should wired gps mouse be left on ?

pezzer · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 08, 2004 Posts: 49

Hi - I'm using a Rikaline 6010 permanently powered on. Although I don't use GPS everyday I was just wondering from a hardware longevity point of view whether its better to keep the GPS mouse on all the time or switch it off whenever not in use - is the mouse likely to ' die' after some total number of hours or is it better for the mouse electronics to be kept on rather than regularly being turned on and off ?

Hope this makes sense !

lbendlin · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 5:48 pm Post subject:

From a chemical point of view a constant temperature is desireable as long as it is not too high. (From the old days I remember we kept our computers at 45 degrees celsius the whole year round).

So as long as it doesn't overheat keeping it switched on is better than switching on and off.
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Bodo · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 11:53 pm Post subject:

Interesting question.
If a wired GPS unit is switched permanently on, how long will the car battery last?

lbendlin · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2005 12:32 am Post subject:

depends on the battery capacity. The receiver draws around 80 mA.
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Bodo · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2005 3:31 pm Post subject:

Most cars have accessories such as a clock, alarm system etc which draw power all the time. According to a web site I found, http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/ this is usually less than 75 milliamps Adding a 80 milliamp GPS mouse doubles this constant load.

I do not know how long a battery lasts with a very light load such as this. A typical battery is rated at about 40 Ah. This obviously varies from car to car.

Simple calculations tell me that this battery would be completely flat after 300 hours or 12 days. But I suspect that I am oversimplifying.

I would be worried to leave it standing for more than a long weekend.

philip4242 · Regular Visitor Joined: May 26, 2004 Posts: 123

I have the GPS receiver (a Royaltek Sapphire) from my Medion in-car system energized 24 hours a day and have never had a problem with it.

The absolute advantage is that the GPS receiver ALWAYS has a fix, so the position on the map is updated as soon as the software has loaded.

However, just in case, I have one of these

http://maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=37962&TabID=1&source=15&WorldID=&doy=29m1

(L45AT from Maplin Electronics, if the link doesn't work) connected in line with the supply from the battery.

I've proved (with a variable output power supply) that it would work in anger, but I've never left the car unused long enough for it to work in situ !

It's not obvious from the picture, but installation is dead easy, as it has male and female connectors, so just plugs inline with the PDA power supply unit.

An absolute bargain at £4.99, as well !
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Getting older and more senile by the minute !

Philip

Bodo · Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 1:22 pm Post subject:

Hi, Philip
I had a look at the the battery protector, and it sounds good and easy to use.
However, I have been in the computer industry for for over 30 years, and have developed a healthy distrust for items that I can not test regularly.
As I do not quite know how to test the battery protector without (potentially) causing me a lot of pain, I would be hesitant to rely on such a device.
I reality, my GPS unit (a Holux GR211, connected to my HP5555 with TT3.07 on a Brodit mount) usually comes alive within a minute of me switching the ignition on.
By the time I have pushed the IPAQ into the cradle, selected my destination and left my driveway, everything is working as it should.
I would like to hear of others with permanently powered GPS units - good and bad experiences....

lbendlin · Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 4:07 pm Post subject:

Same here - my receivers are wired to the ignition, and I can accept one minute without guidance - I should somewhat know my neighborhood and have a rough idea of the general direction.

When parked at the destination or at a waypoint the re-fix is nearly instantaneous, certainly faster than I can enter the next destination.

Overall ignition powered GPS seems to be an acceptable solution.

I wonder how the in-car systems work - do they provide an immediate fix or do they have the same rampup time ?
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xda · Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 2:33 am Post subject:

Mine is permantly wired from a live feed behind the dash via a 2 amp in-line fuse and a double pole switch. I only use the switch if I'm leaving the vehicle parked up for more than a week or if it is going in for servicing. The rest of the time it's always on and has been for more than a year now.
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