Tapping into power under the glove box?

[tonycajjo]

Originally Posted by Weasel

When a customer asks me to install an aftermarket accessory like that I usually end up adding into the fuse panel in one of the open holes. You can find an unused slot that comes on with the key or stays on all the time, add a wire with the fuse panel terminal to the empty side of the fuse slot, run the power wire wherever you want and just run a chassis ground anywhere. Put in the size fuse needed (2-5 amp for GPS nav) and there ya go!

One thing to remember to do is check the output voltage of the cig lighter power adapter for the unit.... If it is 12 volts output then you are good with just a wire, if it is like 5 volts then you need to wire up the adapter in line with the power and ground to regulate the voltage. (I did this as recently as last week for a hardwired install of an aftermarket sirius radio kit for a customer)

much better answer.

in addition, you can swing through radio shack and buy a cig lighter adapter plug. (only a few dollars) and wire that up the way described above allowing you not to cut into any of the GPS wires or buying a voltage adapter. (just plug in the one that comes with the GPS unit)