Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ian Ingham]

Has anyone tried this combination, I susspect it would do the satnav no good at all so don't want to try it! However if anyone has used one and it works O.K. that would be handy knowledge.

[Penman]

Hi
Sat Navs normally use a cigarette lighter plug.
So get a spare plug and a socket, connect them together with the wires crossing over + to - and - to +, and then label it up as a polarity change over lead.
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I bought a sat nav that ran off batteries for this purpose, to use in old cars, like the ford is 6V, but the bl**dy thing never works anyway, keeps switching off, mid route, so by that time I am in a non known location!

Given up with it now, took it back two or three times, but the manufacturer has done nothing really, won't be buying another of that make anyway!

Cheers

Dave

[danielr]

bit of an old post now, but I thought that I'd comment...

so far as positive earth goes, most lighters that you get now (assuming that you;re replacing the lighter) seem to have a plastic ring that insulated the metal casing, so really unless you have equipment that needs a positive earth I think that it's unlikely that just swapping them over on the main socket is going to be a problem. you don't need a second reverse wired lighter...

I realise that people may want original lighters rather than newer plastic insulated ones, but if you're installing a second lighter, that's far from original, and unless the dash is made of metal I think it unlikely that you're going to have a problem swapping these wires about to make positive the centre pin, even if the dash is metal there is likely something that can be done to insulate the lighter body from the dash, (rubber sleeve etc).


a lot of sat navs now use what is called a mini USB connector like you find on cameras to download the pictures to a computer.

these charge using 5v, so sat navs should work fine with both 6 and 12v electrical systems...
if you're finding that the shop bought lighter accessory won't power the thing then you can make your own...

all you need to do is to go to maplin and buy a component part called and LM7805, this is a 5v voltage regulator, and you'll need to buy a USB socket, both these items are about £1 each. (possibly a bit less),

the lm7805 has three legs, Voltage in,0v and 5v out.

you need to wire voltage in to the feed in, (6v or 12v whatever the car is) and the 5v out leg to the positive connector on the USB socket.

you then need to wire your cars 0v (negative), (which may or may not be earth on your car) to the 0v leg on the voltage regulator, and to the 0v connector on the USB socket.

(also put a fuse in if you like).

et voila you have a usb charger for your sat nav, and you just need to use a camera cable, or the cable that came with the sat nave to connect it to a computer to charge it.

If any one is interested I could draw a diagram that's perhaps easier to follow... but what I can say is that I know that these work.
(my phone charges of a USB style connector and I've made one of these and can charge my phone (or at least keep it alive) from a 9v battery. -I've used it when I've been at festivals and there is no mains power supply to just plug in a wall charger).

[Uncle Alec]

Just plug the satnav into the +ve earth as usual but do exactly the opposite to what the satnav tells you.

No?

[mikeC]

[Roger-hatchy]

I was given one a couple of years ago, used it three times,
First time just to see what it would do, reguler run from dartford to home, the satnav put 15 miles on the route,
Second time to a reunion in Coningsby, thing sent me through the middle of Boston, singletrack side streets, got our of Boston, kept telling me to turn around when possible the tells me to turn at a junction had just passed, approaching the venue saw two delta wings in the sky, got to the venue to be told XH588 "The Vulcan had just flown over".
would hev been there 15-20 minutes quicker without I think.
Last time I used it was late at night, out in the middle of nowhere in Suffolk, pitch black hissing it down so I thought use the satnav.
Came to a roundabout in Braintree, not aprroached it from that side before, told turn left so I did, was a familliar road.
I was about 5 miles from home, the sat nav was directing me to Colchester to come back to my home from colchester, a 20-25 mile round trip.
It is now only there for an emergancy if I need to call out the AA, the same reason for my Mobile phone.

Not been in any lakes or over any cliffs yet

[Brian M]

To get to my house from the nearest main road, I turn left at a set of traffic lights and left again at the bottom of this road so I am travelling in the "Wrong" direction for about 50 yards. About 300 yards before the traffic lights is an unmade track marked "unfit for motors" that all SatNavs recommend as it is the shortest way to get to my house. I have had several visitors asking me why I sent them down such an awful road.
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Brian
1970 Volvo Amazon and 1978 Safari 15-4 Caravan
Classic Safari Forum: www.classicsafaris.co.uk

[Roger-hatchy]

Hi Brian
Not too far from me I see.
Don't call ASDA

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20091023/tod-satnav-blunder-this-asda-be-the-wron-870a197.html

I won't say what I think