Build A Garmin GPS Data/Power Cable
Another “Dead Mouse” Project
With or with out DC power adapter
Using a Pfrancs’ Pplug
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Reasons To Build Your Own Data/Power Cables
- Price will be a lot less than buying a Garmin made cable depending on
available parts in your parts bin
- Makes use of a dead mouse
- Cable is customized to your specifications
- “Home brew” construction project
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Locate The Parts Required
- Order the Pplug from Pfrancs’ local distributor found at
http://pfranc.com
- Mouse with DB-9 female connector
- Heat shrink – two sizes
- Car adapter if your are building a data/power cable
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Warning Warning Warning!!!!
- The procedures shown here are for a Garmin GPS III. (10 – 32
Volts D.C.)
- Check your manual for your pin outs and voltage requirements
- Some Garmins require a specific voltage, others will take a varying
voltage.
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Disclaimer!!!!
- Connecting wires the wrong way can destroy your GPS and/or
Computer and void any warranties!!
- If are not comfortable building your own cable purchase a
pre-made cable from Pfrancs, or Garmin!!
- Use the following instructions at your own
risk, please do not call
me and tell me you destroyed your equipment!!!
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Prepare the Mouse
- Cut the mouse cord close to the mouse |
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Determine Wire Colour/Pin #s
- Strip some of the outer protective covering off and bare ends of
wires
- Use a meter to determine which wire goes to which pin on the
DB-9 connector
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DB-9 (RS232) Pin Locations
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Wire Colours to Pin #s
- Your mouse wire colours may vary!
- Following table is for the mouse I used
| WIRE COLOUR |
PIN # |
USE |
| Orange |
2 |
Rx Data |
| Yellow |
3 |
Tx Data |
| Blue |
5 |
Ground |
| White |
8 (clipped) |
Power |
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Place Heat Shrink On Cable
- You will need a two pieces that are slightly larger than the mouse
cord
- A piece that is slightly larger than the Pplug wire holder
- Place heat shrink pieces on the cable
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Parts Of The Pplug
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Place Wires Through Pplug
- Using your table, and the Garmin pin out diagram, insert ends of
wires through the Pplug top shell
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Solder Pins To The Wires
- Tin the wire ends
- Tin the cup ends of the pins
- Solder a wire into a pin
- Let cool before moving on to next wire and pin
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Seat Pins Into Pplug Connector
- Using your table, and the Garmin pin out diagram, insert the pins
into the Pplug bottom shell
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Assemble The Pplug Connector
- Snap the top and bottom shells together
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- Insert centre pin plug if required (bottom)
- Insert screw through the Pplug cap |
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- Screw the connector together |
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DC Power or No DC Power
- Decide whether you will be adding the DC power adapter or not
(you can add it later if you desire)
- Either way you will need to clip one wire near the DB-9
- Carefully remove the protective covering near the DB-9, not
cutting the wires
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Clip The Power Wire
- Check your table to see which wire is the one for power
- Clip this wire, in this example, White
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DC Power Option
- If you are going to add a DC power adapter, locate the ground
wire and strip a bit of insulation off, not cutting the wire, Blue in
this example
- Strip the end of the power wire, and strip the ends of the wire for
the power adapter
- Fold the power wire back
- Solder the power adapter ground wire to the ground wire, Blue in
this example, in the wire bundle
- Solder the power adapter Positive wire to the power wire which is
clipped from the wire bundle, in this example the White wire
- Check wires to ensure no shorts or melted through insulation
- Check continuity with meter
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Strengthening The Pplug and Cable Connection
- Slide the large heat shrink over the end of the Pplug and apply heat
evenly to shrink heat shrink
- If heat shrink does not shrink enough to seal the cable, use a small
piece from the DB-9 end to seal the gap
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Sealing The Two Cables
- Ensure that the two soldered joints do not touch by folding power
wire along outer insulation
- Slide heat shrink over junctions and apply heat evenly to seal
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No Power Adapter Option
- If you are not adding a power adapter at this time, fold the power
wire, White in this example, back along the outer insulation
- Slide heat shrink over the junction and apply heat evenly to seal
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| Completed Garmin Data/Power Cable |
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Garmin Interface
- Check you manual for interface setup for data transfer and/or NMEA
data
- Garmin GPS III:
- Main Menu
- Setup
- Interface
- Garmin
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Testing The Cable
- Connect the cable to the Garmin GPS and your PC
- Run your program to see if it sees the GPS, ensure you have the
GPS and the program’s GPS interface configured correctly. If seen
then it’s good
- To check power adapter, plug into DC power source. On GPS III
there will be no battery level indication on Satellite Acquisition
page
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Post Test Results
If everything was put together correctly, then:
- Your Garmin GPS did not go up in smoke!
- Your computer did not go up in smoke!
- Your DC power source (auto/power supply) did not go up in
smoke!
- Your Garmin GPS and Computer program exchanged data!
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Software Used To Test The Cable:
WinAPRS : http://aprs.rutgers.edu/
GPS port moving map navigation
Garmin Control window waypoints, track, GPS screen capture
GPS Utility 4.04.7: http://www.gpsu.co.uk/
Waypoints, Routes, Stored only 500 trackpoints with Freeware
version
GPS TrackMaker 11.8: http://www.gpstm.com
Waypoints, tracks, routes, overlayed on scanned map
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References
- Garmin http://www.garmin.com
- Pfrancs http://pfrancs.com
- Garmin GPS III Manual http://www.garmin.com/manuals/62.pdf
- WinAPRS documentation http://aprs.rutgers.edu/
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