Just got a Bell power adapter (around $14)from Autozone. Once I get my Nuvi 350 (on order from Amazon), it looks as though it will be an easy electrical hook upto the fuse box. I still will have to get the Proclip car mount to mount the 350. Thanks again, Thork for helping.
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Garmin 350 install?
- Thread starter Flycaster
- Start date
I just go my Nuvi 350 and checked out a few things and thus have a few questions.
The Nuvi's power cord does fit nicely and works well with the cig lighter in my Z4. But, that's not where I want to plug it in. I got a 12v power adapter and a minicircuit (too lazy to do any soldering, the minicircuit plugs into a fuse slot and has a slot to put your fuse into and a hot wire lead coming off it) from Autozone. Before doing anything stupid, like installing everything before I knew it would work, I first jury rigged up the following: Chose a 5amp fuse (for Australian cig lighter???), and used it's slot to put the minicircuit (with 5 amp fuse) into. Lightly crimped the hot wire (red) from the 12v power adapter to the hot wire lead from the minicircuit and grounded the mini's black wire (ground wire). Then after praying that I don't blow the Nuvi, I plugged the Nuvi's power cord into the 12v adapter. Turned the key on and when the radio went on, the Nuvi went on and all its functions worked. Now for my three questions:
1. There is a little led light on the Nuvi's power cord plug. When plugged into the car's cig lighter, it lit up. However, when the plug was in the jury rigged power adapter, although the Nuvi worked fine, that light didn't go on. Any problem here?
2. Although my choice of fuse slot worked, I'm not really sure that it was the best one to use...I plain just don't know. Any other suggestion, or am I OK where I am? BTW, the Nuvi's power plug has a 1 amp fuse in-line and draws 5 volts (the power plug also has a circuit board).
3. On my car's fuse box, fuses 1-5 are empty. Can anyone tell me a little about them? Like: are they switched or always on or when do they go on, how many amps, should I use one of these, blah-blah-blah?
Now I might add, that the power adapter appears to be too big to conseal in the fuse box area, especially after the power cord plug is attached. What I think I will have to do is velcro the adapter plug to the flat plastic underside behind the glove box. The power cord can then be run to the Nuvi's mount from the under side of the passenger dash. No wires should really show as the Nuvi will be mounted just to the right of the A/C panel with a Proclip mount. As I don't want to drill any unsightly holes, I guess I'll have to live with some wires running unseen, but out in th open, under the dash.
The Nuvi's power cord does fit nicely and works well with the cig lighter in my Z4. But, that's not where I want to plug it in. I got a 12v power adapter and a minicircuit (too lazy to do any soldering, the minicircuit plugs into a fuse slot and has a slot to put your fuse into and a hot wire lead coming off it) from Autozone. Before doing anything stupid, like installing everything before I knew it would work, I first jury rigged up the following: Chose a 5amp fuse (for Australian cig lighter???), and used it's slot to put the minicircuit (with 5 amp fuse) into. Lightly crimped the hot wire (red) from the 12v power adapter to the hot wire lead from the minicircuit and grounded the mini's black wire (ground wire). Then after praying that I don't blow the Nuvi, I plugged the Nuvi's power cord into the 12v adapter. Turned the key on and when the radio went on, the Nuvi went on and all its functions worked. Now for my three questions:
1. There is a little led light on the Nuvi's power cord plug. When plugged into the car's cig lighter, it lit up. However, when the plug was in the jury rigged power adapter, although the Nuvi worked fine, that light didn't go on. Any problem here?
2. Although my choice of fuse slot worked, I'm not really sure that it was the best one to use...I plain just don't know. Any other suggestion, or am I OK where I am? BTW, the Nuvi's power plug has a 1 amp fuse in-line and draws 5 volts (the power plug also has a circuit board).
3. On my car's fuse box, fuses 1-5 are empty. Can anyone tell me a little about them? Like: are they switched or always on or when do they go on, how many amps, should I use one of these, blah-blah-blah?
Now I might add, that the power adapter appears to be too big to conseal in the fuse box area, especially after the power cord plug is attached. What I think I will have to do is velcro the adapter plug to the flat plastic underside behind the glove box. The power cord can then be run to the Nuvi's mount from the under side of the passenger dash. No wires should really show as the Nuvi will be mounted just to the right of the A/C panel with a Proclip mount. As I don't want to drill any unsightly holes, I guess I'll have to live with some wires running unseen, but out in th open, under the dash.
I'm probably going to install a Garmin in my 07 z4. Question for you that have done that, is the nuvi line loud enough to hear the voice prompts? Even with the top down? I'm thinking the C series are quite a bit thicker, providing a better speaker than the nuvi's, any comments? Does the C series work out ok with the ProClip, or do you really need a nuvi? I'm thinking of putting it just to right of the radio, and can barely, but can reach it. Is the 3.5" diagonal screen ok size or should I go with a 4.5" screen?
Thanks,
Thanks,
For what it is worth, CaptN, here's my install into a 2005 Z4: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=995. And as for sound with the Nuvi 350, the voice instructions are quite clear and fairly loud (even with top down). But if the radio is on, you may have some difficulty hearing the instructions. I'm a little deaf (old age) adn the radio does interfere, but other wise I can hear the 350 fine. Alos of note, when the sun is coming from the driver's side and/or you are wearing polarized sunglasses, the view of the map could be better.