Need to run my Nuvi 660 on my motorcycle
Tue, 04/22/2008 - 11:55am
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 17 years
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Here is the problem, I will go riding sometimes for 8 to 10 hours at a time. My Nuvi 660's battery will not work that long. So I need a way to keep it powered up. I have a Cigarette lighter on the handlebar, also a Ram-Mount system to hold the GPS securely. But the only adapters I see plug into the little USB port on the side. If I use that, it will shut the GPS off. So I believe I need to plug it into the back of the unit. But the car mount will not be very secure on my Motorcycle. (Please don't suggest the Zumo unless you can paypal me the money to buy it. 
) Does anyone know of where I can buy a mount that will work? Or a way to power it?
Nope, but...
Although I can't paypal you the money, the 660 is not motorcycle friendly according to the Garmin site. Use at your own risk.
Glenn - Southern MD; SP C330 / Nuvi 750 / Nuvi 265WT
I use mine either way. The
I use mine either way. The Ram Cradle allows me to use my garmin cradle inside the RAM cradle and use the stock cord or i can use the RAM by itself and use the USP cord and it works fine. Mine has never shut off using the USP to power it. I use a small piece of rubber under the U bolt to cut back on vibes and keep a Ziplock bag to store the unit in my saddle bags if it rains. It works great on my motorcycle. Only downfall is the unit isnt waterproof.
Newbee
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I have a Cigarette lighter on the handlebar,
? Not an accessory I recall having on the 150mph, fire-breathing monsters of my youth
So I believe I need to plug it into the back of the unit. But the car mount will not be very secure on my Motorcycle.... Or a way to power it?
One advantage of using the rear connector, is that it's a 12V input - the regulation being internal to the Nüvi. Because of its simplicity, lots of cheap, functional variants are available on eBay - you might be able to use one of these, with a part of the Nüvi 6xx cradle, and your Ram mount (I'm not familiar with the latter). You could lop the cig. lighter plug off and hard-wire this in (to a fuse).
Otherwise, you need the functional equivalent of this:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=1350
Gomadic's version is cheaper
http://www.gomadic.com/garmin-nuvi-660-rapid-car-auto-charge...
but I would worry about vibration undoing the 'tip' in this application.
(I would love to know why the 'proper' adaptor for the 6xx, is the same price as the adaptor for the 3xx (linked above). There are no active components in this adaptor).
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=1371
------------------------ Phil Hornby, Stockport, England ---------------------- http://GeePeeEx.com - Garmin POI Creation made easy »
I am using the gomadic USB
I am using the gomadic USB so i can charge my cell phone if needed. It has never fallen out of the GPS plug.
Newbee
I guess..
Although I can't paypal you the money, the 660 is not motorcycle friendly according to the Garmin site. Use at your own risk.
Not motorcycle friendly is just a polite way of saying it isn't waterproof. No problem, I try my best not to ride in the rain, but if I am caught in it, i put the Nuvi in a ziplick bag.
Rodney.. oditius.htc@gmail.com BMW Zumo 550 HTC Touch Pro - Garmin XT
That worked!!!
I use mine either way. The Ram Cradle allows me to use my garmin cradle inside the RAM cradle and use the stock cord or i can use the RAM by itself and use the USP cord and it works fine. Mine has never shut off using the USP to power it. I use a small piece of rubber under the U bolt to cut back on vibes and keep a Ziplock bag to store the unit in my saddle bags if it rains. It works great on my motorcycle. Only downfall is the unit isn't waterproof.
That was it, I always wondered why they left that space in there.. The cradle that came with it fit perfect!! Thanks for the idea...
Rodney.. oditius.htc@gmail.com BMW Zumo 550 HTC Touch Pro - Garmin XT
Not sure why...
One advantage of using the rear connector, is that it's a 12V input - the regulation being internal to the Nüvi. Because of its simplicity, lots of cheap, functional variants are available on eBay - you might be able to use one of these, with a part of the Nüvi 6xx cradle, and your Ram mount (I'm not familiar with the latter). You could lop the cig. lighter plug off and hard-wire this in (to a fuse).(I would love to know why the 'proper' adapter for the 6xx, is the same price as the adapter for the 3xx (linked above). There are no active components in this adapter).
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=1371
Those links went to the small USB chargers, but the problem with those is if you plug it in, you can't use the GPS. So it becomes useless. But the cradle that came with it works, all I did was to pull the suction cup out and it fit right into the ram mount. Happy days are here again.. I get to listen to music, and keep the GPS going!!!!
Rodney.. oditius.htc@gmail.com BMW Zumo 550 HTC Touch Pro - Garmin XT
.
Those links went to the small USB chargers, but the problem with those is if you plug it in, you can't use the GPS.
No, those links went to chargers that wouldn't do that!
They have a resistor between pins 4+5 of the mini-usb plug, that says to the device: "I am a Garmin charger (that can supply 1A); I'm not a PC".
I know (because I've tried it), the Nüvi 2xx/3xx 'USB charger' (010-10723-06) will operate the Nüvi 760 and StreetPilot C510, without sending them into Mass-storage mode. Logic says it will run Nüvi 6xx in the same way.
But if you've solved your problem anyway - good
------------------------ Phil Hornby, Stockport, England ---------------------- http://GeePeeEx.com - Garmin POI Creation made easy »