I am going to be hardwiring to the lighter for power. Where/how do I ground? Do I need to get a terminal and use a screw to secure? Also, how to tell polarity after I cut the plug (that goes to the lighter) off? Thanks for any help with my n00blet questions.

 

IIRC the wire coming out of the center of the lighter is the power, and the other wire is ground...

 

I think that is right

 

The wiring on the lighter above is correct, BUT what is it exactly that your 'hardwiring'?

 

vibrator

 

flux capacitor.

 

caught out!

 

A navigation/GPS unit. On the chord from the navi how can I tell which is which (it is semi-coiled)?

 

I deserve a n00b riding in this forum.

 

Do you have an aftermarket HU? Why not just tap into he power and ground of the HU?

 

.

 

fr33way, you aren't gonna wanna cut off the Navi cig plug, you know this correct?

 

Definately dont cut off the plug !

 

Do I get an female outlet from radioshack and then splice that?

 

I have Bose.

 

yeah, or solder the wires on. If you dont, and the input on the Navi is not 12V, you'll probably blow it up.

 

If I split the plug, the wire going to the tip should be + and the wire going to the side tabs should be -. Can't I just connect those with the appropriate cig lighter wires? Those are already switched...

 

i cant really garranty the input converter built into the Navigation unit is built in in the unit itself, or at the plug, so to avoid problems completely, solder 1 line to both the outside pins for neg, and the center pin for positive. Tap your stock lighter with those wires.

On top of that, if you ever wanted to use the thing regularly again, you could just unsolder the wires.

 

This is repeditive but, would getting the female adapter from RadioShack and opening the connector of THAT unit and using those wires to connect to the lighter be better? I like the idea of that in case I wanted to sell the Navi.

 

I have seen the "split male connector" and splice the wires inside to switched power method on several writeups outside the .org.

 

yeah, you can get a female adapter from radio shack that just has wires coming out the other side, yes. that would work fine.. thats what you're talking about, right?

 

Yes. I just pulled the trim panel. The power is red and the ground is black. Another question, I am planning on mounting the Navi IN the vent/clock trim piece. Can I use the power/ground from the clock? The Navi will have the time so I am not worried about that. Does the clock run off the same switched power source?

 

the clock's ground is probably hooked up to switch on and off with ACC, yeah..

you could do it there i guess, but the 'right way' to do it would be to just ground it on to a piece of bare metal.