GPS charger cord routing ideas

Nightfisher · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:35 pm **Posts:** 122

I'm really starting to to dislike having the charging cord from my GPS snaked across my dash up to where I stick my GPS at the bottom center of my windshield right over the defroster vent. I'm thinking about trying to route the charging cord through the defrost vent somehow so that I wont have any holes in the dash and the cord will come up right where it needs to be and be practically invisible, yet allow for easy removal of the GPS for security. I can just tuck the 12v plug behind the front of the center console in that hollow area when not in use to keep it out of the floorboard. The cord is plenty long enough to make the run and the hole I would have to make to insert it into the vent under the dash would be less that 1/4 inch and easily sealed once the cord is through. I already know I will have to locate the flapper/diverter (or whatever you call the mechanism that opens and closes the vent) and insert the cord past that point. I really have no idea how difficult it would be to do, it was just a thought I had on the way home from work tonight. I would assume it would be a simple matter of removing the radio and tapping into the vent behind it, then putting the radio back. Anybody ever routed any wires through the defroster vent like this or foresee any problems doing it? You all know how it is, always something else to rig up and new ideas floating around!

awsumk · **Joined:** Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:13 pm **Posts:** 62

i dared to be different and elected to put my GPS on the far left just outta the way of the steering wheel and the cord is concealed completely till it gets to the unit. i started with it in the middle and thought it took my eyes off the road a bit more than where i have it now. just my :2cents:

Nightfisher · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:35 pm **Posts:** 122

I tried it on the left where your talking about and for me it was much worse there as far as taking my eyes off the road. And with it in the center my wife can grab it to input destinations or search locations on the go too. Center definitely works best for me.

infernicus · **Posted:** Sat Mar 19, 2011 2:01 am

I've thought about making a "permanent" power wire..
But I don't use it often enough to justify it. Plus I use it in a couple other vehicles.

When I get to the computer that has my pic of my dash taken apart I will post up a picture of what I was thinking of doing. There is a little space in between where the plastics meet that the wire can be fished through without drilling a hole or figuring out something with the defroster vents.

awsumk · **Joined:** Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:13 pm **Posts:** 62

yeah that's cool, to each his own, most use the middle too. i use mine (on the left) for the speedometer mostly, due to the oversize tires the speedo is a little off. just more convenient for that purpose there is all.

Nightfisher · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:35 pm **Posts:** 122

My GPS can use a regular USB cord for charging so I got one of those 1v2 USB adapters for the charging port in the jeep. That way I can charge my phone in the same port too. The Garmin charging cord has a 90 degree bend at the GPS end of it that would not pass through a vent hole. I have not tried it yet, but a normal straight USB cord looks like it will fit just fine.

GPS charger cord routing ideas

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