Short Stops

[R1chard]

When I swith off my car engine for a few minutes (at petrol stations for example) it switches off my bluetooth TT receiver. When I start up again and switch on the receiver, the bluetooth connection works OK but the only way I seem to be able to make the software on my Ipaq 2210 recognise the GPS signal is by exiting TomTom and re-launching the application. This is a bit of a pain. Is there a smarter way of dealing with short stops?

Richard

[MrT]

Wire your TomTom BT cradle so it is always powered in the car. It uses very little current and you probably do not leave the BT unit in the car. That way when you put the BT unit in the cradle it powers on and when you remove it, it powers off.

Only problem is then when you have the PPC in your pocket and walk out of bluetooth range to pay for your petrol and you get the restart problem.

[R1chard]

Mr T

Thanks. I tried to hard wire it when I first installed it but there was no obvious live wire terminal under the dash of my Peugeot 206 and I'm a bit wary of cutting into existing wiring.

Richard

[bigfatjohn]

R1chard,

Put the receiver in the back of the car and take 12v from the permanent live feed to the boot light.

[thax1]

bigfatjohn,

Without much knowledge of car electrics, I'm wondering where the best point would be to tap into this circuit.

Wouldn't it only be live when the light is on i.e. when the boots open?

Also, is any constant power drain likely to keep triggering the car alarm? I know alarms used to work on voltage drops (like when a door was opened).

I'm also wary of wiring into any circuits that might be carrying CANbus messages to components.

Is the supply to the boot switch going to be the point to tap into this circuit?


Cheers

[Nick412]

i would take the radio out and connect upto the permenant live going to the stereo, this should have a fuse attached already (easy to see), and much safer (and easier) than going to the back of the car etc.

Just my thoughts (im no expert)

Cheers
Nick

[Nick412]

p.s if your radio power line is to ignition this means when you leave the car i.e switch the power off, no drain will accur (re alarm),

and when you start the car, the power goes to the radio and to charge the unit/s.

you dont want pwer going to the unit if your not in the car etc

Cheers
Nick

[bigfatjohn]

thax1,

There is, in the vast majority of vehicles, a permanent live feed to the boot light. The light comes on when the boot lid is opened because the other side of the bulb is then earthed through the switch.

The power drain on a gps receiver is negligible and will not drop the voltage by anything like enough to trigger an alarm.

I don't know abouot CANbus messages, but I have never had a problem.

Connecting to the lamp or the live side of the switch will be fine. Whichever is easiest and neatest in your particular car.


Nick412,

Why go to all the aggro of delving behind the dash when volts are much more easily available in the boot? You don't need to run wires to the back of the car with a bluetooth receiver, and it reduces clutter up front.

In his original post at the top of the thread R1chard says that his problem is the bluetooth receiver switching off at short stops and then needing reconnecting. If he wires to an ignition switched circuit that won't solve his problem, unless he leaves his igntion switched on. He therefore must have a permanentt feed.

My TomTom receiver is in the back of my car and permently powered. This practice has never caused any trouble whatsoever.

[Nick412]

Personally i wouldnt use the boot power, it seems a lot of messing about if something isnt right with the gps

i.e having to get out of car or climb over seats to get to unit etc

but hey, each to their own

p.s most stereos pop out in seconds without going into dash, then just route onto red power lead & earth and away you go (if its a constant live)

Cheers
Nick

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