Ipaq power when using TT3 cradle

swarrans · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 9:32 am Post subject: Ipaq power when using TT3 cradle

I have the standard TT3 wired cradle and it only works when the power fly lead is plugged into the ciggie socket. Is it possible to make it use the power from it's own internal battery when the fly lead isn't plugged in?
I have an old car and the voltage sometimes drops sufficiently to "disconnect" the power to the Ipaq and thus loose GPS.
I'm kinda presuming the answer's "no" but some of you clever people may know a way round it!

Simon

MarkHewitt · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:19 am Post subject:

My GPS + ipaq works fine off batter when there is no power. I have the TomTom car kit.

swarrans · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 12:24 pm Post subject:

How weird Mark - do you get a little "not connected to power" icon in the bottom left hand corner of the screen?
If yours works and the kit we're talking about is the same I presume there must be some way of telling it to run off battery or fly lead? If so, anyone know how?

Simon

MarkHewitt · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 1:35 pm Post subject:

swarrans · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:00 pm Post subject:

Well, that's even weirder 'cos I can do the same sort of conclusive test (in reverse) that you do!
ie. If I don't connect the power lead I wil never get a satellite lock.
If I connect power I get satellite lock within a couple of minutes.
If I disconnect power it loses sat lock!

My system will DEFINITELY only get and retain sat lock if the power lead is connected - so can any other people with this combination comment please?!

Mark - is yours the official Tom Tom retail wired kit part number 5A00.005?

Simon

oddsock · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:42 pm Post subject:

My system will DEFINITELY only get and retain sat lock if the power lead is connected - so can any other people with this combination comment please?!

Mark - is yours the official Tom Tom retail wired kit part number 5A00.005?

Simon[/quote]

Not sure what my 2210 official tomtom suplied cradle part no is but it works the way you describe ((must be plugged in to car socket)
Dave

swarrans · Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 4:12 pm Post subject:

Thanks Oddsock, I wonder why MArk's seems to do what ours won't - I guess it must be a different cradle which allows internal power usage.

If anyone else would comment on their set-up I'd appeciate it.

Simon

Crocodile · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 06, 2004 Posts: 196

Hi Simon,

I too am stumped as to how a serial GPS can continue to function without power to the cradle!

However, I think that's a side issue. The cradle reduces the car's 12V supply to 5V which is then fed to the PDA & GPS. In order to stop functioning altogether, the input supply would need to drop below around 6V. Consequently, I don't think the car's supply is the problem.

If you are losing power to the PDA then it's far more likely that either the power lead or the cradle itself has an intermittent fault. Do you know anyone with a Tom Tom car kit that would be prepared to swap leads temporarily to try to prove where the problem lies?

swarrans · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 7:23 am Post subject:

Thanks for the reply Crocodile.
The major reason I wanted it to work without a power lead was so that I could walk around with it (antenna discretely hidden to avoid looking like a plonker!) - the car voltage drop thing was more of a side issue. I assume mine is working correctly, but can't understand whu Mark says his will work without a power lead.

However, I suspect your assumption about the car supply needing to drop to 6 volts to "disconnect" is not correct - I would think the output would be proportional to the input and drop I've measured at the ciggie lighter suggests it only needs to drop to circa 10/11 volts for the "disconnected" symbol to come on. Fairly sure it's not the lead as I can do the above consistently.

Simon

Pc-Mobile · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 7:47 am Post subject:

The key is the GPS.

If you are using the Tom Tom wired GPS, it needs power off the cradle so it will not work if the cradle (mount) is not powered.

However, if you are connecting a GPS that has it own power, like a handheld GPS, you do not need power to the cradle. It will work with PDA's own battery and the GPS' internal battery.
_________________
Pc-Mobile
http://pc-mobile.net/gps.htm

Crocodile · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 06, 2004 Posts: 196

The output voltage is not proportional. The cradle has a voltage regulator that disipates any excess voltage above 5V. I no longer have my Dixons 2210 pack but I've run an XDA2s cradle at 7.5V input without any problem. That isn't Tom Tom branded but is identical in appearance & connections.

I have a 4150 with official Tom Tom cradle on it's way courtesy of AV Forums cassifieds. When it arrives, I'll see if that's also happy with a low input if you like.

As for mobile use, I think you really need to look at bluetooth. Or, if you're still only using the 2210 for SatNav, think about outing the package for circa £250 & buying a Go 300. It's got it's own battery so would solve both issues.

	PocketGPS
	Web