powering a GPS unit off a USB port. here's how i did it.

0okami · 03-07-2006, 11:18 PM

Well, I own a teletype Bluetooth GPS unit and I am quite pelased with it. Its going on two years old.

Tired of buying batteries or having to recharge the unit, i figured on modifying it to take power from a usb port.

Attached are the images.

The advantage is quite evident to me. the device can now use power from:
battery (rechargables die out after a while)
dc wall plug (running on an inverter in the car... who wants to carry an inverter?)
cig plug (which i didnt have at the moment...)
usb plug... (i have ports up front on my dash,, might as well!)

I no longer have to rely on an inverter.

I have not actually finished it, but its working.

Im trying to figure out a way to make the wire detachable... probably a molex connector of some sort, and stash that into the battery compartment.... hmm...

The wire of the device i used was a usb clip on lamp.

0okami · 03-08-2006, 02:27 AM

well, i found a spare barrel jack from a dead phone that was laying around... i decided to use that and make the wire detachable.. but first the gps housing needed modified.

0okami · 03-08-2006, 02:31 AM

last few...

0okami · 03-08-2006, 02:38 AM

feeding from a usb port.

wi77iam · 03-08-2006, 07:14 AM

When it's hooked up, you might want to cover up the word "wireless".

Kinda defeats the purpose of having a bluetooth gps, IMO. But whatever fits your needs.

DarquePervert · 03-08-2006, 07:24 AM

I gotta agree.
The point of a wireless GPS unit is now lost. You an also tap into 5v on a molex from your power supply.

jcdillin · 03-08-2006, 07:43 AM

Well actually I dont agree in this case, because now yes he has a wired mouse, but he doesnt have the USB issues that go along with the cheap gps mice.

DarquePervert · 03-08-2006, 12:32 PM

I'd think that bluetooth connections would be more finicky than USB connections...

0okami · 03-08-2006, 12:51 PM

i forgot to mention, another reason i did this was because when poweing the teletype from the power box instead of battery, it would have to be restarted a couple times for it to actually activate bluetooth. it was as if the power supply or something was not giving it enough power. sometimes the red light (batt indicator) would come on too...

the wires that feed the power to the gps are soldered to the battery power connectors on the main board. This device has always performed much bettter on battery.

loosing its purpose of being wireless? sure. Thats partially true.
But its usefull when your out of batteries.... i wonder if it will recharge rechargables when hooked up... .hmmm.

wallaceacura · 03-09-2006, 09:36 AM

I have a GR-231 and I'm in the same boat, however I'm not tapping into the USB port. I plan on wiring another cig lighter in the head liner and plugging the unit in up there to stay always on.

For me, even though its plugged in, the connection is still wireless via the BT. The comp is in the trunk and the receiver is a the front of the car. I didn't have any problems setting up BT. It's really gotten a bad rap, but the Holux at least works great every time. It's probably more dependant on the BT dongle than anything else though.

wallaceacura · 03-09-2006, 09:37 AM

Thanks for the link. I'll post pictures of mine when I'm done.