GPS and cell phone on a 6 volt system

[bobj49f2]

Before I start this post I want to acknowledge I found most of this information on the Model A board on the Ford Barn site and the HAMB.

I recently made a 1600 mile round trip in my stock '49 Ford F-2 3/4 ton pickup. For added convenience and safety I wanted to use my GPS system and charge my cell phone but I thought I had to add some kind of 12 volt converter. I started to research the subject on the above boards and found that the new electronic devices run off of 5 volts, they use a smart charger and as long as they can sense a voltage source as low as 6-7 they'll send out the needed 5 volts to charge the device.

Here's my contribution to the subject. I started with a dual port power port I found at my local farm supply store. I liked this unit for a few reasons. First it's made of metal, I've had problems in the past with plastic ones that the mounting ears broke off after inserting and pulling out the plug. Second, it had two ports, one for my GPS and one for my cell phone. I could have both plugged in at the same time. Third, I thought it looked kind of period correct and it tucked under the dash it wasn't as noticeable as the larger, clunkier plastic ones I found.

Here's what I started with:
Custom Accessories dual cigarette lighter receptacle part#49997
Custom Accessories - DUAL CIGARETTE LIGHTER RECEPTACLES
Two 1/4" round head nylon round headed bolts
Two 1/4" Keps nuts, eliminates the need for a lock washer
One crimp on ring terminal with a 1/4"
One crimp on ring terminal with a #10 hole
One plastic insulator, I just cut a piece of 1/8" thick piece of plastic to fit
Solder iron and solder
Heat shrink tube

If your truck/car is like mine and has the stock positive ground system you will have to maintain a negative ground in the power receptacle. You will have to insulate the case of the power receptacle from the metal of the dashboard.

I cut the red wire coming from the center post of the receptacle, keeping the fuse holder for later use, attached the 1/4" crimp ring terminal.
I soldered the fuse terminal to the black wire coming from the receptacle and covered it with a piece of heat shrink tubing. On the other end of the fuse I crimped on smaller #10 ring terminal to attach to the accessory post on the ignition switch.

I cut the piece of plastic to fit and inserted it between the receptacle and the bottom of the dashboard, using the 1/4" nylon bolts and Keps nuts to fasten it to the underside of the dashboard. I also inserted the 1/4" ring terminal between one of the Keps nuts and the metal dashboard.

I used this set up on my 1600 mile trip without a problem. Both my GPS and cell phone worked great. Whenever my cell phone got low I'd plug it into the receptacle and it would charge to full. I didn't notice if it took longer to charge in my F-2 than it did in my daily driver but I doubt if it did it was much longer.

[oldford2]

Thanks for the post. Great info and well presented. John

[Cecil/WV]

I use a regular 6v lighter in my '40 pickup, bolted under the dash with the wires reversed, and it works OK. I have a power inverter on my '50 to run my GPS and satellite radio. Works for me.

[JM 35 Sedan]

I have done pretty much the same thing to use my GPS and charge my cell phone. One problem I have with this setup is when running at night with lights on the GPS will cut on and off when the brake lights come on. This usually happened when engine/generator were at low rpm's and voltage was lower than 5V's. GM found a nice small inverter that works well for powering his 12V needs.

[Big Red 51]

I make it simple and carry my 12V power pack placed on the rear floor board and plug in the 12V devices. Great for on the road and just recharge at night.
Don

[trainguy]

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Let get this right,a GPS will opperate on 6volts?

[G.M.]

The problem is when running off 6 volts at very low speed and at idle the cutout on top of the early generator and in the voltage regulator on later 6 volt engines disconnects the generator from the battery. Now you are running the GPS off the battery. The battery voltage is about 6.3 and is right on the minimum voltage required to power the GPS. As John reported if you touch the brake the power drops when the brake lights come on and the GPS drops out just when you need it in a strange town. It takes a little time to bring the GPS back to where it works again. With the little 2.5" square box that converts 6 to 12 volts you don't have the drop out problem. These are usually available on eBay for $55.00 to $80.00. I also always carry a 12 volt jumper pack with an air compressure, 12 volt lighter plug and 110 AC output. I have a jumper pack with a switch that disconnects the jumper cables. With this switch you can hook the 12 volt cables to the starter and ground, have someone turn the ignition on and then actuate the jumper cables and it starts right up without 12 volts through the whole system. G.M.

[trainguy]

My Tom Tom has a battery that you are charging with the lighter,the battery should 'iron out the low voltage conditions.I will have to try it,if not the converter would be my ace in the hole. Phil

[klicker]

Nice! Learn something new everyday! There are several ideas on this thread. I've wondered how I could get some tunes in my 6 volt car.....

[G.M.]

I have a LARGE garmin I believe it's a 7200 which stores music and has a real good sound with it's built in speakers. It is also capable of receiving Sirus satellite service with an additional antenna. I purchased the additional antenna but haven't got the service priceing I'm happy with for a part time radio yet. I have life time service in my P/U which was $440.00 but don't want to pay that much. I made brackets for the old Fords and the modern cars and it only takes a wing nut to remove. It plugs into the 12 volt lighter socket. On the old Fords I made a extension lighter socket reversing the polarity with the wires. This works but has the drop out problems described above so I bought a few of the small converters described above. G.M.

