How to fit a TomTom ONE without using the windscreen mount

tweety · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 46

I’ve done things like this before with my snooper but i'm about to try this with the tomtom ONE as i don't like the unit being in the window of the car and the mount attracts attention even when the unit isn't there.

Firstly locate you cars fuse panel which is usually drivers side near the door. look in your handbook. Locate a spare 12v fuse position and use a bit of common sense to decide if it’s an ignition switched fuse. That is that the fuse is live if the car is running and dead otherwise. This means that the unit will power down when the car is stopped. Now i know this isn't true with the ONE as the unit doesn't sense power but some other devices and nav units do this so a switch fuse is better but not actually required for the ONE. The fuse usually relates to an expensive option that you didn't get on your car so there should be a few available. Make sure there is power to it by using a volt meter or some wire and a 12v bulb. One wire to the fuse and the other the the car body with the bulb in-between. If you don't know what i'm on about here just give up now.

Next, decide where you are going to put the unit and how you can mount it. The standard ONE mount can be cut to make the clip that you slide the ONE onto a suitable piece all on its own. Cut it so it just looks like a flat plate by cutting off the two pieces with the hole in that fixs to the arm. This gives you a nice flat rear to affix to the bracket (we'll get to this later). You might want to buy another new mount for sale if you ever sell the unit. See here.
http://www.tomtom.com/products/accessory.php?ID=152&Product=143&Category=&Context=1&Language=1

Make sure the unit will not obstruct anything before going any further.

Deciding where to put the unit is a BIG decision. Spare button positions can be used. If they have a blank button in them, they can be used as anchor points. Ring the car dealers and order some new blank buttons so the ones you have can be drilled and modified. You probably need to remove them to get the part code off them which is usually marked on the back. I did this in the SAAB as the heated seat buttons are in a superb position. The blanks cost me £5 or £6 so no big problems.

Therefore, in this example i now have a suitable modified ONE mount plate and two buttons that can be used. If you need the unit angled upwards this mean you may need to get practical and do some metal work. An old mobile phone mount or piece of bent metal is ideal. I used a spare mount that came with something. Go here to see the type of brackets i mean.
http://www.dashmount.co.uk/manufacturers.htm

You could actually mount the ONE on the proper phone bracket in the place that they are meant for, but if you’re like me the phone is already there you need this type of option.

So the big question now is how do you get the wire from the fuse panel to the place where you have decided to put the unit and this is the tricky part. You need to remove some dashboard areas and this is sometime a big job but not always. My SAAB had about 8 screws to remove and I also had to remove the radio. The Audi I have is 4 screws and a few clips so quite easy to get at the dash internals.

So next, we need to wire the unit to the fuse. You will need something like this
http://www.gpsw.co.uk/details/prod740.html
these are available all over the place…..a single hole unit is all that’s needed. You do not need the two hole version specifically.

Cut off the plug end that goes into the cigarette lighter hole so you have bare wires. Next you have to connect these wires to the fuse panel and this needs to be done securely and safely. Again if you twist the wire if will likely just be able to be inserted into the front of the panel where the fuse would go. Inserted into the live side as the fuses have a live side and an equipment side. The two sides are connected by the fuse. Again, if this is all news to you, you might be better off leaving everything alone. In this case, you do not need a fuse as the ONEs lead is fused but if required you can insert the wire in to the dead (equipment) side of the fuse and push a 3A fuse in on top.

Golly, I hope you understand all this.

So now, you have a live cigarette plug behind the dash of the car. Fix it with tape or some tie wraps to a suitable location. IT MUST NOT BE USED FOR POWER HUNGRY ITEMS!

Next plug in the original ONE lead and run the lead to the location where the ONE will be going. You may need some string and a wire coat hanger to help you pull it through the labyrinth at the back of the dash. Don’t be shy in drilling a small hole here and there. As long as you can’t see them when the dash is back together. This should not be required though. Its also a good idea not to pull the cable while its powered up.

In my example here, I’m using the seat buttons in the SAAB so figure out a way to get the cable past the buttons. You can drill a hole in them (as you have ordered the spares, haven’t you) or sometimes the gap is big enough to file the button back and side and just run it out past the side of the button. This worked fine on the SAAB. So now you have a powered cable dangling where the ONE will go.

