hello! i've got a garmin navi in me mini and the fuse keeps blowing. it's done this twice in the course of about 6 months... i just replaced the fuse 10 minutes ago and it blew instantly. i keep the charger plugged in at all times. am i not supposed to do this? is it ok if i go with a higher or smaller number fuse? is there a way to hardwire the navi charger to the car? thanks!

 

Never put a higher rated fuse into a lower rated slot.

It keeps blowing for a reason. You need to figure out why its blowing or you are going to have some serious problems and be deeper in the hole more than the cost of a few fuses.

 

halp! i still need halp!

 

I'll try to help, in spite of the lolcatz...

Which fuse is blowing - an inline fuse for the garmin adapter, or the car's cig lighter fuse?

In any case, a fuse blowing indicates that there's a short somewhere. Check the wiring for the unit and the adapter, and make sure n wires or metal are exposed. If the cig lighter is blowing, plug in a different accessory and see if you get the same result.

 

hmm... i wish i was more electrically-literate. i'll try plugging in the charger into another car and seeing if that works. the cigarette lighter fuse is blowing. i was recommended to disconnect the battery before plugging the fuse in. the charger was always loose in the cigarette lighter. could the constant charge/not charge shorted the fuse AND the navi itself?

 

When the ignition is off, the cigarette lighter has no power (and your Nav doesn't charge). Leaving it plugged in is unlikely to have any effect on the fuse blowing.

You can step through different combinations to determine the cause.

I'd start with the charger because it is probably the cheapest, lowest quality item in the mix. Plug the charger into the socket but don't connect it to the Nav. Does the fuse still blow? Also try using the power socket in the luggage compartment. When the fuse blows or not will give clues about the problem.