Permanently attach GPS to dash?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Permanently attach GPS to dash?

Posted: 12/11/2013 1:00:07 PM EDT

Hey guys, I've had an idea floating around in my head for a while, and I know next to nothing about cars, so I thought I'd ask here:

I use a Garmin GPS unit all the time to get around. Right now it's mounted with a suction cup on the inside of the windshield. The battery doesn't last long, so I always keep it plugged in to the cigarette lighter, which looks ugly and the cable gets in the way. Plus, the suction cup will fail at some random point & the unit will come crashing down.

I was thinking how slick it wold be to permanently attach the GPS unit to the dash, right above my steering console or above the stereo, and then drill a hole in the dash to feed a power cable inside. Could I tap into the car's internal power supply, say by splicing into the stereo's source of power?

Here's a mock-up to illustrate what I mean:

(The hole is in an arbitrary spot; obviously I'd need to avoid cutting in the any of the AC piping or any other critical infrastructure.)

Thanks.

Posted: 12/11/2013 1:25:52 PM EDT

[#1]

Another thought (since it happened to me) a druggie smashes your drivers window and rips the GPS off your dash.

They do not care if they break a wire, or later find out the unit needs a passcode to power up. Smashed window and gone all the same for you!

Posted: 12/11/2013 1:44:54 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Hey guys, I've had an idea floating around in my head for a while, and I know next to nothing about cars, so I thought I'd ask here:

I use a Garmin GPS unit all the time to get around. Right now it's mounted with a suction cup on the inside of the windshield. The battery doesn't last long, so I always keep it plugged in to the cigarette lighter, which looks ugly and the cable gets in the way. Plus, the suction cup will fail at some random point & the unit will come crashing down.

I was thinking how slick it wold be to permanently attach the GPS unit to the dash, right above my steering console or above the stereo, and then drill a hole in the dash to feed a power cable inside. Could I tap into the car's internal power supply, say by splicing into the stereo's source of power?

Here's a mock-up to illustrate what I mean:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/rhurst1945/gps_plan_zpsf3e5e76a.jpg

(The hole is in an arbitrary spot; obviously I'd need to avoid cutting in the any of the AC piping or any other critical infrastructure.)

Thanks.

View Quote

You do realize that the suction cup works a lot better if it's wet when you stick it to the windshield, right?

Posted: 12/11/2013 1:49:19 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:

Another thought (since it happened to me) a druggie smashes your drivers window and rips the GPS off your dash.
They do not care if they break a wire, or later find out the unit needs a passcode to power up. Smashed window and gone all the same for you!

View Quote

I guess "permanent" is the wrong word to use here; the unit would still be able to be snapped in and out of the little stand that holds it in place. (The stand would be permanently attached to the dash.)

I usually remove the unit from the stand after I park & hide it in the center console. (Sometimes I don't; been lucky so far.)

GPS units are pretty cheap these days; probably not worth it for most thieves (at least around here).

Mostly I'm wondering if I can access the car's source of electrical power by drilling through the dash, or if that would be a very difficult/expensive/stupid thing to do. Obviously I'd need someone (probably at a shop) to do the actual work, assuming this is even feasible.

Posted: 12/11/2013 1:50:45 PM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
You do realize that the suction cup works a lot better if it's wet when you stick it to the windshield, right?

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

Hey guys, I've had an idea floating around in my head for a while, and I know next to nothing about cars, so I thought I'd ask here:

I use a Garmin GPS unit all the time to get around. Right now it's mounted with a suction cup on the inside of the windshield. The battery doesn't last long, so I always keep it plugged in to the cigarette lighter, which looks ugly and the cable gets in the way. Plus, the suction cup will fail at some random point & the unit will come crashing down.

I was thinking how slick it wold be to permanently attach the GPS unit to the dash, right above my steering console or above the stereo, and then drill a hole in the dash to feed a power cable inside. Could I tap into the car's internal power supply, say by splicing into the stereo's source of power?

Here's a mock-up to illustrate what I mean:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/rhurst1945/gps_plan_zpsf3e5e76a.jpg

(The hole is in an arbitrary spot; obviously I'd need to avoid cutting in the any of the AC piping or any other critical infrastructure.)

Thanks.

You do realize that the suction cup works a lot better if it's wet when you stick it to the windshield, right?

The main problem here is one of aesthetics; I don't like how it looks right now. Thinking this proposal would be "cleaner."

Posted: 12/11/2013 2:12:32 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Hey guys, I've had an idea floating around in my head for a while, and I know next to nothing about cars, so I thought I'd ask here:

View Quote

I use a Garmin GPS unit all the time to get around. Right now it's mounted with a suction cup on the inside of the windshield. The battery doesn't last long, so I always keep it plugged in to the cigarette lighter, which looks ugly and the cable gets in the way. Plus, the suction cup will fail at some random point & the unit will come crashing down.

I was thinking how slick it wold be to permanently attach the GPS unit to the dash, right above my steering console or above the stereo, and then drill a hole in the dash to feed a power cable inside. Could I tap into the car's internal power supply, say by splicing into the stereo's source of power?

Here's a mock-up to illustrate what I mean:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/rhurst1945/gps_plan_zpsf3e5e76a.jpg

(The hole is in an arbitrary spot; obviously I'd need to avoid cutting in the any of the AC piping or any other critical infrastructure.)

Thanks.

