Convenient and effective GPS power & speaker, but breakable!
Written: Jan 21 '07 (Updated Jan 22 '07)
Product Rating:
Pros: Convenient. No "installation" necessary.
Cons: The tip of connector can easily break, and leave you stranded.
The Bottom Line: If you want to easily switch your Garmin GPS between cars, this connector is for you - but beware, it can easily break, and leave you stranded.
graphics_guy's Full Review: Garmin (010-10477-07) AC Adapter for StreetPilot 2...
I own a Garmin 2610 GPS, so I have firsthand knowledge of this cable...
This is the cable that comes with many of the recent Garmin GPS navigation units (such as models 26xx, 27xx, and 28xx). It lets you plug the unit into the cigarette lighter, and set the GPS on the dash, and you're ready to go ... very simple & easy way to share your GPS between different cars, without having to run power, audio, and antenna cables.
Speaker:
The main "unique" thing about this cable is that is has a 2" speaker built into the cigarette lighter plug. It's got a pivot point (with a bolt going through it), so you can angle the speaker to point towards you. The speaker is decently loud to hear the voice prompts from the GPS unit - I even use it on my loud/Harley-like motorcycle, and never have had to turn it up past volume of 8 (with 10 being the max). In a review on another forum, someone mentioned that the bolt/nut would vibrate and loosen on their motorcycle, and the speaker would "flop" around, but I've never had that problem (if you have that problem, I'd recommend putting a drop of lock-tite on the bolt threads).
Connector:
The connector is where the cable plugs into the GPS is a (proprietary?) connector that slides into place very securely, rather than just a plug that would pull out. I can vouch for the security of this connector, because my GPS once came out of the mounting bracket on my motorcycle, and was dangling by this cable/connection until I could pull over. Also, since this connector slides into place, rather than plugging into a hole, that makes it more water-resistant (for motorcycle & boating applications).
Cigarette Lighter Plug:
This is the weak-link! -- Notice in the picture that just before the tip, there is a thin band. This is where you can screw off the top to replace the (1A 250V) fuse. But there are only about 3 threads holding the tip on, and this is the thinnest/weakest part of the unit, and if something jerks on the cord, it can easily put pressure on the tip, and break it off!
This (breaking) happened to me on the way back from a DJ gig (good thing it didn't happen on the way *to* the gig!) When I packed all my gear, something must have pulled on the cord, because when I started my Cherokee, the GPS wouldn't come on. When I unplugged the plug from the cigarette lighter, the pieces of the tip of the plug came apart, and either the small metal center/tip piece, or the metal ring around the end, came off inside the cigarette lighter socket, and "shorted" the circuit, blowing my car's cigarette lighter fuse (which also meant I had no radio). Good thing I remembered how to get back home, because I had no maps with me (since I thought I had a GPS)!
And, since you can't get these proprietary cables just anywhere, I've mail-ordered one for about $30.
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Here's the important advice!...
Be very careful about the delicate cigarette lighter plug, because it can break!
Also, if you are using one of these in a *critical* application (such as Fire/Police/Ambulance), I would recommend getting a different kind of cable, such as the one that comes with the 010-10495-00 mounting kit, which will let you straight-wire it to a circuit (rather than plugging into a cigarette lighter). It lets you wire directly to power, and also use your own external speaker. I have a mounting setup like this in my F250 truck. This is a much more "bulletproof" setup, and I would highly recommend it for mission-critical applications.
Just think what would happen in a mission-critical application, and the tip broke, and you have no GPS! And, worse yet, if the little metal pieces of the tip "shorted" out your cigarette lighter circuit (like mine did), and if something important was on that circuit (maybe your 2-way radio?) then you'd be in *bad* shape!
This adapter is a replacement for the 12/18-volt adapter cable with external speaker that came with your StreetPilot. It allows you to power your unit...More at Buy.com
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