To plug or not to plug?

 

Do you folks keep your car charger cord plugged into the cig. lighter or power port at all times, even when you do not have your GPS hooked up at the other end? Do your in-line fuses ever get blown?
I keep my GPS charger cord and my cell phone charger cord plugged in all the time (one to a cig. lighter, one to a "power port"). The other day I noticed my cell phone charger had blown the in-line fuse (even though the phone hadn't been hooked to it in a while). This isn't the first time a fuse had blown in a power cord in my truck. Most likely, the startup transients on the +12V system are taking out my fuses. My vehicle has 2 batteries, (paralleled, not series, so I still have a +12V system), that could be exacerbating the problem. Even though I don't do it, I believe the best thing to do is plug in the cords AFTER you have started the vehicle and unplug them BEFORE you turn it off.

Curious,
~Rob

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Garmin nuvi 660 Garmin GPSMAP60CS HTC Touch Pro (ATT Fuze) with internal GPS You can't spell gEEk without an EE :)

I don't see how it would

I don't see how it would make a difference whether you plug in the chargers after the motor is started or not. Any transient would be the same and running down the battery is not a concern. The only way there would be a large transient is if there is a large capacitor between power and ground in the charger. When this capacitor charges up it would draw a higher current. Another possibility is that there are other loads on the same circuit so when they all power up at once (when the vehicle is started) there is a high current draw but when the charger is plugged in later there is less transient. This assumes the plug is not hot when the key is off. Some cars have these outlets independent of the ignition and some are only hot when the key is on.

Are you sure?

hotdram wrote:

My vehicle has 2 batteries, (paralleled, not series, so I still have a +12V system)...

I don't think it's very likely they are in parallel (there being a good chance of a loud bang if they were! - lead acid battery have very low internal resistances, and even a slight difference in voltages between the two batteries would cause a large current to flow).

Maybe there's a feed from the middle of them, to give 12V to the cig. lighter socket? Have you tried a voltmeter on that feed? If it turns out to be 24V after all, that would explain your blown fuses...

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------------------------ Phil Hornby, Stockport, England ----------------------               http://GeePeeEx.com - Garmin POI Creation made easy           »      

Battery All The Way

I blew a couple of fuses already. Now, I run on battery power, as I also hate the look of the dangling cord.

When the battery runs down, I bring it into the house, plug it in to the computer to charge and use the opportunity to update software/POI's, etc.

Works for me.

-Tom

Plugged or not.

I've always disconnect the nuvi from the cig lighter cord, but the cig lighter plug is plugged in when I start the car. So far haven't had a blown fuse.

Some electrical systems disengage the cig lighter circuit while starting up. Don't know if my car does that. So to play it safe, I disconnect the nuvi.

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HarveyS - Nuvi 350

Batts are paralleled

Hornbyp wrote:
hotdram wrote:

My vehicle has 2 batteries, (paralleled, not series, so I still have a +12V system)...

I don't think it's very likely they are in parallel.

It is a diesel truck. The batteries are in parallel (so still a +12V system) to provide the current required for the grid heater (The Cummins ISB engine does not have glow plugs). Think of the grid heater as a big toaster heater coil that warms the incoming air charge up to enable starting the engine.
The extra current capability is also required because the starter motor for the engine is rated at 3.6 Hp as compared to the 1.8 Hp starter motor the gas engines available for the same truck have.

The vehicle in question is a Dodge truck, but Fords and Chevys have dual batts as well.
~Rob

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Garmin nuvi 660 Garmin GPSMAP60CS HTC Touch Pro (ATT Fuze) with internal GPS You can't spell gEEk without an EE :)

I also have a Dodge diesel.

I also have a Dodge diesel. Have had no problems with my StreetPilot C330 - so far. I leave it plugged into the cigarette lighter which only comes on with ignition. Have not used the aux power outlet for this. Don't know if that makes a difference, or if that's what your using. My unit may behave differently than yours or I've just been lucky...

Power Port

Now that I think about it, all the times I have blown fuses, it was when the charger in question was plugged into the aux power port which is always hot. I have not had an issue with things plugged into the cig. lighter.

~Rob

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Garmin nuvi 660 Garmin GPSMAP60CS HTC Touch Pro (ATT Fuze) with internal GPS You can't spell gEEk without an EE :)

Plug all the times

I always keep my GPS charger cord and my radar detector charger cord plugged in all the time. So far, my GPS charger cord blew one time. Keep several extra fuse in your car all the time.

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nuvi660

I use the plug

I use the 12v pwr cord. Rarely use the unit battery pwr while in the vehicle. In my Explorer the 12v is hot if running or not. But I usually start the vehicle then plug in the c550. The other vehicle is a Camry, that outlet is only hot when the car is running. On our recent trip, I left it plugged in, turned the car off - got the message that 12v pwr was lost do you want to continue on Battery power? - Sometimes I'd say yes and sometimes say no. Eventually restart the car with the plug still plugged in and so far, no blown fuses. Also, usually in both vehicles, I turn the GPSr off then disconnect the pwr cord.

I use the 12v cord mainly because of the built in traffic receiver (GTM-20).

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........Garmin StreetPilot c550 / Nüvi 765...........