GPS - How Much Power Consumption?

[iankh]

I love my new Bolt, but I can't say that I like Apple Maps. It lacks just too many features. I much prefer my stand-alone Garmin. I'm hesitant to use it because I'm not sure how much power it would draw through the cigarette lighter outlet. Does anyone have any idea?

 

[dndrich]

I love my new Bolt, but I can't say that I like Apple Maps. It lacks just too many features. I much prefer my stand-alone Garmin. I'm hesitant to use it because I'm not sure how much power it would draw through the cigarette lighter outlet. Does anyone have any idea?

It will be tiny. Use it to your heart's content. Imagine that it draws like 10 watts. Probably less. So, if you used it for 10 hours that would be 0.1 kWh. Your Bolt battery holds 60 kWh. So, accessories draw almost nothing.

 

[user 387]

Look up the specs in its manual. If it specs an Amp draw, multiply times the voltage (12) to get Watts.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Better yet, look at the back of the device. Usually there is a sticker that specifies the power draw in either watts or amps.

A cigarette lighter can typically only supply about 15-20A. At 12V, that's only 180-240W. If you draw at full power for a full day (24 hours), that's only 5.76kWh (240W * 24h), which is less than 10% of the Bolt's battery. I can practically guarantee the Garmin draws less than 240W (if it did, it would get very hot - probably too hot to touch). And that's absolutely worst case.

So I agree with dndrich; use it to your heart's content.

 

[SeanNelson]

A cigarette lighter can typically only supply about 15-20A. At 12V, that's only 180-240W. If you draw at full power for a full day (24 hours), that's only 5.76kWh (240W * 24h), which is less than 10% of the Bolt's battery. I can practically guarantee the Garmin draws less than 240W (if it did, it would get very hot - probably too hot to touch). And that's absolutely worst case.

I run my Garmin with a 7" screen through a 12V USB adapter rated at 1 amp. At the 5V that USB provides that works out to only 5 watts. It's totally trivial and of absolutely no worry even in a short range electric vehicle.