Introduction: How to Fix Garmin Satnav Broken Usb Power Connector
This artcle is how to bypasss a broken usb connector on the back of your GPS.
Step 1: Follow Steps Below
1. Open case -tiny torx screws -you need a special screwdriver.
2. enlarge the back of the case opening where the usb sticks out so you can run a wire in. 3. twist off the usb connector -if its not all the way off already 4. remove the white battery connector from the circuit board. 5. careful, dont make a short by cutting them at the same time, the battery could explode. Cut the wires close to the battery and strip 1 cm insulation off the red and black wires -yellow is unused. 6. Cut the usb end off the car charger wire and run the wire in through the enlarged usb hole in the plastic back. Strip the wires back 1 cm. there are only two: the central wire is positive, the surrounding wire mesh is negative. 7. solder or twist the red wire from the white plug to the central wire of the car charger 8. solder /twist the black wire from the white plug to the surround wire from the car charger 9. use tape or hear shrink tubing to insulate the wires (seperately) 10. dispose of battery safely 11. put everything back together in case (except battery). 12 you now have a working sat nav again -no battery power obviously.
Step 2: GPS USB Power Connector Breaks, What Can I Do?
Garmin, Tom-Tom and all the rest offer free lifetime map updates. How can they afford that?
Easy, the lifetime in question is not yours, its the lifetime of your device. And if the lifetime of your device is only a few years because the USB connector breaks due to a (possibly designed) defect, then you will just have to buy a new satnav with more "lifetime" maps. Yaaay!
Well, if like me, you don't like that kind of stuff, here is a way to bypass the defective connector. The only limitation is that you will have to load new maps to the mini SD since you wont be able to communicate directly with the device. I update my maps using free openstreetmap anyway since I never had a lifetime map.
Step 3: More Steps
1.open unit by unscrew torx
2. twist off usb
3. cut usb end off car charger wire and strip .5cm of the 2 wires. (centre wire is +) then run through hole in back of GPS case
4. cut battery wires and discard battery
5. splice red wire to+ of car charger and black wire to neg . leave yellow wire alone and tape all up.
put it all back together and plug it in
you now have s worthy GPS again
