HELP WITH CHARGING

I don't think your model is any different, but with my 660 I cannot get into navigate mode while the USB cable is connected.

My experience with the c530 is that it can charge through the USB connector and you can connect to the computer through the USB connector, but it will not operate. Need to connect through the vehicle adapter.

Your Garmin StreetPilot C530 has two things happening while plugged into a USB port:

1)you begin charging your battery.
2) The c530 enters mass storage mode for your computer.

Once Unpluged or repluged with your USB power supply cord or traffic cord it is then ready to go into navigation mode.

Check out this link below, you can use this from truck to truck:
http://www.roshgo.com/store/prods/16012.html

Try this:

http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/AC-Wall-Plug-to-12V-DC-...

On many if not all nuvi’s after entering the test mode by touching the battery icon on the menu page for about 10 seconds, you can attach the usb cable and when you exit the test mode the nuvi will be capable of navigation. I haven’t tried using it in that mode in my car but I can see no reason it wouldn’t work with my blackberry charger plugged into the cigarette lighter and the nuvi… hmmm I have to check that out, it may be a good backup… So you might see if that will also work with your 530

Edit another method I have used: After the unit goes into mass storage mode while connected to your computer, unplug the usb cable from the nuvi and immediately replug it back in to the nuvi and it will boot into a navigate mode. I have used both methods on nuvis...

I can't belive it this works, I am able to charge the battery thru the mini usb port and navagate at the same time. Thank You I'll send you a check.

If it wasn't for the site I would not have been able to supply an answer...

You can charge the Garmin from any high power USB port and still use the full navigation features -- if you use a power-only USB cable. These cables are sold for cell phones and electronics that only need power and not data.
Jen

It amazes me how people will spend hundreds of dollars for an item and quibble about spending $20 for a cable that was designed for it. Why take a chance with off brand chargers or trying to make a phone charger work to save a couple of bucks. You got a Garmin usb cable when you bought the unit why not spend $19.95 for a Garmin AC charger and then you will have all the right cables for what you want to do.

It amazes me how people will spend hundreds of dollars for an item and quibble about spending $20 for a cable that was designed for it. Why take a chance with off brand chargers or trying to make a phone charger work to save a couple of bucks. You got a Garmin usb cable when you bought the unit why not spend $19.95 for a Garmin AC charger and then you will have all the right cables for what you want to do.

I've never heard of such USB cable. If you got one, where did you buy it from? I'm gonna get one for myself.

sorry but ive got to be a little rude..all you do is take a usb cable to like a camera or the garmin, magellan gps and cut the white and green wires..those are the wires that tell the computer its plugged in and itll charge and u can be on it at the same time

What's the problem with the vehicle power cable (the cig lighter plug)? That allows navigation and charges the battery as well. It was a novel idea by garmin to include one with each unit. If it's broken, replace it. Why go through all the steps using a usb cable/charger while in the vehicle? Are there benefits I'm not seeing?

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=164&pID=384#accessor...
Vehicle power cable
010-10747-03
$ 28.00 USD

for $14.19 including shipping. If you select US shippers you will usually have your item withing 3 days.

http://tinyurl.com/m6rx9q

I am a swing driver using a different truck and route every day. Many of these are older trucks 300,000 plus miles and the cig. lighters don't work. I emailed Garmin about this problem and there reply was it was not possible to charge thru the usb mini port and navagate at the same time. I had been trying to charge the garmin with a Lenmar PowerPort charger and battery but could not navagate at the same time.

A portable solution for you. Go to Walmart, or your favorite discount store and by one of the Emergency Jump Start Batteries. You know the type, about the size of a lunchbox. Get one with a cig lighter port on it. It will operate your GPS for several days before needing charging. You can charge it at night on A/C at home.

I use this solution on my school buses I drive. I substitute. It works very well. Put it in a cheap backpack and you can hang it on most anything to keep it from moving around.

Yes I am aware of the chargers with the cig lighter port but I was looking for smaller solution. Charging off a Lamar power battery, about the size of a credir card, using the mini ubs port, charging and using the maps program(see above)

While fooling around with my garmin, when I am in my car I use the garmin supplied charger but what if it blows a fuse or quits working for some other reason and in that situation I would like to be able to have a backup --- such as my cell phone vehicle charger until I can replace the fuse etc... I guess I could also carry a supply of fuses and spare cables... Right...

Much less expensive than anothe cable///

Have you tried that cell phone charger? I'm under the impression that pretty much any USB power supplying connector will work. If it see the USB data connection also then it goes into computer mode and drops out of operational mode, but otherwise it just powers the GPS and recharges the battery. If there is something magic about the Garmin GPS connector that other connectors like a USB type cell phone charger lack, I would certainly like to know what that is.

I don't remember exactly the difference but it has been discussed here several times... And yes I have tried a cell phone charger, it works just fine. And if you wish to not have it in mass strorage mode, simply unplug while in mass storage mode and then immediately replug it... At least it works with my 770 and 270 nuvi's

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