New GPS wiring on 2011 RT

[srmRT]

I am installing (as soon as it arrives!) a Garmin 396 LMT-S GPS on my 2011 RT. The unit comes with a fused wiring harness with ring connectors to attach directly to the battery.

I know that I can access the unused--on my bike--factory accessory plug up under the steering head, use a BMW "Repair Plug" connector, and get switched 12V power there, and that it would power off after a short period of time, maybe 90 seconds or so, after turning the key switch off. From what I have read, that shutdown would cause the GPS to lose any route I might have entered for that particular trip. Is this correct, or would the unit resume the route once it powered up?

I know that if I wire the unit directly to the battery, I need to be careful to physically turn the unit off when it will not be needed for extended periods of time. Leaving it on during a lunch stop should not pose a problem.

Right now I am leaning toward wiring it directly to the battery. Any thoughts/suggestions/experiences in either direction will be greatly appreciated.

Steve

 

[Omega Man]

Here is a Best of Forum that may help-

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?56217-12V-Power-Distribution

OM

 

[52184]

A couple of things to be aware of:

1. A Garmin GPS that gets it’s power connection shutdown by timeout will display a message that it is shutting down, but what it’s actually doing is going into a sleep mode. To actually power OFF the Garmin requires holding in the power button until a shutdown message appears, and selecting shutdown.

2. Batteries connected together will, over time, try to equalize. A Garmin in sleep mode and wired directly to a battery will, given enough time, result in a dead MC battery. DAMHIKT.

3. A Garmin in sleep mode, left unattended for a week or so, will have a dead internal battery.

4. This begs the question of how faithful you plan to be on powering off the Garmin or removing it from its cradle.

I’ve always used the BMW connector on bikes so equipped, and I always pop the unit from the cradle and make sure it’s fully powered off if the bike is going to sit more than overnight.

Best,
DeVern

 

[pglaves]

I have always wired my GPS units directly to the battery. The reason is that I want it to be on even when gassing the bike, or eating at a restaurant, or other stops during the day on a trip. While it is usually not critical information I do like to know my stopped time, and overall average speed compared to moving average speed, etc. It is a carry over from how I plan trips in different environments. Delaware and West Texas require different plans.

And it is carry over from years riding in competitive long-distance rallies and the Iron Butt Rally. And yes, I have run down a bike's battery on one or two occasions in the past 20 years. I even ran down the battery in my truck once by leaving the unit "on". But nowadays, with a Zumo on the bike I always remove the GPS from the cradle when not out riding, and overnight, and when the bike is put away for a while so the battery drain doesn't happen with the unit off the bike.

 

[srmRT]

A couple of things to be aware of:

1. A Garmin GPS that gets it’s power connection shutdown by timeout will display a message that it is shutting down, but what it’s actually doing is going into a sleep mode. To actually power OFF the Garmin requires holding in the power button until a shutdown message appears, and selecting shutdown.

2. Batteries connected together will, over time, try to equalize. A Garmin in sleep mode and wired directly to a battery will, given enough time, result in a dead MC battery. DAMHIKT.

3. A Garmin in sleep mode, left unattended for a week or so, will have a dead internal battery.

4. This begs the question of how faithful you plan to be on powering off the Garmin or removing it from its cradle.

I’ve always used the BMW connector on bikes so equipped, and I always pop the unit from the cradle and make sure it’s fully powered off if the bike is going to sit more than overnight.

Best,
DeVern

Thanks DeVern,

1. I thought/knew the unit would go into sleep mode, and I guess would stay in that mode, if not repowered up, until the internal battery died. Regarding the lose of routes entered, it is not a big deal as I seldom go anywhere that I actually "need" a GPS, and I guess I will just have to wait and try it out, and read the manual!

2. Yep!

3. I am assuming that repowering the unit would recharge the internal battery, as removing the unit from the bike and possibly not riding again for a week or more would surely deplete the internal battery, I would think.

4. I would be very attentive to that process.

Thanks a lot for the feedback!