Next get some Epoxy (liquid metal is good as its grey) and after suitably preparing the surfaces of the items to be stuck. Put a small blob on the buttons and glue the metal bracket to the buttons. If all goes to plan, the bracket and buttons can be pulled out after it’s glued. This is best done with the buttons in place in the car and after the cable has been run. That way the buttons and bracket will be aligned properly. One the glue is dry do the same again with the modified tom tom ONE plate.

So that’s it the ONE can be slid on an off the plate as needed the power is just where you need it and the dash can be put back together. Some gaps may appear in this procedure but I’m sure a practical person can see what I mean and fix the ONE in a good position using nothing more than a few household tools and a bit of thought.

tweety · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 46

I've missed a few part on this.

the other wire form the one thats inserted into the fuse panel needs to go to the car body. A small bolt of screw is good enough. Wrap the wire round it a tighted it back up. This is usually the positive wire and the negative goes to the fuse.

Andy_P · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 3:46 am Post subject:

tweety · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 46

no you're not going mad. I am.

Andy_P · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 1:13 pm Post subject:

Tweet, Tweet! Laughing

tweety · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 46

OK its fitted and i have some pictures if anyone is interested. Ended up using a standard mobile mount and some spare bits from a Nokia CARK91 hands free kit. The mount cost me £20 (local moble fitter) and the lighter adapter cost £0.99 (Maplins).

used a few washers to make the standard TT mount attach to the Nokia piviot and its all secure. I was going to cut the TT mount but decided to give it a week or so before I destroy the windsreen mount. Although i may end up with the TT mounting plate off TT via web order as that look like it will doo the job.

My unit is now not in the windscreen....so should keep the GPS robbers away ,,,,at least it will help, i hope!

Speedster · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 03, 2005 Posts: 14

Hi. I would be interested in seeing the pictures please.

nich · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 10:34 pm Post subject:

I might be wrong, but i posted a tread a while ago about connecting my go permanently and was told of a FIRE risk. There is a fuse in the cigarette connector an it is important that that is not removed (done away with) I connected mine into an additional cigarette socket i had tee'd off main lighter and thus not cutting the Tomtom car adaptor at all. See previous threads.

This might be out of date now, but for warned is for armed.

nichthewood

tweety · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 46

CLICK THEM FOR BIGGER

+ve wire inserted into spare fuse position. -ve wire goes off to a nearby bolt to get a chassi connection. (Note my Snooper in the void wire the same way)

Wires connect to a new lighter socket which will be used for this device only.

New lighter socket and TT plug mounted using velcro pads inside dash.

Standard Audi vent mount. Not sure its the best mount in the world as it looks like its bending the plastic but i'll look at this in a few weeks. If its doing damage i'll modify the bracket. Its very secure.

Whole unit in place with the wire routed behind the dash. Make sure that the steering wheel is not obstructed by the wire and that the pitch, rake and reach is not compromised. The wire could easily foul someting.

Another pic of the mount with no ONE inplace. Note the use of the Nokia bracket. In the other one you can see the washers used a spacers.

MarkHewitt · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 3:50 pm Post subject:

Warning: Clicking those images brings you to a site which contains pictures which are NOT work safe! Confused

tweety · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 46

wouldn't exactly call it "NOT work safe" but there is a banner add on the side with adult friend finder thumbnails. The're not pornographic but some may show some glamour type pics. I did consider adding an warning to the post but since we can't edit posts i couldn't and if you have adblocked the site they don't show anyhow.

tweety · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 46

addblock this

http://graphics.adultfriendfinder.com

Andy_P · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:27 pm Post subject:

Is this a good time to ask the moderators again "Why can't we edit our posts here?" I belong to several forums and this is the only one where this isn't allowed.
I'd love to be able to correct my typos etc (which never seem to stand out in the preview Confused

). And several times recently I've wanted to add extra information, but have to do it in another post.

Pablo22 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 08, 2005 Posts: 6

hi guys

this fuse in the cig.lighter plug - is this true?

If it is, does anyone know its rating?

When i get my tomtom1 i am planning on hardwiring it but not in the same fasion as above. Not going to go into it at the moment as its all just thoughts until i get my unit.

I am trying to build some kind of perm dock for the tt1 using my pop-out cupholder in my car...

lbendlin · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 8:10 pm Post subject:

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