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Help with my GPS


johnhunter44

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I am trying to use a GPS that I already have instead of buying another for my 2009 RT. I have a Garmin Nuvi 350. I know its not meant for a motorcycle, but i have used it in the map portion of my tank bag and wanted to mount it. I purchased the aluminum mount (from forum member) that you attach the Ram mount to and have the GPS mounted nicely. I purchased a powerlet cable that plugs in to the BMW accessory socket and has the mini USB plug, which plugs in to the side of my nuvi. When the nuvi is in the car mount, it gets its power from the mount and the mini USB plugs in to the mount. The Ram cradle has a back on it and the mount cannot be attached to the GPS, so the side mini USB plug needs to be used. When I plug in to this socket, the nuvi goes straight to data mode (where it goes when you are attached to a computer to enable you to down load something to the unit) and the GPS feature is not usable. I can get it to charge mode, but not GPS mode. Any ideas? I have already sent inquiries to Garmin and to Powerlet, as I dont see why they would supply a power cable for this unit if the unit wont allow the GPS to operate when it is plugged in on the side.

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Got to let out a big "oops!" here. I forgot about the short adapter cable that powerlet sends with the cable. There was an instruction sheet with it that explains that the adapter cable is needed for some garmin units to work normally and not in data mode when the mini usb plug on the side is utilized. I hooked up the adapter cable and it works perfectly. How this adapter cable got misplaced since opening the box yesterday is beyond me, but I found it today. (I thought this cable was just to change the angle on the end of the cable, but the paperwork with it explains that it has special circuitry that will enable the side mini USB to work. Thanks powerlet!!

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One caution note. I found the accessory sockets on both my 2001 1100RT and current 2009 1200RT to be unsatisfactory for my Nuvi 255w. The motorcycles' vibrations would repeatedly disrupt power to the GPS for an instant and it was constantly cutting off and rebooting. Cleaning the contacts didn't help. I finally hard wire the GPS to the battery, cutting and soldering my powerlet so I could plug it onto a fused battery harness. The GPS now works fine.

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+1 with Dave39.

 

I had to hard wire the GPS on my RT and on my GS I ended up using a CENTECH 2 that also hardwired the GPS and giving me 4 other curcuits. GPS are very sensitive to in and out of juice to the unit, so either way run direct electricity to the unit and you will be happy.

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