Disclaimer: I use my iphone and Google Maps Beta with great success, and the phone (in a MagPul Field Case) , it is a perfect fit for the in-dash "cassette" tape holder (an ancient form of conveying music, etc. to the "stereo", apparently ...)
Summary: Add a power port on top of the dash, drop in a USB charger, and plug in whatever USB charging cable they gave you with the GPS or happen to be using there.
Grab this at Battery Plus, or off of Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-8-Cigarette-Disconnect/dp/B0041CDPQO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1386802977&sr=8-2&keywords=motorcycle+power+port and http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-Quick-Disconnect-Harness/dp/B003Y8PNWK/ref=sr_1_20?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1386803635&sr=1-20

for the other end (although, you could also just cut off the connector end, and run it through a smaller hole drilled in the dash ;-)

Go to Fry's and grab one of these for $9.99

http://www.frys.com/product/7301914?source=googleps&gclid=CMuRuZukqbsCFXHxOgodK0cAiQ
The black wire can attached to any metal ground. I'd run the red wire down to to the fuse block, pick a constant on 12V fuse, and plug this in:
NAPA may have them, or go to http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Blade-Fuse-Tap-Holder-Add-A-Circuit-Line-ATM-APM-4-fuses-Car-Add-a-Fuse-/161161693369?_trksid=p2054897.l4276
(They do make different versions, for different fuse types)

Posted: 12/11/2013 3:03:56 PM EDT

[#6]

The company "Pro-Fit" makes permanent GPS mounts, I have one in my Dakota.

Posted: 12/11/2013 3:20:08 PM EDT

[#7]

As above either a Profit mount, Proclip mount or 3M VHB tape and rout the wire into the defrost vent (NO HOLES) to a fuse tap

Posted: 12/11/2013 3:20:49 PM EDT

[#8]

It's a bit more difficult in newer cars because for whatever reason a flat surface on the interior is thought to be of the devil.

But VELCRO is your friend.

All my devices wear a fuzzy strip of the name brand stuff including the iPhone I'm posting this with. My vehicles and even the underside of my headboard has the hook portion stuck to it in the appropriate location. When I utilize an obsolete smartphone as a speedometer in my mustang it'll be Velcro holding it to the clear lens of my defunct OE gauge cluster.

Posted: 12/11/2013 4:24:33 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:

I use a Garmin GPS unit all the time to get around. Right now it's mounted with a suction cup on the inside of the windshield. The battery doesn't last long, so I always keep it plugged in to the cigarette lighter, which looks ugly and the cable gets in the way. Plus, the suction cup will fail at some random point & the unit will come crashing down.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

Hey guys, I've had an idea floating around in my head for a while, and I know next to nothing about cars, so I thought I'd ask here:

I use a Garmin GPS unit all the time to get around. Right now it's mounted with a suction cup on the inside of the windshield. The battery doesn't last long, so I always keep it plugged in to the cigarette lighter, which looks ugly and the cable gets in the way. Plus, the suction cup will fail at some random point & the unit will come crashing down.

I was thinking how slick it wold be to permanently attach the GPS unit to the dash, right above my steering console or above the stereo, and then drill a hole in the dash to feed a power cable inside. Could I tap into the car's internal power supply, say by splicing into the stereo's source of power?

Here's a mock-up to illustrate what I mean:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/rhurst1945/gps_plan_zpsf3e5e76a.jpg

(The hole is in an arbitrary spot; obviously I'd need to avoid cutting in the any of the AC piping or any other critical infrastructure.)

Thanks.

Disclaimer: I use my iphone and Google Maps Beta with great success, and the phone (in a MagPul Field Case) , it is a perfect fit for the in-dash "cassette" tape holder (an ancient form of conveying music, etc. to the "stereo", apparently ...)

Summary: Add a power port on top of the dash, drop in a USB charger, and plug in whatever USB charging cable they gave you with the GPS or happen to be using there.

Grab this at Battery Plus, or off of Amazon

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41gNXOCZUZL.jpg http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-8-Cigarette-Disconnect/dp/B0041CDPQO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1386802977&sr=8-2&keywords=motorcycle+power+port and http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-Quick-Disconnect-Harness/dp/B003Y8PNWK/ref=sr_1_20?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1386803635&sr=1-20

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41POQuZUiyL.jpg

for the other end (although, you could also just cut off the connector end, and run it through a smaller hole drilled in the dash ;-)

Go to Fry's and grab one of these for $9.99

http://images.frys.com/art/product/300x300/7301914.01.prod.jpg http://www.frys.com/product/7301914?source=googleps&gclid=CMuRuZukqbsCFXHxOgodK0cAiQ

The black wire can attached to any metal ground. I'd run the red wire down to to the fuse block, pick a constant on 12V fuse, and plug this in:

NAPA may have them, or go to http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Blade-Fuse-Tap-Holder-Add-A-Circuit-Line-ATM-APM-4-fuses-Car-Add-a-Fuse-/161161693369?_trksid=p2054897.l4276

(They do make different versions, for different fuse types)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81VtioOp7OL._AA1500_.jpg

Excellent! This is what I was looking for, thanks.

Thanks for the other suggestions too, gents.

Posted: 12/12/2013 7:07:17 AM EDT

[#10]

Small self tapping screw through the plastic base, I do it in all my work trucks.

Posted: 12/12/2013 7:23:08 AM EDT

[#11]

I would recommend mounting it anywhere but on the window with a suction cup mount. The window mount leaves a telltale circle imprint on your windshield even after you remove it. Then when your at work some crackhead will bust out your driver side window to steal the GPS in you stowed in your center console and your change from the ashtray......ask me how I know

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Permanently attach GPS to dash?

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