I am wondering what the best way to provide a hard wired power cable to my Nuvi 650 at the top of the dash ? Like at the defroster outlet.

Has anyone done this ? Tips would be helpful.

04 MINI

Thanks,

 

I didn't run my wire to the top of my dash, but just last week I did hardwire in a dock for my Tomtom One XL (used base and dock from Kuda). To do mine, I installed the base as instructed but then cut off the cigarette lighter plug from the dock. I drilled a hole that just fit the wire and ran it through that to the fuse box for my +12 and connected the black to a bolt on the support structure under the dash.

Pictures of the mount and of the wire:




To do it near the vent could be done similarly, just make sure that where ever you drill there isn't something on the other side of the dash. Of course, if you want to do it less permanently (w/o drilling) you could always pull the dash off and run the wire that way.

 

Even easier than running a wire from the engine bay (which ideally should be fused) is to use an Add-A-Circuit and run an extra fused positive wire right form the fuse box - it's by your left foot in the driver's side foot well.

Check the fuse in the cig lighter plug of the GPS unit - it's usually a 3A or a 5A for a GPS. Select a fuse in the panel of that size, amnd use your Add-A-Circuit. You can splice in a female cig lighter plug (available at the 'Shack) or directly hard-wire it, whicver is easier - most people chose to buy a female cig plug so that the GPS power supply CAN be removed form the car and used in another vehicle if desired.

Then, after you have power, just run the wire up through the removable cover on the side of the dash and from there tuck it into the seam between the A-pillar cover, the windscreen and the dash. No drilling is required. I'd not mess with cracking open the vents - it IS possible, but not without pulling off the entire top of the dash...

If you have any other questions just let me know.