Power packs for your garmin

[mudspike]

Hi Mtbiker also here,

Had an experience wherein my garmin's battery ran out before I can finish the trail. It took us almost 5 hours to finish the trail but only captured half of it.

Any ideas on backup power supplies for your garmin. The only option I can think of at the moment is to carry a usb power supply to charge your garmin.

Solar power kaya hehehe. Also, remembered those old school power plants that we used to install at the back tire of the bike which powers the bike's headlights.

[jspalaroan]

Hi Mtbiker also here,

Had an experience wherein my garmin's battery ran out before I can finish the trail. It took us almost 5 hours to finish the trail but only captured half of it.

Any ideas on backup power supplies for your garmin. The only option I can think of at the moment is to carry a usb power supply to charge your garmin.

Solar power kaya hehehe. Also, remembered those old school power plants that we used to install at the back tire of the bike which powers the bike's headlights.

I think there is a workaround by using several double A batteries fully charge which acts as back up power supply (maybe you are referring to this)but you have to connect this the terminal of existing battery. Some shops sells this already as back up ( I saw this for celphone application too). Best is to use a handheld gps which battery last for 8 hrs or more

[attydenden]

a mini usb charger with two batteries would be ok, likewise CDR King has those solar charger, so that would be useful also.

[ravewave]

a mini usb charger with two batteries would be ok, likewise CDR King has those solar charger, so that would be useful also.

Check this thread : http://roadguide.ph/forums/showthread.php?t=1893

[Britster]

What 'Nuvi' is best Value for Money' to use on a Motorcycle?

see http://roadguide.ph/forums/showpost....9&postcount=15

On this Thread I added use of CDR King Power Pack for Php580
SBC-10 '2000mA Solar battery Charger' from CDR King (Php580), containing a 3.8V Lithium Cell.

SBC-10
2000mAh Solar Charger
Php 580.00







As you can see, kn this there is a USB 'A' socket (like on your PC), and a USB Mini 'B' socket (like on the back of a Garmin Nuvi).




Since the original Garmin Nuvi 255 has only a 1250mAh Battery, I figure having a 2000mAh Battery added will more than double the life. Then there is the added bonus of up to 100mA charge from the Solar Panel.

Admitted the Garmin Nuvi wont get 100mA from the Solar Cell as that is charging the internal 2000mAh battery via charge circuit and regulator, but even 50mA feeding the Garmin will extend its battery life.

The problem is how to make sure such Battery Pack can Power the Garmin Nuvi and charge its Battery at the same time?

The supplied 12V Garmin Power Adapter can do that, but a standard USB 'A' to USB Mini 'B' will be detected as a USB 'B' Cable and the Garmin will go into PC Connect Mode.

Sure there are ways to get it switch back, but rather 'inconvenient' to say the least, especially if it happens part way through an 'Off-Road' Ride on a Motorcycle. You lose visibility of where you are, as the screen Map goes and replaced by the PC Connect image, and when you get it to re-boot into Normal Map Load, you have lost the GPS Track log for that time interval and have to start over with new 'segment' (with possible 'gap' if you did not immediately stop).

I bought the CDR King [B]'SBC-10', to keep my Garmin Nuvi 255 powered up, so this does not happen.

Here is what I learned, and posted to that referenced Thread:-

99% of all USB 'A' to USB Mini 'B' Cables, do not have any connection to Pin #5 (or 'X' on the Mini USB 'B' plug that inserts into the back of the Garmin Nuvi..

The supplied 12V Power Adapter from Garmin does have a 'White' Wire to that USB ID Voltage detect input Pin #5 (or 'X' on the Mini USB 'B' plugas well as Red wire to Pin #1, and Black Wire to Pin #4.

Inside the Cigar Lighter Plug body of the Garmin 12V Adapter, there is a 17.3kOhm Resistor from that white wire to GND (Pin #4, Black)., I assume, so the USB ID Volts, reads 1.74v




Garmin Nuvi GPS Power Connector connector pinout

GPS connector or cable wiring scheme


5 pin mini-USB plug connector


Wiring diagram pinout to place Garmin Nuvi, Oregon and GPSMAP 62 GPS in recharge mode.

Pin........Pin
..........Name.......Description
1 ........+5V.........5 volts DC
2 .......data ........not connected / float
3 .......data ........not connected / float
X ....... ID ..........connected to pin 4 (GND) with 17.3K ohm resistor
4 .......GND ........ground

Standard 5 pin mini-USB connector has pin X connect to ground (pin 4) through a 200K ohm resistor (Note: The normal USB connector has only 4 pins, the mini-USB has 5 pins).

To place Nuvi into charging mode, the 200K ohm resistor must be changed to 17.3K ohm. (also successful with 22K ohm resistor from Radio Shack, also a cheap 1/8W, 5%, 15k ohm resistor will work just fine!)

