]

Have you tried it in another vehicle to verify that it's not your cigarette lighter?

 

[cat843]

Yes I have swapped into 2 vehicles and 2 Garmin power adapters.

 

[eljefino]

The Garmin USB is "special". There are pins you can disable so it just charges and doesn't see data.

Or, in a pinch, there's a corner of the screen you can hold down while it's booting to get it to override USB data mode.

 

[gomes512]

As eljefino said, need the proper cable. Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Power-Cable-Ri...+mini+usb+cable

I'm sure you can find one with cigarette adapter end with some searching.

 

[raytseng]

yes, you need to search for garmin USB adapter and make sure it specifically mentions will not enter PC mode.

My understanding is basically some pins are joined together, (or removed?). You can DIY to modify a standard cable, if you really want to, search on internet. But it wasn't worth my time.

Here's the unit i bought and can confirm will work.

http://www.amazon.com/Tech%C2%AE-Charging-Compact-Charger-Garmin/dp/B00NE5H69Q/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1448304147&sr=8-5&keywords=garmin++mini+usb+cable

 

[razel]

PSA: Anytime you suspect that a USB cable used for charging is intermittent, STOP using it. Replace the cable ASAP. There are so many wires inside that it's beyond easy to short something by overdoing the wiggling.

Between friends and family we had 3-4 devices needing to be replaced because various people continued to use a bad cable and unfortunately the worst condition happened for each device. An outright replacement. Believe me, we all wished that it was just a battery replacement, but it was always a major primary PCB mainboard replacement.

These were not CHEAP devices (flagship smartphone/iPad) either.

I used to have 2010 era Garmins. Raytseng's statement is right. Garmin's cables are charge only cables which you can buy or make. They also sell USB charging adapter cables. I'm not sure about how current Garmins handle USB charging. I suggest buying something like the Scoche revolt pro (available at Target for like $25) but is EXCELLENT. It doesn't heat-up at all even when charging a power hungry ipad at 12W. Anything QUALCOMM QuickCharge is excellent as well. Even though your Garmin won't support QC, the parts involved to qualify it by Qualcomm require solid engineering that won't heat up much or cause significant noise to your car's electrical system.

PSA #2. The same holds true for home USB chargers. Please avoid cheap no-name brand chargers that are not UL rated or it's European equivalent. This doesn't mean you have to spend lots of money. Duracell charges from your local Big-Lots are UL rated. Also your local Ikea has excellent USB home chargers for $10 that work with a power hungry and quick charge 12W iPad and iPhone6+.

 

[RoadRaceJosh]

There are all of 4 wires in a standard USB cable. "...so many wires..." is a gross exaggeration. They are usually very small wires however.

If you get a dedicated charging cable the data pins are shorted. With most devices the data pins being shorted signals the device that it is not connected to a computer and that it has higher charge current available.

 

[sleddriver]

Razel: The OP is talking about "wiggling" a cig. lighter power adapter, not a USB power cable. With that said, those that treat the later like the former, can result in unintended consequences!

OP: The female end can get quite dirty inside so the contacts might need to be cleaned. Also, it's a friction fit, so you might have to pry out the side contact on the male end. If possible, pull the female end out and check the wiring.

(That's full of inuendo, isn't it?)