[Old Henry]

On my road trips if I ever want a GPS (which is rare as GPS has lead me astray when a plain old map was better) I use a 10" laptop with MS Streets and Trips on it and an external magnetic GPS receiver on a wire to the outside cowl or roof. Of course it's a huge display compared to the self contained GPS and the computer's battery will last 6 hours which is more than I ever need of GPS in a day. Still prefer the good old road map though.

[Frank Miller]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

On my road trips if I ever want a GPS (which is rare as GPS has lead me astray when a plain old map was better) I use a 10" laptop with MS Streets and Trips on it and an external magnetic GPS receiver on a wire to the outside cowl or roof. Of course it's a huge display compared to the self contained GPS and the computer's battery will last 6 hours which is more than I ever need of GPS in a day. Still prefer the good old road map though.

Henry the GPS is used for so much more. When driving at night you can see the road and anticipate turns coming up. It also gives you an ETA as well as street crossings, especially useful where signs are missing or obstructed. It also can be used to calibrate your speedometer and sometimes it is easier to see. I have not attempted to load specific maps yet but that can also be done.

As to installing this device remember that there may be potential between the metal of the power point and any other metal on the car. The fuse will blow but you may put a burn mark where you do not want to.

[green50]

Originally Posted by bobj49f2

Before I start this post I want to acknowledge I found most of this information on the Model A board on the Ford Barn site and the HAMB.

I recently made a 1600 mile round trip in my stock '49 Ford F-2 3/4 ton pickup. For added convenience and safety I wanted to use my GPS system and charge my cell phone but I thought I had to add some kind of 12 volt converter. I started to research the subject on the above boards and found that the new electronic devices run off of 5 volts, they use a smart charger and as long as they can sense a voltage source as low as 6-7 they'll send out the needed 5 volts to charge the device.

Here's my contribution to the subject. I started with a dual port power port I found at my local farm supply store. I liked this unit for a few reasons. First it's made of metal, I've had problems in the past with plastic ones that the mounting ears broke off after inserting and pulling out the plug. Second, it had two ports, one for my GPS and one for my cell phone. I could have both plugged in at the same time. Third, I thought it looked kind of period correct and it tucked under the dash it wasn't as noticeable as the larger, clunkier plastic ones I found.

Here's what I started with:
Custom Accessories dual cigarette lighter receptacle part#49997
Custom Accessories - DUAL CIGARETTE LIGHTER RECEPTACLES
Two 1/4" round head nylon round headed bolts
Two 1/4" Keps nuts, eliminates the need for a lock washer
One crimp on ring terminal with a 1/4"
One crimp on ring terminal with a #10 hole
One plastic insulator, I just cut a piece of 1/8" thick piece of plastic to fit
Solder iron and solder
Heat shrink tube

If your truck/car is like mine and has the stock positive ground system you will have to maintain a negative ground in the power receptacle. You will have to insulate the case of the power receptacle from the metal of the dashboard.

I cut the red wire coming from the center post of the receptacle, keeping the fuse holder for later use, attached the 1/4" crimp ring terminal.
I soldered the fuse terminal to the black wire coming from the receptacle and covered it with a piece of heat shrink tubing. On the other end of the fuse I crimped on smaller #10 ring terminal to attach to the accessory post on the ignition switch.

I cut the piece of plastic to fit and inserted it between the receptacle and the bottom of the dashboard, using the 1/4" nylon bolts and Keps nuts to fasten it to the underside of the dashboard. I also inserted the 1/4" ring terminal between one of the Keps nuts and the metal dashboard.

I used this set up on my 1600 mile trip without a problem. Both my GPS and cell phone worked great. Whenever my cell phone got low I'd plug it into the receptacle and it would charge to full. I didn't notice if it took longer to charge in my F-2 than it did in my daily driver but I doubt if it did it was much longer.

Doesn't this wiring change the new power outlets to positive ground? Will it still charge a 12 volt negative ground device?

[bobj49f2]

Gene,

I ran the center tap wire, the positive, to the dash board because my truck is positive ground. I used the wire coming from the outer shell of the power port to the ignition switch. Doing this makes the metal bracket of the power port negative ground, like it would be on a newer negative grounded car. The the center tap is positive, like it would be on a newer negative grounded car.

Like Frank mentions above, the metal dash and the metal power port case are opposite charged and in the right situation there could be a spark generated if they were grounded together.

[green50]

Bob

I wired mine just like your diagram shows and it works. So I guess I did something right. Sorry to bring my confusion here. My brain is trained for negative ground. I have to get into the positive ground mode. Thanks.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by green50

Bob

I wired mine just like your diagram shows and it works. So I guess I did something right. Sorry to bring my confusion here. My brain is trained for negative ground. I have to get into the positive ground mode. Thanks.

It is negative ground the way you wired it!

[dick lyons]

hi. can this system be used to power an ipod?

[gmc1941]

If you take a look at your IPad , IPhone and many other devices you'll find that they operate some on 5volt, 7.5 12volt. Many times you don't need a charger.

[dick lyons]

it is an iPOD. I want to use it as a radio. or just to have some tunes, as my indash radio is dead.

[adileo]

How about getting a bluetooth speaker