12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

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al kuresman
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12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#1 Post by al kuresman »

Hi All,

My search for a 356 coupe is nearly over and I should have my new car in the next 2 weeks. I will post pics once it is in my garage. My question is how can I use my Garmin 12 volt GPS in my 6 volt car? Is there some sort of adapter I can buy?
al

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Sebastian Gaeta
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#2 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

Al,

Based on past threads of this nature, you will receive all kinds of responses about voltage converters and who's setup is the best etc, etc.

The truth is, and this advice usually gets ignored in these threads, is that your GPS will likely work just fine in your 6v lighter socket. That is because your GPS is NOT a "12v" GPS and runs somewhere between 5 & 5.5 volts.

The "charger" it came with is a voltage reducer and gets the voltage to the proper level for your GPS, which again is less than 6v.

You will get comments that people's GPS's don't charge on the 6v lighter socket or that it will run it but not charge it up.

The truth is that if the socket is intact and all of your connection are clean, the GPS will turn on AND charge form your little old 6v socket. PLEASE try that before you spend money on some gadge behind your dash that doesn't need to be there.

Sebastian
Owner of two 6v 356's that charge iphones, ipads and GPS's just fine.. 8)
Sebastian Gaeta
www.arbormotion.com

Registry #8339

'65 C coupe
'64 C cab

-------
2014 Boxster 981
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1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
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Ron LaDow
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#3 Post by Ron LaDow »

Sebastian Gaeta wrote:Al,
The truth is, and this advice usually gets ignored in these threads, is that your GPS will likely work just fine in your 6v lighter socket. That is because your GPS is NOT a "12v" GPS and runs somewhere between 5 & 5.5 volts.
I bought a Garmin several years back, based on advice at the time. It acts like it was designed for 6V in my C coupe (and it has better traffic reports than the '15 Benz navigation system)
Ron LaDow
www.precisionmatters.biz

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Jim Karaba
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#4 Post by Jim Karaba »

+1 and +2 what has been said.

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Jim Neil
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#5 Post by Jim Neil »

I don't know if your 12v GPS will work with 6v, but the easy solution is to get a 6v - 12v converter to be sure.

I have this one from a very trusted eBay seller who I have met in person, great guy ...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6V-to-12V-Volta ... Xa&vxp=mtr
1960 356 B Coupe
2009 911 Turbo Coupe
2016 Panamera
Gone but not forgotten: 2005 Carrera S, 2004 Targa, 2001 Boxster S, 1997 Targa, 1993 RS America, 2004 Cayenne S, 2005 Cayenne S, 2009 Cayenne S

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Ben Wainscott
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#6 Post by Ben Wainscott »

I've been using a couple of different Garmin's over the last 8 years in my '65 6-volt coupe. I stick the GPS suction cup holder on the passenger side of the dash extension below the radio that houses the ashtray/cig lighter etc. and plug it in. Works great and is out of the way when you shift into 3rd. Only issue is that the standard GPS plug may not fit tight in your cigarette lighter socket. Just bent the GPS plugs spring friction prongs out a little and it will hold the plug in tight.
Ben Wainscott
65 SC S/R coupe
89 911 Carrera
63 Vespa 150
80 Vespa P200e

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JohnLiles
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#7 Post by JohnLiles »

Over here in the UK I use a TomTom GO 730 with the standard cigar lighter plug in on my 6 volt '64C and it all works fine , if you have a small LED on the satnav plug make sure it shows 'on' .....
1957 'A' and 1955 'Continental Outlaw'

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Joris Koning
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#8 Post by Joris Koning »

I have used a Tom Tom without issue. had the same worries but they were not warranted
'56 Coupe
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Jim Karaba
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#9 Post by Jim Karaba »

From what I see from all this real world experience being shown here is that it is not necessary to put in a voltage adjuster for these modern devices. From what I have seen any electronic item that is useable with a USB cable is designed to operate around 5-6volts because a computer only puts out that voltage. Most of the devices described here all have a USB cable for hooking up to a computer for updates and such.

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Wes Bender
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#10 Post by Wes Bender »

You're exactly right, Jim. If it's got a USB connection, it will operate on 5.5 volts. That's why I removed the 12 volt adapter from my 6 volt car. It just wasn't needed to operate any of my accessories. Now, a 12 volt CB radio with a 150 watt foot warmer would be a whole different thing.

Cheers,
Wes
Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.....

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John Brooks
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#11 Post by John Brooks »

I wired my GARMIN to the accessory socket with a DIN plug and powered it up from the fuse 3. It worked great until I wrapped up the RPM in 2-3 gear to pass an idiot. Pretty sure the voltage regulator went to 7.5v and the smoke that was stored in the GPS escaped.

The GPS lighter adapter plug has a voltage regulator in it, that clips the output to the GPS at 5.0V. I do not have a lighter socket in the roadster, so I made one with Hella DIN accessory plug wired to it. I plug the GARMIN plug this into the accessory adapter, 3 years and a couple thousand miles later. it still workes fine. As long as the cigarette lighter has more than 5.0v the factory power supply will work
John Brooks

62 Roadster
66 912
84 Cab
getting pushed around in porsches since 1965

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Ron LaDow
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#12 Post by Ron LaDow »

John Brooks wrote:I wired my GARMIN to the accessory socket with a DIN plug and powered it up from the fuse 3. It worked great until I wrapped up the RPM in 2-3 gear to pass an idiot. Pretty sure the voltage regulator went to 7.5v and the smoke that was stored in the GPS escaped.
Most of us who have been around long enough to fiddle with 6V electrics (especially the Brit +ground systems) know that when the smoke leaks out, you're done for!
Ron LaDow
www.precisionmatters.biz

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Jim Neil
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Re: 12 volt GPS in 6 volt car

#13 Post by Jim Neil »

Ron LaDow wrote:
John Brooks wrote:I wired my GARMIN to the accessory socket with a DIN plug and powered it up from the fuse 3. It worked great until I wrapped up the RPM in 2-3 gear to pass an idiot. Pretty sure the voltage regulator went to 7.5v and the smoke that was stored in the GPS escaped.
Most of us who have been around long enough to fiddle with 6V electrics (especially the Brit +ground systems) know that when the smoke leaks out, you're done for!
Went through that with my first two cars - AH Sprite and an MGB. Fortunately, a solution was finally found:
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1960 356 B Coupe
2009 911 Turbo Coupe
2016 Panamera
Gone but not forgotten: 2005 Carrera S, 2004 Targa, 2001 Boxster S, 1997 Targa, 1993 RS America, 2004 Cayenne S, 2005 Cayenne S, 2009 Cayenne S

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