How to wire a GPS properly

[haggi]

Hello everyone, maybe someone could point me in the right direction.
 
I just bought a Garmin 590 and now want to wire it properly to the battery. Unfortunately it comes with an enormous set of cables which I don't really need but didn't want to cut off. So I sealed all but the power cables with a shrink seal. But now it looks as if I really have to remove the tank to properly route the cables?!!  Looking at some other posts that seems like alot of work for an amateur.
 
My questions are:
1. Is it laying the cable under the tank the done thing for a proper installation?
2. Should I just wire it to the battery for continouos contact, or would it slowly drain the battery if I left the cradle on (with GPS removed when not driving)?
 
Thanks for any suggestions.
 
haggi

[wessie]

If you remove the screen and it's carrier, you will find some fly leads for accessories. These are switched with the ignition which is what you want. The 590 has an internal battery to power the device if you want to route plan with the bike switched off. Simply connect into these wires and coil the spare lead to tuck in somewhere in case you need that extra wire for mounting to a different bike.
See

I have a 390LM which I power off the main accessory socket - I add a 5V/12V socket so I can run my phone and satnav from the same lead. See 

 

[ULEWZ]

Note, the fog light connectors are only on with the motor running. The white and black accessory connectors are on whenever the ignition is on.
 

 
 
 
 

[ULEWZ]

As you can see, the auxiliary connector on the right side (as seen from the riding position) installs just like the factory connector on the left side. Pop out the rubber cap, insert the new port, tighten up the plastic nut, connect to black auxiliary connector.

 
 
 

[wessie]

The Garmin PSU supplied with the Zumo series is already waterproofed. You can just stick some Velcro tape on the inside of the fairing and attach it there or cable tie it to the clutch cable.

[ULEWZ]

As you can see, the auxiliary connector on the right side (as seen from the riding position) installs just like the factory connector on the left side. Pop out the rubber cap, insert the new port, tighten up the plastic nut, connect to black auxiliary connector.

Thanks ULEWZ... I will get the GPS PSU (fused) in there somewhere in a weatherproof box and splice into that cIrcuit. Will leave that connector unused. Off the top of your head, any idea what the capacity of that circuit would be?

It is only 2 amps. 

[haggi]

Thanks for l the info.
Since I had some of the spare front connectors in use already, I decided to wire my 590 to the main battery.
Yes, it is a pain to take off all that trim and the tank. At least the wiring is quite tidy the now - and I learned a lot. The instructions on how to change the ECU (elsewhere in this forum) were very helpful.
In case anyone is interested in what monting system I used, here is the link:
 
http://www.hermann-mechatronik.com/en/?tlc=products&lpd=A2000
 
I am very happy with it (awsome quality) and much better that the standard Ram Mount.

[oldfart]

Hello everyone, maybe someone could point me in the right direction. 
My questions are:
1.
2. Should I just wire it to the battery for continouos contact, or would it slowly drain the battery if I left the cradle on (with GPS removed when not driving)?
 
Thanks for any suggestions.
 
haggi

Back to his second question, I don't believe there will be any drain on the battery when the GPS is either off or removed completely from the bike.  Does anybody have another opinion on that specific question?   

[wessie]

I don't know about the 590 but some Zumo cradles draw a couple of milliamps with the unit removed.

much the same as leaving your mains phone charger in the socket, switched on. The lead from the 12V source has the 5V PSU connected to it. If the 12V is always on, the circuit will be powered and there will be some current draw. It will take a long time to discharge a battery, though. 
 
I prefer to have the Garmin powered by a switched supply, plus I like to have a non-permanent solution so that I can remove the wiring when the satnav is not used e.g. when commuting or on local Sunday rides. Judicious use of RAM mounts, Velcro and cable ties provides my non-permanent solution in what some would call a ghetto configuration.  

[timg]

Thanks ULEWZ... I will get the GPS PSU (fused) in there somewhere in a weatherproof box and splice into that cIrcuit. Will leave that connector unused. Off the top of your head, any idea what the capacity of that circuit would be?

It is only 2 amps.

The fuses are under the front right panel (see operator's manual), and can be switched out to higher amperage ones.  Proceed at your own discretion. 

[desertfjr]

The fuses....can be switched out to higher amperage ones.  Proceed at your own discretion.

LOL, that's dodgy business though.... . 2A is plenty for the GPS and a phone. There are two AUX connectors there anyway, I recall.

Yamaha uses 18AWG wire in those circuits. 2A is very, very conservative on that branch. I believe if the run is short enough you could technically run almost 10A on that circuit. I wouldn't bat an eye using as big as 5A on that circuit based on what I know of the wiring that is used. I'll have to find my old wire/length/AMP load sheet...probably somewhere out there on the interwebs. 

[ULEWZ]

LOL, that's dodgy business though.... . 2A is plenty for the GPS and a phone. There are two AUX connectors there anyway, I recall.

Yamaha uses 18AWG wire in those circuits. 2A is very, very conservative on that branch. I believe if the run is short enough you could technically run almost 10A on that circuit. I wouldn't bat an eye using as big as 5A on that circuit based on what I know of the wiring that is used. I'll have to find my old wire/length/AMP load sheet...probably somewhere out there on the interwebs.

They use 18 gage from the auxiliary plug to the connector. The wiring from the fuse block to the connector is significantly smaller, maybe like 24 gage. That pretty much makes 5 amps a little much. The run from the fuse block to the connector is only about a foot, so maybe? 

[desertfjr]

24AWG would change the math a little bit. Looks like 6-8 amps max depending on number of cores and insulating material.

[desertfjr]

The heated grips are on a separate circuit. Plenty of amperage there if needed for just about any accessory if you are not using that point for the grips. I will have to take a close peek at mine this evening. 24AWG would be a tad on the small side IMHO for those circuits. 24 would be the bare minimum I would be tempted to use there...24 is more suited for swtiches, etc. not a power delivery circuit. I know the horn circuit is 18AWG. One would think the engineers would build these circuits with a sizeable safety margin, but the bean counters may have won the day and the bare minimum may be in place. If that is the case I would say 3 amps is about my limit on that circuit. Anything requiring power beyond that will require switched power directly from the battery via a relay or fuzeblock.

[desertfjr]

ULEWZ, mine looks like 22AWG on that circuit. I think it should be good for 5amps. Wouldn't go beyond that. YMMV.