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I immediately thought too it's wired backwards at the battery. Here in the States, black is always (-) on vehicles.
Re: Zumo XT has never worked in the cradle
Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2023 8:37 pm
by Stu
Tracer 900 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 06, 2023 7:47 pm
Hi, thanks for replying, and trying to help, but I dont understand.
I have connected the black and red wires directly to the battery terminals (obviously black to positive, red to negative), with the zumo in place, I am getting 12.5V from the ends of the black/red wires.
But which fuse am I measuring across?
Battery.jpg
That black wire is on the + side isn't it?
It's only ever the + that has a cover over it
If so they are the wrong way round
Re: Zumo XT has never worked in the cradle
Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:54 pm
by pcdabbler
AAARGH ! poor practice to wire anything directly to a battery like that. Unless you want flame grilled underparts .. Always have a correctly rated in line fuse to the + connection direct to a battery to protect against failure. And, of course, it is the wrong way around. Good job Garmin have protected the DC to DC converter from reverse polarity, otherwise it would have gone up in flames.
Re: Zumo XT has never worked in the cradle
Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2023 2:44 am
by Fxwheels
Tracer 900 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 06, 2023 7:47 pm
Hi, thanks for replying, and trying to help, but I dont understand.
I have connected the black and red wires directly to the battery terminals (obviously black to positive, red to negative), with the zumo in place, I am getting 12.5V from the ends of the black/red wires.
But which fuse am I measuring across?
Battery.jpg
Why do you have the black on positive (+)? Should be red.
Re: Zumo XT has never worked in the cradle
Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2023 7:52 am
by jfheath
I just realised how much I used to enjoy Candid Camera.
Re: Zumo XT has never worked in the cradle
Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2023 12:54 pm
by lkraus
pcdabbler wrote: ↑Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:54 pm
AAARGH ! poor practice to wire anything directly to a battery like that. Unless you want flame grilled underparts .. Always have a correctly rated in line fuse to the + connection direct to a battery to protect against failure. And, of course, it is the wrong way around. Good job Garmin have protected the DC to DC converter from reverse polarity, otherwise it would have gone up in flames.
Garmin also has over-current protection built into the converter box, so it is the inline fuse. It resets when disconnected from power.
Re: Zumo XT has never worked in the cradle
Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2023 6:17 pm
by pcdabbler
Isnt an in line fuse necessary as final protection ? I'd rather rely on a final wire type fuse to a high energy source rather than just a semiconductor poly fuse. Ive seen the fires resulting in direct to battery accessory connections before.
My home uses circuit breakers for all circuits, not fuses which melt.
My motorcycle has no fuses at all.
There are many paths to the same goal.
Re: Zumo XT has never worked in the cradle
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 8:08 am
by pcdabbler
All motorcycles have a main fuse, usually in the stater solenoid area. I'd fit an in line fuse as close to the battery as I could. Imagine trapping that nice red Zumo XT wire under the seat, then after several hundred miles, it chafing down and shorting on the frame ? Fuses of any type, and as you say, Contact breakers are there to protect the wiring not the accessory.