Steve

 

[srmRT]

Here is a Best of Forum that may help-

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?56217-12V-Power-Distribution

OM

Thanks OM,

Good information!

Steve

 

[srmRT]

Thanks Paul,

I would not want to be on a trip to, say, a BMW rally in Georgia, with a trip route entered, and stop for lunch and have the route erased. I guess I will just have to investigate the characteristics of the particular unit in that regard.

I think, or should say HOPE!, I am cognizant enough to not leave a unit powered up for a long period on a shut-down bike.

I probably need to just send the unit back and dust off my Rand/McNally atlas!! Most people have been further up a tree than I have been away from home anyway.

Thanks for the feedback!!

Steve

 

[52184]

Thanks DeVern,

1. I thought/knew the unit would go into sleep mode, and I guess would stay in that mode, if not repowered up, until the internal battery died. Regarding the lose of routes entered, it is not a big deal as I seldom go anywhere that I actually "need" a GPS, and I guess I will just have to wait and try it out, and read the manual!

You’re welcome! Routes planned in BaseCamp, etc. and uploaded to the gps will stay active until you reach your destination or cancel routing. Likewise for simple destinations that have been selected from the “Where to” button. I can’t speak to routes created within the gps itself, using the “trip planner” function as I never use that. I usually have my route or destination entered into the gps the night before departing, and after powering off the gps overnight when I power on in the morning it is ready to guide me to my destination. This is on a BMW Nav VI and a Zumo 390LM, so ymmv.

Best,
DeVern

 

[lkraus]

When my Zumo XT was new and fully charged, I connected it to a regulated 13.6V power supply and made some current measurements.

The power draw is dependent on screen brightness:

Brightness level, Current draw (A)
20%, 0.42
50%, 0.43
70%, 0.45
80%, 0.48
90%, 0.52
100%, 0.58

Changing between day or night mode made no difference in current draw, only the brightness level of the backlight caused a current change.

Using the motorcycle mount, the XT and converter draw 2.44 mA in sleep mode (after single press of the power switch, or switched power disconnected).
Together, they draw 0.87 mA powered off (after power button held down and shut down confirmed on screen).
With the XT removed from the mount, the converter still draws 0.15 mA. Not much, but not quite zero.

The smaller screen of the 396 might require a bit less power in operation, but I suspect that asleep and turned off, the power draw is similar to the XT. That draw is probably insignificant if the bike is in regular use, but you might want to disconnect the wires at the battery if it will be idle for months at a time. I wired my Zumo to the BMW GPS connector to avoid that.

Completely powering down my XT or my older Zumo 590 does NOT lose my route. The 396 should be the same in that respect. Power on, tap View Map, and you should be able to continue your route.

While you are waiting for your GPS to arrive, you may want read through this guide: https://issuu.com/jfheath/docs/zumo_590_595_basecamp_v4. It was written for the 590 series Garmins, but most of it will apply to the 396. It explains a great deal about using routes with Zumos (and Nav V and VI) to get to your destination on your choice of roads. There is also a page of video links (pg. 28) to help illustrate the ideas. Garmin uses terms in a particular way, and has their own way of handling routes, that are not always what you might expect. This guide might save you from a lot of frustration.

 

[srmRT]

You’re welcome! Routes planned in BaseCamp, etc. and uploaded to the gps will stay active until you reach your destination or cancel routing. Likewise for simple destinations that have been selected from the “Where to” button. I can’t speak to routes created within the gps itself, using the “trip planner” function as I never use that. I usually have my route or destination entered into the gps the night before departing, and after powering off the gps overnight when I power on in the morning it is ready to guide me to my destination. This is on a BMW Nav VI and a Zumo 390LM, so ymmv.

Best,
DeVern

Seems like a do recall on my old Garmin 276, or whatever it was, that a route entered in "Where To" stayed active until destination reached or route cancelled, now that you mention it, so that concern should actually not be one!

Thanks again !

Steve

 

[srmRT]

Hey Larry,

Thanks for that good information and the link. I will dig into it and see what gives.

Steve