Garmin GPS autopower on, possible ?

[fram]

Hi all,

I've a Streetpilot III GPS from Garmin, I would like that it automatically switchs on when the external power is applied (in car, i.e.).

I read an article on how to do it on other GPSs: I opened mine to see inside and compare components, but I did not get any out of it.

Could someone help me ? I can post the article I found and pictures of the inside of the GPS.

Thx in advance

 

[MrMikey83]

Maybe you could connect a couple wires from the power button contacts to a relay that triggers when the car turns on.
~Mike

 

[Klaus]

I am curious why you would want to do that. Tinkering with the internals of a GPS is something I, as an electronic technician, would not be thinking of doing.
Perhaps you have the same problem I had when using the GPS in the car, plugged in to the cig lighter socket, and it turns itself off every time you stop the engine.
I simply wired a second, permanently connected to battery (via a fuse), cig lighter socket to the dash board. This gets exclusively used by the GPS.
Problem solved and no mods to the GPS required.
Klaus

 

[fram]

I'll try to give one answer to both Mike and Klaus:
I agree that modifying a GPS is something dangerous, you described the situation in the right way, but in my case, the GPS has also internal batteries and won't shut down when I stop the engine.
I'd like to have it automatically on when I start the engine.

Concerning the power button: it is "digitally controlled", (sorry for my limited knowledge) i.e. I know I can turn the GPS off via RS232 commands.
My feeling is that the power button feeds an operational (similar to a PC motherboard power button); connecting the external '+' to the same IC I would induce the auto switch on. That's the point.

Fra

 

[MrMikey83]

So theres an RS232 jack on the GPS?
If thats the case, couldn't you make a circuit to simulate the ON command when you power the car on and OFF command when you turn off the car?


...is it dangerous because GPS systems are expensive? (or is it something else and I'm an idiot? lol)
~Mike :roll:

 

[fram]

Mike, very expensive is the right term....

It has a proprietary connector but uses a serial protocol, so what you propose is meaningful.

I'll try...

Thx Francesco