Nuvi behavior depends on mini-USB plug connection.

(IMHO) it is like this:
pin X not connected - data cable, nuvi connects to PC as removable drive, navigation NOT possible.
pin X & 4 short-circuited - USB supply 500mA, possible navigation,
pin X & 4 connected through 18kOhm resistor - Garmin supply 1A, possible navigation.
pin X & 4 connected through 22kOhm resistor - Garmin supply 500mA, possible navigation.

I personally modified a cable that connected pin X to pin 4 (shorted), and verified the 500 mA charge behavior as noted above.

Nuvi requires 1000mA for simultaneous charging + GPS operation [many 'generic' 12VDC-to-USB adapters output a maximum 500mA]

Garmin Oregon requires a resistor of at least 47K ohm for running in external power supply mode (100K ohm also works). Smaller values are working, too, but Oregon then first shows a message that an unsupported accessory was found.

GPSMAP 62:
pin X not connected - data cable, GPSMAP 62 connects to PC as removable drive.
If it fails because it is connected to your car battery, it switches to external power supply mode after several seconds.

pin X & 4 connected through 47k Ohm resistor - GPSMAP 62 switches to external power supply mode immediately without waiting.

[Britster]

What 'Nuvi' is best Value for Money' to use on a Motorcycle?

see http://roadguide.ph/forums/showpost....9&postcount=15

On this Thread I added use of CDR King Power Pack for Php580
SBC-10 '2000mA Solar battery Charger' from CDR King (Php580), containing a 3.8V Lithium Cell.

SBC-10
2000mAh Solar Charger
Php 580.00

Here is what I learned, and posted to that referenced Thread:-

99% of all USB 'A' to USB Mini 'B' Cables, do not have any connection to Pin #5 (or 'X' on the Mini USB 'B' plug that inserts into the back of the Garmin Nuvi..

The supplied 12V Power Adapter from Garmin does have a 'White' Wire to that USB ID Voltage detect input Pin #5 (or 'X' on the Mini USB 'B' plugas well as Red wire to Pin #1, and Black Wire to Pin #4.

Inside the Cigar Lighter Plug body of the Garmin 12V Adapter, there is a Resistor from that white wire to GND (Pin #4, Black).




Garmin Nuvi GPS Power Connector connector pinout

GPS connector or cable wiring scheme

5 pin mini-USB plug connector

I have opened up several USB Mini 'B' connectors, including the Garmin one supplied with my Nuvi 255, and found there is no such 200kOhm Resistor from Pin #5 (or 'X') to GND (Pin #4). In fact there is usually not much of a solder tag to that Pin #5!

However that CDR King SBC-10 2000mAh Solar Charger , comes with a 3.5mm DC connector with a set of 4 x Adapter Plugs (USB Mini 'B', Nokia 2mm, and 2 other Mobile phone charge connectors).



The USB Mini 'B' adapter has 4 'clips' holding the top and bottom halves together.

There is a 200kOhm Resistor between Pin #5 and Pin #4 or GND This should be replaced by an 18kOhm or a 15kOhm Resistor.

(or a 20KOhm Resistor in parallel with the existing 200kOhm Resistor)


Another alternative that I can suggest, is to buy a CDR King USB Cable
KL-USBMINI5P-60cm
USB AM/MINI USB5P
Php 30.00

My reason for buying / suggesting such USB Cable, being:-

i) low price,
ii) short molded body length,
iii) not fully 'shielded' (no metal cover over upper part of the USB Mini 'B' plug)





I also bought LJ-120 9mm Cutter for Php 10.00



With such knife blade, I was able to cut open a rectangular hole in the upper part of the molded USB Mini 'B' plug (as viewed when inserted into the Garmin Nuvi, which is the other side to what is shown above).

I also cut through horizontally the left hand side of the strain relief part of the plug, an carefully cut that strain relief away from the body, but leaving it attached on the right hand side. I was then able to remove to cable from the strain relief part of the molded body.

I carefully cut back the outer sheath, to expose the Red, Black, 'White', Green and 'Screen' wires.

Exposing the Pin Connectors is a lot more tricky. I found a Jewelers Screwdriver, useful to pick away at the rubber, bit by bit.

There are 3 soldered Pins along the bottom edge - Black...Green...Red
Above these, between the Green & Red, is the 'White' lead.
To the left of the White is the 5th Pin, with nothing connected to it and nothing to connect to, hardly.

With small needle nosed pliers, you can grab the tiny projection of metal for Pin #5 and gently pull.. Pin #5 should slide out the back.


The advice is to connect a 13.7KOhm Resistor between Pin 5 or 'X' and Pin 4 or GND

Carbon Resistor, 0.25W ,5%, 13k

15KOhm 1/8 Watt Resistor may way work. A 22KOhm Resister did not lower the USB ID Volts enough (1.90V instead of 1.74V, and my Garmin reported under the Diagnostic Screen - USB Device: 'Unknown' (or 'No Cable Detected').

