My Garmin Nuvi 255W install with photos

I have long wanted to add GPS functionality to my car but since I commute the same route to work every day and only use GPS for weekend trips with the family or the occasional client meeting, I did not want to have a system permanently installed in my car. I wanted to have the unit "hardwired" so that I could mount my GPS and power it without having ugly wires running all over my dash. These were my objectives:

 

- GPS power wire "permanently" installed, meaning it was hidden away from sight permanently but could be used whenever I wanted

- no window-suction mount or adhesive on my dash (think the window mount is ugly and slightly obscuring of view and did not want anything on my dash)

- easy to attach/detach GPS mount

- RETAIN FULL FUNCTIONALITY OF CUBBY - I have precious little space in my car for storage as it is and keep key cards and garage door opener in here

- mount the GPS on the LEFT of the steering wheel to keep the dash area as clean as possible

 

So essentially what I needed was a vent mount. I did not want something big and bulky and wanted to retain full use of all vents, meaning that I needed something that would clip onto the small vent on TOP of the dash that I believe is used to defog the driver's side window.

 

This is what I ended up getting for the princely sum of $5 – iTrek vent mount:

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/143d_12.jpg

 

It clips onto the vents, is sufficiently sturdy, can swivel and tilt to give me easy viewing of the GPS. The only awkward thing about it is that it is initially tricky to clip the mount on and take it off due to the angle of the louvers but after a few uses it is now very easy.

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/IMG_7732.jpg

 

Other parts needed: an add-a-circuit and a vehicle power accessory outlet. I bought the Bussman add-a-circuit from Autozone for about $5 and the Enercell power accessory outlet from Radioshack for about $7.

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/3c2dce34-cf0b-43a1-aabf-d886ccd13aad.jpg

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/pRS1-6895592w345.jpg

 

To power the GPS when it is on the mount, I removed the cover to the left of the dash

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/IMG_7733.jpg

 

and ran the Garmin power cord into the compartment where the interior fuses are housed. I wedged the USB end of the charger between the dash and A pillar so that the only evidence of the install is the mini-USB head poking out.

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/IMG_7731.jpg

 

I reduced the slack in the power cord by taping the excess together and gave myself enough play to allow the part of the charger that goes into the outlet to be able to protrude from the access hatch to the fuse box.

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/IMG_7737.jpg

 

The fuse I removed from the block is number 20 from the lower left. I chose this because it worked with a non-essential piece of equipment – the cigarette lighter in the ashtray – and was on the side of the block. This was relevant because the Bussman add-a-circuit has a 90 degree bend that can obstruct access to other fuses but now it is out of the way.

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/IMG_7736.jpg

 

I placed this fuse into the top slot of the add-a-circuit (closest to my thumb) and put another 10amp fuse into the lower slot. The top slot fuse is important because this acts in the circuit for the cigarette lighter outlet, the bottom one for the new accessory. Test to make sure power comes out of the outlet.

 

I cut down the length of wire in the new power accessory outlet, both the black ground wire and the red power wire, so that I would have as little excess wire back here as possible. The black wire came with a head ring that was too small in diameter for the ground screw I wanted to use so I cut it off, stripped the wire and then looped the threaded wires around the screw before tightening it back up (red circle shows screw used).

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/IMG_7734.jpg

 

The power wire was simple too: cut it to length that would minimize slack in the line to the power butt splice of the add-a-circuit, strip it and feed it in before then crimping it tight (circle on left is from accessory, circle on right is from add-a-circuit).

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/IMG_7735.jpg

 

Now plug in the GPS power cable to make sure there is a current and voila (bad photo but looking for red glow of LED from charger).

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/IMG_7739.jpg

 

Tuck/tape/zip-tie the cables to the available frame space in the fuse compartment to keep it neat. Now when I want to plug in my GPS, I simply lower the fuse compartment hatch, plug the GPS power plug into the new outlet, mount my GPS to the vent and plug in the mini-USB.

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/IMG_7738.jpg

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/dcmstern/IMG_7740.jpg

You did it, cool!!!

I just got this GPS as a gift. Can't wait to see your pics, sounds like a really nice set up.

I just got this GPS as a gift. Can't wait to see your pics, sounds like a really nice set up.

 

I have time this afternoon to get some pix taken so will get them uploaded tonight hopefully. I am a total electrical noob and this was really straightforward to do. Meets my needs perfectly but YMMV . . .

You did it, cool!!!

 

Took a bit of playing around and testing but finally got it working and it is nice and neat. My biggest holdup was that apparently the add-a-circuit needed a fuse in BOTH of its slots for power to reach the accesory, even though the accessory outlet came with an inline fuse . . . .

Photos finally added

Looks great!

That looks great. I will be doing the same thing, I like how it doesn't require modification of any stock cables/ mounts.

Thanks, I have launched my Nuvi off the dash with the bean bag base one too many times.

Nicely done! i have this same GPS, a gift from my brother. It sits on my cupholder area whenever I use it. This is much better!

looks great i wanna try this with my 98