Leave GPS plugged into cigarette lighter overnight?

Supercell

I'm a little concerned that if its left plugged in overnight its going to drain the car battery eventually and one morning the car wont start.

Anyone else here leave theirs plugged in overnight?
Its a Garmin C510 btw.

Lex Luthor

is there power on your cigarette lighter with the ignition off?

Supercell

Yep unfortunately, I tested this to make sure.

MarkR

Shouldn't it be unplugged when you start your car? I have a airis one and that's specifically mentioned in the manual as a no no...

colm_mcm

MarkR wrote:

Shouldn't it be unplugged when you start your car? I have a airis one and that's specifically mentioned in the manual as a no no...

you read the manual?

Supercell

Doesn't mention that in the Garmin manual, but now you mention it - unless someone else says differently I'll adopt that approach, thanks.

Supercell

colm_mcm wrote:

you read the manual?

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Thanks Colm..yeah, I did.

colm_mcm

Longfield wrote:

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Thanks Colm..yeah, I did.

post more aimed at MarkR (edited now!)

I keep on finding these new features on mine, only tried the "zoom to" function last week by accident!

Sandwich

For what its worth.......

Different worry to your flat battery one, but a fireman I know never leaves his cigarette lighter in its socket - says he has been at too many cases where they have been the cause of a fire. But I guess the charger GPS draws nothing like the same current so maybe is less of a risk. You could replace the fuse with a lower amp one to be safer.

Also, while driving one day I smelled burning and realised my phone charger plugged into the lighter socket was smoking! Pulled the roasting thing out. Charger dead, phone OK. Not sure it if could have started a fire but you never know. I would never now leave my car with the phone plugged in like that.

Anan1

Longfield - How do you find the Garmin? I'm particularly interested in knowing how it compares to the Route 66 Chicago/Airis (both of which are identical to use).

sharkman

Anan1 wrote:

Longfield - How do you find the Garmin? I'm particularly interested in knowing how it compares to the Route 66 Chicago/Airis (both of which are identical to use).

Why not ask over on the GPS Forum ? http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=889

Supercell

Sandwich wrote:

For what its worth.......

Different worry to your flat battery one, but a fireman I know never leaves his cigarette lighter in its socket

Also, while driving one day I smelled burning and realised my phone charger plugged into the lighter socket was smoking!

Ok its stories like these that ironclad my decision, not going to leave it plugged in unless I'm in the car, GPS cost 250€, car cost a lot more!!

Anan1, don't have any idea how it compares to other makes tbh.
My one has the v9 Ireland maps which means complete ROI coverage, at least I've yet to drive somewhere that isn't covered in Wicklow and Dublin (apart from dirt tracks in the Wicklow mountains).
I got the 510 instead of the 320 because the screen is supposed to be better quality in sunny weather, maybe the GPS heads can give more detailed reviews in the GPS forum, I was just worried about my car starting in the morning thus the post here

Eoin

Anan1 wrote:

Longfield - How do you find the Garmin? I'm particularly interested in knowing how it compares to the Route 66 Chicago/Airis (both of which are identical to use).

Anan1, we have one of each between us at home. Personally I prefer the Garmin Nuvi - it has a much slicker interface, but the search on the R66 is a bit better to use, and caters better for Ireland where post codes aren't as useful as in the UK.

Still haven't figured out the R66 properly yet (that one's herselfs') but when planning a route on the Nuvi it seems a lot easier to see the directions for the full journey.

Edit: The R66 is brand new, and we drove to Ballinasloe last weekend. It couldn't place us for a hefty section of the drive. Also, the directions it was giving us were conflicting with the road signs. We were in a rush, so went with the road signs, and it didn't really inspire confidence.

JHMEG

eoin_s wrote:

Edit: The R66 is brand new, and we drove to Ballinasloe last weekend. It couldn't place us for a hefty section of the drive. Also, the directions it was giving us were conflicting with the road signs. We were in a rush, so went with the road signs, and it didn't really inspire confidence.

Sounds like old maps. Check if you've Q2/2006. On the About screen.

FX Meister

Wired mine in deirectly to a switched supply so I wouldn't have a lead in the cig lighter. No way I would ever leave it on display in the car though. Even easier to steal than a car stereo. FACT

Eoin

JHMEG wrote:

Sounds like old maps. Check if you've Q2/2006. On the About screen.

Didn't mean to hi-jack the thread, but the unit was right off the shelf the week before!

unkel

sharkman wrote:

Why not ask over on the GPS Forum ? http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=889

Indeed. That's about the 5th GPS thread I've moved in a week

Supercell

FX Meister wrote:

Wired mine in deirectly to a switched supply so I wouldn't have a lead in the cig lighter. No way I would ever leave it on display in the car though. Even easier to steal than a car stereo. FACT

Neither would I!!

The Garmin's have a pretty cool security lock though. You can set a pin number on them to be keyed in before they work. What's clever about them is that you can set a safe zone, ie a home waypoint where if you power it on in your own driveway it doesn't bother with a pin which is pretty nice imho.
There are Garmin security stickers you can put on your windows with the device, but haven't put them up as I reckon the average skanger doesn't realise the "yoke" he just "stolded" won't start up anywhere else bar the place he smashed the window in on. Its just going to advertise the GPS in a glovebox.

Supercell

unkel wrote:

Indeed. That's about the 5th GPS thread I've moved in a week

Except this isnt a "GPS" thread, its about what happens to my car battery when a GPS is plugged into my car ciggy lighter socket!!

Overmodding, but my orignal question was answered and this thread will die now here as it doesnt belong in this forum!!

Anan1

unkel wrote:

Indeed. That's about the 5th GPS thread I've moved in a week

Thanks guys, i'd never have discovered the GPS forum otherwise!:)

esskay

I can confirm that a C510 can be damaged when left plugged in to the cigarette lighter when you start your car. I am waiting on mine to come back from Garmin.....