Crop one lead, close to the Resistor, and 'tin' it! Solder this Resistor end, to the tiny protrusion on the end of Pin5 (or X).
Slide Pin #5, carefully back into USB Mini 'B' Body.

Carefully cut open the insulation on the Black wire, 'tin it' and solder to the other end of that 15KOhm 1/8 Watt resistor, that also been cropped close to the body, leaving just enough metal lead to solder to.

Best to Test it, in the Garmin Nuvi, at this stage, and go to the Diagnostics Screen (hold the Battery Life Icon for at least 5 seconds)

I personally cut away part of the molded body on the right hand side, so the cable relief (with the cable reinserted, and secured with 'Superglue'), can be swung to the left, so it does not protrude from the rear of my Garmin Nuvi 255 (since the depth in the water-resistant handlebar mount case is limited)

I just 'Superglued' back the rectangular 'lid' that I cut from the top of the USB Mini 'B' Plug. I did not attempt to make good the removed rubber from the body of the molded plug to expose Pin #5. One could use an Epoxy Resin if they felt this would make the modified plug stronger.

I wrapped insulating tape around the modified molded body and angled cable strain relief, in a 'figure of 8'. (Seems to hold it all together in place quite well, and could be opened to change the resistor value if required).

[Britster]

Powering a Garmin Nuvi via USB Power source

As some may realise, Powering a Garmin Nuvi, from a USB socket as a Power Source, most likely causes it to go into 'PC Connect' mode!

In some cases the Garmin will realise this after 20 seconds after the 'green load bars, appear, and Boot -up normally then and load the maps.

In other cases it needs manual intervention, like disconnecting the USB and reconnecting a second or so later. Also going into the 'Diagnostic Screen' (by pressing and holding the Battery Life icon for 5 seconds or so).

On this 'Diagnostic Screen', you can see if your Nuvi is 'Charging' or 'Done'.
Disconnecting shows the 'Battery Capacity'.
Reconnecting the USB shows the 'Batt Current' and 'Batt Voltage'.

Depending on the USB Mini 'B' Plug Pin #5 (or 'X') wiring (ie is there a wire connected, or a resistor to 'GND' Pin #4 (black), and what value this resistor is, affects the 'USB ID Volts' which in turn determines what 'USB Device' Description comes up 'USB B' or 'USB A' (if pin #5 is shorted to GND) or 'No Cable Detected' if the Resistance from Pin #5 to GND is too High (above 1.90v) or too Low (below 1.7v?). If the Resistance is correct, the USB ID Volts should read 1.74 - 1.85v range approx.

I am not so sure about the lower limit, but 1.84v is detected as 'Power Cable', just like the Garmin 12V Power Cable (that has 17.3KOhm Resistor to GND apparently in the 12V Cigar lighter plug and connects to the USB Mini B via a white wire), and 'USB ID Volts:' = 1.78v. So if 0.6-0.7V higher than that optimal for 'Power Cable detection is correct, then perhaps 0.7v lower might also get detected as such, but not been tested to see if this is correct.

I do know the actual USB ID Volts determines 'I Limit'

The Garmin 12V Power Cable with USB ID Volts 1.78v shows 'I Limit' current to be 450mA

USB ID Volts 1.84v shows 'I Limit' current to be 450mA

http://pinouts.ru/GPS/garmin_nuvi_power_pinout.shtml suggests

pin X & 4 connected through 18kOhm resistor - Garmin supply 1A, possible navigation.

Well I put 22kOhm in parallel with a connected 200kOhm = (22x200)/(22+200) kOhm = 19.81kOhm, and 'I Limit' is 450mA

Higher Resistance values reduces to 150mA, and Short Circuit leads to 'USB A' cable detected and 150mA as the 'I Limit'.

Since the Garmin 12V Power USB cable only shows 450mA, I am not sure if there is some particular resistance that will ever show 'I Limit' of 1000mA?

For interested parties, the next modification I intend to try, is to cut the 3 core (red/black/white) lead of my Garmin 12V Power Adapter cable!

I then intend to solder a Male USB 'A' (to the cut end connecting to the USB Mini 'B' so it can be connected to any USB Socket, yet get detected by the Garmin as a Power Cable), and a Female USB 'A' to end coming from the Cigar Lighter Plug (so it looks like a PC USB Socket, and could power lots of devices that plug into USB delivering up to 500mA).

For the Female USB 'A' Socket, I think I will solder the wires to the Pins of a PS/2 USB Adapter.

CDR King USB AF to Mini 6M WA-130 or CA451 USB AF/Min6M Adaptor, where the colour seems to be the only difference, as both Php40!

