CoPilot BT GPS perm. car power

mcrobiej · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 04, 2004 Posts: 17

I have just got a CP BT GPS receiver, and I would like to mount the receiver on the rear parcel shelf in the car.

I have seen a few posts about people charging / discharging the receiver by having it plugged into the car power, but I am wondering if I could modify the unti so that it will only be powered from the car. This would mean that it would come on as soon as I start the engine (after the lock-on) and would safely power off on a night.

the other way is to use the car to charge the batteries up when the engine is on, but to let the unit go flat every night - if I choose this wayhow long before I cmpletely knacker the batteries (is it about 600 charges?)

Any ideas? there mst be someone who has a perm car fixing.

Thanks

Jamie

lbendlin · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 5:38 am Post subject:

The CoPilot BT GPS has an on/off switch. So if you are not shy of a soldering iron you could modify the cabling such that the incoming power would power the receiver, and the on/off switch would connect/disconnect the battery.

That way you are also saving the battery's life since it doesn't get charged/discharged all the time. (you are right with the cycles, by the way. 600 cycles converts to roughly two years)
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mcrobiej · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 04, 2004 Posts: 17

Now there is an idea - I could modify the on/off switch to be bridged by a relay - when the car power is on then the relay would energise and power the unit up, and when the car power is off, the relay would switch the unit off - EXCELLENT.
p.s. I wont forget the reverse bias diode to protect the charging circuit of the GPS module.

cool - I'm happy now !!! :D

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