Power options for Dual Sport GPS units

DirtBiker84 wrote:

and i installed a mini usb kit for a GPS. going to have to wait a bit on the gps. but when i get one ill be set.

Unless you never ride with a tank or tail bag, you might want to rethink the GPS setup.

If you're only out for the day, your GPS will run on one battery charge just fine. And how hard is a spare set to carry anyways?

If you're out for more than the day, you'll need a recharge or change. Then bike power comes in.

So you can have that cable running up to a mini-USB port, plugged into the spendy GPS, exposing the port to weather and the cable to being snagged while riding around brush or during a get-off.

Or instead, that cable can run to an inexpensive charger setup in your tank bag with a spare battery, protected from snagging, while your GPS sits safely buttoned up.

Your choice. I've paid the price for snagged cables, and my Rino sits by itself in the Ram mount, while the wiring goes to the charger&spare in the tank bag. I might wire a supertanker dual sport, because I'd probably think about running a Zumo or something similar on that setup, but never a wired GPS on a dirt bike oriented dual sport. It's an ingenious solution to a nonexistent problem in my mind.

The last of the Garmin 60CSx and 76CSx units are going at blow out prices, simply because they have upgraded models of these two that will allow aerial imagery to be loaded. A feature that for most people is mostly useless eye candy - most Trimble users don't use orthophotos even though they have had the capability for years and much larger, more expensive screens to display on. The last of those units are being sold off in various places for $200 - $235. Buy now or pay somewhere around $350 to $450 once they're gone.

The Rino 530HCx is also being phased out for an orthophoto-capable upgrade model. I've seen the refurbished units, with the warranty of a new unit, for sale for below $300. They're an awesome unit with comms capabilities the rest lack.

Jäger wrote:

If you're only out for the day, your GPS will run on one battery charge just fine.

Unfortunately my Nuvi 550 lasted from 8am till about 3:45 on my ride on Saturday and finally tired out. Which was probably fine since about an hour later the monsoons hit when I was about an hour from home. Luckily it was in the Wolfman.

Jäger wrote:

Or instead, that cable can run to an inexpensive charger setup in your tank bag with a spare battery, protected from snagging, while your GPS sits safely buttoned up.

I just spent an hour googling something to charge the battery and I couldn't find any external charger for the 550's 3.7v battery. Well, there was one that was like 62 bucks.

Do you remember where you got your 12v outboard battery charger? Is your unit's battery a common one or some PDA specific one like this Nuvi is?

I know I should get a real GPS like a 60 or 74, but for now my Nuvi will have to do. I need better boots and maybe some pivot pegz first.

Rule292 wrote:

[Unfortunately my Nuvi 550 lasted from 8am till about 3:45 on my ride on Saturday and finally tired out. Which was probably fine since about an hour later the monsoons hit when I was about an hour from home. Luckily it was in the Wolfman.

The Nuvi 550 is water proof.

bsheet2 wrote:

Rule292 wrote:

[Unfortunately my Nuvi 550 lasted from 8am till about 3:45 on my ride on Saturday and finally tired out. Which was probably fine since about an hour later the monsoons hit when I was about an hour from home. Luckily it was in the Wolfman.

The Nuvi 550 is water proof.

Yep, that's Garmin's claim but I didn't want to test it's limits! It'd almost need to be submersible for the rain I was riding in.


Well, maybe I did want it to crap out since I'd really like a model 60 or a Zumo...

Rule292 wrote:

I just spent an hour googling something to charge the battery and I couldn't find any external charger for the 550's 3.7v battery. Well, there was one that was like 62 bucks. Do you remember where you got your 12v outboard battery charger? Is your unit's battery a common one or some PDA specific one like this Nuvi is? I know I should get a real GPS like a 60 or 74, but for now my Nuvi will have to do. I need better boots and maybe some pivot pegz first.

I keep thinking I should move this to the GPS area, but we're still in the grey area a bit...

My Rino 530HCx runs on either a model-specific battery pack or on an AA battery pack. The model-specific battery has a LOT more horsepower (important when the unit will punch out radio signals at 5 volts). It came with the GPS, and I see it would be a bit pricey if I lost it (but not as pricey as what you mentioned). I'm not familiar with your model of GPS, so don't know what options might be available there.

So the charger that comes with the unit is a little clip that snaps onto the dedicated battery pack. About the size of one of those ketchup packets at a fast food restaurant. The cigarette lighter plug in and cable that plugs into the charger is about three times the size. The model-specific batteries will charge while in use on the GPS, or just sitting by themselves.

I have one of those SAE to two cigarette lighter plug setups where the power runs into the tank bag. One plug in powers the GPS charger. On the other, the AA's charge in a little 4-battery Maha Powerex. It tucks in a corner of the tank bag and will charge the AA's for the GPS AA pack or my camera flash, or the AAAs for the SPOT. Both take up about as much space together as your fist. So I always have a set of batteries topped right up, sitting on trickle charge.

Battery technology for AA's and AAA's has come a long way, incidentally. Check out the Ansmann 2500 AA Low Discharge NiMH batteries - or if you're not worried about self-discharge while your charged batteries lay around waiting to be used, the power available in the Delkin Power 2900mAh AA batteries. Considerably more than what you get when you pick up some Duracells while in the checkout line at the grocery store.

It's pretty tough to find a better selection and better prices than Thomas Distributing on small batteries and chargers, incidentally. They may even have the custom battery or a charger for your device.

