Goose
Grey Hound
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2007
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TOM TOM URBAN RIDER Power-to-Cradle modification
(if you feel that you need on-bike charging and don’t want to fork out nearly 50 Quid for an Active Cradle – this is what I did yesterday for a lady-friend of ours on her bike)
First get yourself one of these nifty sealed DC-DC Converters off eBay……….
This is great as it’s a 12v to 5v 3A unit, with a rubberised USB connector on the end.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251074245310?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
……. also get yourself a 1m or even 1.5m USB to Mini USB cable (same as the Garmin USB cable – or external Hard drive etc) – or a shorter cable depending on where you mount the Converter!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-8M-HI-SPEED-USB-2-0-CABLE-LEAD-A-MALE-TO-MINI-B-5-PIN-CAMERA-PC-/150780237795?pt=UK_Computing_USB_Cables&hash=item231b33d7e3
The DC-DC Converter module can first be mounted/installed in a suitable place – perhaps under your seat or where-ever you have space that will keep it nice and dry
(the unit is sealed – but even so it would be worth making sure it’s protected)
The Positive and Negative leads can go straight onto your battery – however I’d recommend putting an inline fuse with it for protection. If you have a fusebox – then that would be the perfect connection point.
Once I fitted the unit – I also realised that even when the SATNAV was not being connected – the circuitry inside the DC-DC Converter would still be drawing a miniscule amount of power from the battery.
Leaving it for extended periods of time, might well allow drain on the battery.
So I fitted a weatherproof switch that can just remain under the seat and I can switch it off when the bike will be standing for an extended period.
At the moment the switch is loose on a lead, but will eventually be fitted on the side bulkhead of the bike for easy access and also to allow me to easily see (integrated LED) when it’s on or off.
Next you place the TomTom in the cradle and check where the small weatherproof door matches the cradle. Mark the place and then using a small file or a Dremel-tool……. remove just enough of the plastic frame of the cradle to allow you to open the door/flap while the unit is still mounted.
Check your progress regularly and rather do small bits at a time.
You can always file/remove a little bit more – but if you’ve gouged out too much… well then you cannot really reverse the process?
Once the modification has been done….. the cradle with the fitted SATNAV is then mounted back on the bike.
The USB cable is routed from the battery area underneath the tank to the front of the bike where it’s looped and cable-tied to the handlebars and the TomTom’s cradle with just enough play to allow it to fit to the unit when in use.
Works a treat!!
Obviously there is now an issue that technically the unit is not considered waterproof when the flap at the bottom is open – simply because the rubber seal is not engaged.
So there are different schools of thought here with one being that when the USB cable is in the unit and connected – the join creates a homogeneous seal, which would disallow water ingress.
If however you do not want to take the chance…. Then you could of course disconnect the cable whilst riding in the rain and merely ride on battery power with the flap closed……… or you could keep a few “non-lubricated” condoms or perhaps a few clear surgical gloves handy and merely pop them over the whole unit to protect it from any possible water ingress?
In any case – you’d have to get a small piece of rubberised tube/pipe (about 80mm) from B&Q or perhaps Halfords that could be pinched on one end and then tied to the cradle/handlebars in such a way that when you have removed the SATNAV for safety… the open-ended USB plug could just be pushed in to keep it safe from rain/moisture!
Perfect when not in use!
At the end of the day… a little bit of time was needed to do the job…. (and a few cuppa's! :sip:
But total cost in materials……. around £7.00 including the shrink wrap - leaving you over 40 quid to buy your mates or missus a meal at the local! :thumleft:
Don’t know if this info would be of any use to anyone….. but thought I’d share it!
(if you feel that you need on-bike charging and don’t want to fork out nearly 50 Quid for an Active Cradle – this is what I did yesterday for a lady-friend of ours on her bike)
First get yourself one of these nifty sealed DC-DC Converters off eBay……….
This is great as it’s a 12v to 5v 3A unit, with a rubberised USB connector on the end.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251074245310?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
……. also get yourself a 1m or even 1.5m USB to Mini USB cable (same as the Garmin USB cable – or external Hard drive etc) – or a shorter cable depending on where you mount the Converter!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-8M-HI-SPEED-USB-2-0-CABLE-LEAD-A-MALE-TO-MINI-B-5-PIN-CAMERA-PC-/150780237795?pt=UK_Computing_USB_Cables&hash=item231b33d7e3
The DC-DC Converter module can first be mounted/installed in a suitable place – perhaps under your seat or where-ever you have space that will keep it nice and dry
(the unit is sealed – but even so it would be worth making sure it’s protected)
The Positive and Negative leads can go straight onto your battery – however I’d recommend putting an inline fuse with it for protection. If you have a fusebox – then that would be the perfect connection point.
Once I fitted the unit – I also realised that even when the SATNAV was not being connected – the circuitry inside the DC-DC Converter would still be drawing a miniscule amount of power from the battery.
Leaving it for extended periods of time, might well allow drain on the battery.
So I fitted a weatherproof switch that can just remain under the seat and I can switch it off when the bike will be standing for an extended period.
At the moment the switch is loose on a lead, but will eventually be fitted on the side bulkhead of the bike for easy access and also to allow me to easily see (integrated LED) when it’s on or off.
Next you place the TomTom in the cradle and check where the small weatherproof door matches the cradle. Mark the place and then using a small file or a Dremel-tool……. remove just enough of the plastic frame of the cradle to allow you to open the door/flap while the unit is still mounted.
Check your progress regularly and rather do small bits at a time.
You can always file/remove a little bit more – but if you’ve gouged out too much… well then you cannot really reverse the process?
Once the modification has been done….. the cradle with the fitted SATNAV is then mounted back on the bike.
The USB cable is routed from the battery area underneath the tank to the front of the bike where it’s looped and cable-tied to the handlebars and the TomTom’s cradle with just enough play to allow it to fit to the unit when in use.
Works a treat!!
Obviously there is now an issue that technically the unit is not considered waterproof when the flap at the bottom is open – simply because the rubber seal is not engaged.
So there are different schools of thought here with one being that when the USB cable is in the unit and connected – the join creates a homogeneous seal, which would disallow water ingress.
If however you do not want to take the chance…. Then you could of course disconnect the cable whilst riding in the rain and merely ride on battery power with the flap closed……… or you could keep a few “non-lubricated” condoms or perhaps a few clear surgical gloves handy and merely pop them over the whole unit to protect it from any possible water ingress?
In any case – you’d have to get a small piece of rubberised tube/pipe (about 80mm) from B&Q or perhaps Halfords that could be pinched on one end and then tied to the cradle/handlebars in such a way that when you have removed the SATNAV for safety… the open-ended USB plug could just be pushed in to keep it safe from rain/moisture!
Perfect when not in use!
At the end of the day… a little bit of time was needed to do the job…. (and a few cuppa's! :sip:
But total cost in materials……. around £7.00 including the shrink wrap - leaving you over 40 quid to buy your mates or missus a meal at the local! :thumleft:
Don’t know if this info would be of any use to anyone….. but thought I’d share it!
