I've done a search but I can't find anything on how to hardwire an accessory. Because of the high cost of my car over here and the fact I can only get 'Third Party' insurance and I can't get theft insurance, I want to install a GPS Tracker. They can be bought online for around 40 GBP so I want to install one so my question is 'How do I wire it to the power/fuse box/battery'? All replies appreciated.
You would need to wire it onto the accessory circuit (eg: the accessory feed to your radio) if you want it to switch on with the car, otherwise you'll need to just wire it straight to 12v power with a fuse.
I've found one here (Thailand) that connects to the ECU and using a sim card but it's all a bit confusing as there are various options including monthly fees but I don't know what you get for your money. You download their app from Google Play or Apple store. ABT Z GPS OBD I อุปกรณ์ติตตามความเคลื่อนไหวรถยนต์ ไม่ตัดต่อสายไฟ (ฟรี แพ็คเกจ GPRS/3G 1 ปี)
You shouldn't need to pay any monthly fees. Just get one off ebay or deal extreme. They only have a couple of wires, so they're easy to install.
But are they any good ? The ones I'm looking at have a sim card and send details of your car whereabouts to your mobile. Can you show me an example from ebay or deal extreme ? I live in Thailand so probably not cost efficient to mail it here but I want to see the available options.
Hi there a german computer mag issued an article about "Things to do with old and obsolete smartphones". One was (short): add a prepaid sim, install it hidden in your car, and, according to the GPS coords, do send a SMS with the current location. I can send you a copy or a resumee, if you are interested. The wiring is (brief): add another cigarette lighter somwehere, where 12V is always avail (using vampire clamps). Plug in a 12V to USB Adapter where you plug in your Phone. Regards Thomas