If you wait too long on those 60's and 72's, you'll be paying several hundred dollars more on the models replacing them...

Jäger wrote:

It's pretty tough to find a better selection and better prices than Thomas Distributing on small batteries and chargers, incidentally. They may even have the custom battery or a charger for your device.

If you wait too long on those 60's and 72's, you'll be paying several hundred dollars more on the models replacing them...

I saw a 60Csx is down to $219 shipped. That's cheaper than my 550 which I thougt was cheap for a unit that does basic topo. Wonder what the advantages of the 60 versus 72 are? Havent't looked at either lately so I don't remember much.


The one thing I don't like about my NUVI 550 is that like every other damn piece of tech I have, it has a funky proprietary battery. Like I was sayin, that means no easy (cheap) battery charger other than the internal USB charger. And I don't like spending 40 bucks for the dupe battery either.

For me, going with easily obtainable AA batteries means that the GPS can share batteries with a DSLR... AND an EOTECH 552.

Rechargeable means that if we ever needed to we could do like RTWDOUG on ADVRIDER is doing and use a solar charger to recharge batteries.

Rule292 wrote:

I saw a 60Csx is down to $219 shipped. That's cheaper than my 550 which I thougt was cheap for a unit that does basic topo. Wonder what the advantages of the 60 versus 72 are? Havent't looked at either lately so I don't remember much.

The 72 floats. The 60 doesn't. That's it to the best of my knowledge

Quote :

The one thing I don't like about my NUVI 550 is that like every other damn piece of tech I have, it has a funky proprietary battery. Like I was sayin, that means no easy (cheap) battery charger other than the internal USB charger. And I don't like spending 40 bucks for the dupe battery either.

I've seen them for like $25. But if the unit isn't doing it for you, doesn't make a lot of sense to keep sinking money on it.

Quote :

For me, going with easily obtainable AA batteries means that the GPS can share batteries with a DSLR... AND an EOTECH 552.

Now why would you mount an EOTECH on a DSLR...

Jäger wrote:

The 72 floats. The 60 doesn't. That's it to the best of my knowledge

I'll have to think about that since I see them both at just about the same price... there are a lot of water hazards where I ride.

Or maybe I should just get the 72 in case I buy a boat...

Jäger wrote:

Now why would you mount an EOTECH on a DSLR...

Why else - to turn that DSLR into a point and shoot!

But then again I haven't seen too many DSLR's with a rail on top.

I would entertain a new camera that uses AA batteries even though the proprietary rechargeable batteries really seem to punch though with the voltage (especially when new).

I saw Garmin now lists the 60 and 72 as discontinued models, so I need to be quick if I want one.

Rule292 wrote:

I saw Garmin now lists the 60 and 72 as discontinued models, so I need to be quick if I want one.

Yes... I think I've said that several times already...

Jäger wrote:

Yes... I think I've said that several times already...

Yep but this is the first time I saw it listed as discontinued on their site (granted I haven't looked for a month or so) so I gotta get serious. I've been putting it off because I want new Tech 8's... and I've been eyeing up an US&S 1911 which is more than the damn WR cost me.

Seems like nobody but Amazon has them left. Ordering mine now before I go out riding for the day.

Gotta remember to order me a cradle that fits a ram ball mount.

I wired my 60CSx directly to the bike battery through an SAE plug so I can use the same plug for my Battery Tender. Works for me.

Here is the Schematic that I have modified and added in a Fuse Bank, HID lights and two cigarette plugs for power to GPS and other accessories
Look closely at the power, there is also Time Delay Relays in there as well....

The NEW items you will see in the lower left hand corner of the schematic

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3CBaobIXcSHMWYzYmQyODctNTc5NC00NzBjLTg4NWUtNjI0MjY2ZTE5ZjUx

SteveO wrote:

Here is the Schematic that I have modified and added in a Fuse Bank, HID lights and two cigarette plugs for power to GPS and other accessories
Look closely at the power, there is also Time Delay Relays in there as well....

The NEW items you will see in the lower left hand corner of the schematic

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3CBaobIXcSHMWYzYmQyODctNTc5NC00NzBjLTg4NWUtNjI0MjY2ZTE5ZjUx

Here's my wiring diagram. It's a bit more complicated, but it does the job.

maddaddy wrote:

SteveO wrote:

Here is the Schematic that I have modified and added in a Fuse Bank, HID lights and two cigarette plugs for power to GPS and other accessories
Look closely at the power, there is also Time Delay Relays in there as well....

The NEW items you will see in the lower left hand corner of the schematic

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3CBaobIXcSHMWYzYmQyODctNTc5NC00NzBjLTg4NWUtNjI0MjY2ZTE5ZjUx

Here's my wiring diagram. It's a bit more complicated, but it does the job.

NICE! That is probably one of the most technical and appears to be one of the most complicated schematics I've "ever" seen! Sheesh. How do you keep focused on all the busyness of the wires going from the battery to the fuse block to your GPS.....

I think even Master engineers would have a tough time with that one.....

j/k,

Just following the wiring diagram and trying to work out where people are picking up the ign switched power from? I am right in thinking people are just picking it up off the light circuit (tail light) for the switched ignition and then a relay for switching the main battery power on to the fuse block?

I am looking at using a PDM60 so only need to pick up the ign switch wiring and + and -