I just got a new GPS for my birthday (Garmin Nuvi 200) and I was wondering what my options were for hard wiring it. I can't stand loose wires hanging around. I don't play too much with electrical wiring, but I did manage to rig up a radar detector in my old Ranger so I'm not totally clueless. I have yet to do anything electrical with the F150 yet though. I'm not even sure where the fuse box is actually.
Any help/instructions on the best way to go about doing this? Pictures ESPECIALLY of your set-ups would be great. I can't wait to get this thing hooked up!
Thanks!

 

I had mine mounted above the far left AC vent. I ran the powercord down the side where you'd run an Edge programmer cord. I got a cigerate extension cord and ran it under my center shifter and just plugged it into the back of the center console.

For my radar detector I made another cigeratte plug under the dash by tapping into the fuse panel. Just got the power from the fuse panel, and just grounded the ground to a piece of metal behind the dash.

Hope it helps.

 

Tardman- remember that you need to retain the cig lighter plugin that powers it. Unless they have changed it, they input 12V but output about 5V or something like that. The inverter is in the cig lighter plug. I have a Garmin 350 and just got a new Garmin 750 and the plug is smaller than the 350 but I haven't had a chance to pull it apart yet to look at it. The best thing to do would be what I think the other poster said, sounded like he ran a cig lighter female plug to under the dash on the left side where he could plug the Garmin male into. I don't think you'd want to run 12V straight into it. Remember also that it will be charging all the time I believe unless you put a switch in your female line or wire it to ign. only.

 

I can snap some pics tonight if you'd like. On my friends f150 its mounted in the far back left corner onto the lower corner trim. I removed the corner trim, and there are 1 or 2 bolts underneath that attach the dash to the truck. I made a bracket that bolted up to these bolts that has a nut welded to it. Then drilled a clearance hole in the plastic corner trim. Took the stock suck mount, took off the suction cup and cam off and ran a 5/16 bolt thru it. Now I can thread that thru the dash and is supported by the bracket. Then ran the wire thru the dash. I took the 12v plug apart and hard connect the wires from the spring clips to the back of the cig outlet. It all works and looks great!

 

Mine is to the left of my rear view mirror. I made a new power outlet by tapping into the poweroutlet on the dash. Then got a power outlet extension cord and ran it up the a-pillar, through the roof, to the rear view mirror.

For my radar decector I tapped into the red wire coming off the radio. That way when I turn my truck off it turns off my radar dector. I dont always use my GPS so I leave that off usually, but I always want the radar decetor on. Beltronics offers a kit that you can hard wire your decector. I had it hard wired where it was always on, but if it went off when the truck was armed, the high pitched frequency would set off my alarm (glass breakage sensors)

 

Hmm... This doesn't sound as easy as I though it would be. I'm always a little hesitant about messing with electrical systems in vehicles. If you guys could post some pictures or something that may help. Looks like I'll have to take a good look at it when I get home later.
Thanks for the suggestions.

 

I will try to post pics later. I ordered a hardwire cord for my Nuvi 660 and drilled a small hole on the coin try/dash and ran the wire down there and solder it to a power source. Looks great and no wires hanging at all!

 

I have mine mounted on the windshield just above the inspection sticker, I mounted an aux cig lighter from the parts store under the storage bin in the center of the dash and plugged in the plug for the gps and ran the wire across the dash (under it and hidden), and just have about 3" of wire sticking out. I did the same thing with my satellite radio. I think I plugged into the power prong for the 4wd relay since my truck os 2wd

 

I'm going after work today to pick up a female cig. lighter that I'll splice into somewhere.
My question is where. I'm thinking radio, so it goes off and on with the truck, or some other ignition linked wire. What would be the easiest/best one to use, and could someone post a picture of it?
And as far as splicing... would I be ok to use one of these things and cover it really well with electrical tape? I'm not really a fan of cutting wires.

 

Anybody?

 

That seems to be a pretty open debate. IMO, they work well in the proper application. Using one on the interior of a vehicle, I've NEVER had one fail. I use the right size and make sure its locked and have had NO problems. However, One should never be used outside or in a place where it will get wet. I've had people complain that their trailer lights don't work. I'll go to fix it for them, and the entire harness is scotch-loc'd with no tape or anything! Then they wonder why their harness is all corroded and wire snapped in half.

Personally, I tend to always solder if there is the room, But I don't see any problem using those under the dash. I still do from time to time.

 

those work fine...I have used them in alot of inside applications and never had a problem...I have replaced a bunch of them outside though on trailers and whatnot because the salt ruins them

 

Ok. So I'll use those. Good.
Now I just need to know what wire to tap in to. Can someone post a picture of which wire I should tap so that the GPS goes on and off along with the truck? And the ground I suppose I'll just attach to the nearest screw?

 

I never use any kind of wire connectors, had to many failures over the years. Instead I solder and use quality adhesive shrink tubing. They use some sort of adhesive inside of the tubing making a great seal and connection. Never had any problems with this method. Among hundreds of equipment I worked on were four aircraft loaders and they each were put together with hundreds of wire connectors. They would corrode or fail. Made diagnosing the the problem a nightmare at times.

 

Thinking about one of these myself.

Garmin BMW Mount: Its a powered mount attachment, should be able to custom mount in truck.