No wait, I just came across this one:-

USB To PS/2 Converter
Php 20.00


http://www.cdrking.com/index.php?mod...id=2330&main=4

• USB Type A Female to PS/2 Male Adapter
• Supports USB interface to PS/2 port
• Fully compliant with USB or PS/2 keyboard/mouse
• Easy to install, no software driver required
• USB Connector: Type A (Female)
• PS/2 Connector: Mini-DIN 6-pin keyboard and mouse (Male)
• Compliant with USB 2.0 and 1.0
• Color: Black

My reasons for selecting such PS/2 adapter, being that it gives pins to solder the wires to, PS/2 Plug Pin #5 (white) and Pin #3 (black) as well as Red wire to Pin#4. I can use 'Heat Shrink Tubing' to cover the PS/2 connector and attached cable to the Cigar Lighter Plug of the Garmin 12V Power Adapter.

TIP: You are not going to be plugging into PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard so pull that PS/2 circular metal mount from that back of that USB to PS/2 adapter (it makes a a hell of a lot easier to solder the wires to the pins securely). I also used rubber sleeves, to slide down over the soldered wires to insulate from touching adjacent pins and add some mechanical strength, along with the heat shrink tubing!



NB: I was initially confused over the PS2 pin outs and that USB to PS/2 wiring.

Just Follow that left hand USB to PS/2 wiring, but apply it to the PS/2 pins protruding from the Front. I added the rotated and vertically flipped image, so the Pin # align with that USB to PS/2 wiring diagram.

The right hand schematic showing the PS/2 Pins (that I added the USB colored wires to), is actually the PS/2 Socket, not the plug, You need to follow a Mirror image of that Schematic.

I found this out by doing a colour wire continuity test from both sides of this PS/2 and USB cables that would 'join. the cut ends of the Garmin 12V Power Adapter Cable.

I added a 20kOhm Resistor between the White and Black wires in the added USB 'A' Plug lead.

I can report that my Garmin Nuvi 255 can now be connected using the right angled USB Min 'B' of the original Garmin 12V Power Adapter Cable, now fitted with USB 'A' and it reports as 'USB Device:' Power Cable

It boots up straight up into 'Map Loading' and completes, with no sign of PC Connect mode

'USB ID Volts:' 1.78

'I Limit:' 450mA

Unplug from the Female USB 'A' connector pair that got added to the modified 12 V Power Cable Adapter, and plug into any USB Socket delivering 5V Power, and it behaves exactly the same as when it was connected to the Garmin 5V Supply via the 12V Power Adapter conversion.

I also get a right angled USB Mini 'B' with 3 wires, to use on my water resistant handlebar mount case, without having to cut open the connector and modify it.

CDR King offer best value for money product, that I could experiment with.

I also bought a 'DC-CV-06' for Php150 with 5 x '3.5mm DC 'Tip' Adaptors, just because if gave a DC 3.5mm Female Socket (before I determined one needs a 3 pin connection, to extend Pin # 5 of the USB Mini B).

This proved to be FAULTY as the ratchet cable DC 3.5.. Socket did not deliver 6V DC as it was supposed to.

I failed to return it to the CDR King Branch thatI bought it from (SM Cebu) within 1 day, for instant replacement. The 1 Week Warranty will soon be over!

But hell, at these prices, paying Php150 for 5 x 'Adapter Tips' (1 additional 3.5mm Male to Male) and that 3.5mm DC Female Connector is worth Php150.

Who needs a working 5V to 6V conversion, on a ratchet extendable USB to 3.5mm DC Female connector?

I have since taken the 12V Plug apart, removed the DC-DC chip, the coil, capacitors but left a Diode, resistor and LED and wired the 5V DC output to the 6V DC output pads that the rachet cable wires connected to.

Try to avoid breaking these wires as they are 'tinsel' type. I had to try a repair as there was no continuity on one of them (which may have been why it was not working, but the LED was not coming on either!)

I learned one method of terminating Tinsel wire in my Engineering Apprenticeship with the 'MOD' in the UK, way back in 1972. This being to take a thin single strand of copper wire, from a cable, and use this to 'whip' (wrap the wire tightly around the textile 'core' with the thin foil conductors, so they make physical and electrical connection, with each new rotation, butting up tightly with the previous) to the the end of the 'Tinsel' cable' conductor. You apply solder to this outer layer of copper stand wrap, to 'Tin' it.

I inserted the tinned ends of the Tinsel wire conductors from the component side of the PWB (having previously slipped a red sleeve onto the positive conductor) so the tinned whipped end protruded through the solder pads, and soldered them in place.

Pleased to report the repair was a success and now being only 5V (the standard USB voltage between Pins #1 and #4), it should be safe for any Device that plugs into a USB socket for power.