Power to Zumo 396 on 2020 RTL?

[Bluesjammer]

What's the best way to get power to my Zumo 396 on my 2020 Spyder RTL? Do I run the red and black wires of the GPS to the pos and neg posts on the battery? I'm obviously not a mechanic, any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Steve

[Doug44]

What's the best way to get power to my Zumo 396 on my 2020 Spyder RTL? Do I run the red and black wires of the GPS to the pos and neg posts on the battery? I'm obviously not a mechanic, any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Steve

That is a option and also do a search here this has been covered here on several threads there is a connect on the right hand side (looking sitting on the seat) for power when running.

[Bluesjammer]

Thanks Doug, I thought I saw a thread somewhere but it didn't make sense to me what they were trying to get across. Again not very mechanical.
steve

[Arion]

I should be able to offer some advice soon. My afternoon task today is to do precisely what you've asked about. I've mounted the Zumo 396 on my wife's Sea to Sky and all that remains is to make the electrical connection. I wired the 396 on my 2015 RT-s directly to the battery, but I'll see what the 2021 accessory point on the right side will allow and how easy it will be.

[K80Shooter]

Make sure to check the polarity of the gps wire as on some of the 2020's the polarity was backwards from the factory, not sure about the 2021;s though.

[Bluesjammer]

Arion, cool. I await your results. You're braver than I, but I would like to do it myself. Thank you.

steve

[RayBJ]

Not a good idea going direct to battery due to likely drain when you leave bike and forget to turn gps off. Best to use a Key-On power source. Sitting on the seat, the right panel has a GPS plug behind it to get your switched 12v. Remove the 3 panels to access the connector.. Lots of videos on panel removal - VERY EASY. Just pay attention to the amount of force you use while manipulating the pieces into place.

[Bluesjammer]

So RayBJ, it says the plug does nothing, so I cut it off and splice the wires of this plug to the wires of the Zumo? That gives the zumo power when the key is on? So I'm assuming that each time you shut the bike off the gps has to reboot or start up? Do I lose my destination or route each time? Maps where easier but they don't get you to specific locations on the Tour of Honor. I hope I can make this work. Thank you all.

steve

[Mazo EMS2]

What's the best way to get power to my Zumo 396 on my 2020 Spyder RTL? Do I run the red and black wires of the GPS to the pos and neg posts on the battery? I'm obviously not a mechanic, any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Steve

That's what I did on my 2016RT. I assume they left the battery up behind the frunk on the new models too. I like it cuz I don't need the bike running to look at routes/maps..

[Bluesjammer]

Thanks Mazo. I haven't decided which was to go. Do you take your gps off the bike when you are doing things, gas, eat, etc.
steve

[pidjones]

Lamontster has a good YouTube video showing you how to get to the GPS power feed. On our GL1800, the 396 was fed switched power when power removed but remembered route and position if on a route (they have a short-term battery). We always took the 396 off because Garmin in their infinite wisdom did not make the mount lockable. Probably one security screw would have prevented a sticky-finger from swiping it as they walked by. Sure hope the XT has more thought in it.

[wtrskinut1]

I should be able to offer some advice soon. My afternoon task today is to do precisely what you've asked about. I've mounted the Zumo 396 on my wife's Sea to Sky and all that remains is to make the electrical connection. I wired the 396 on my 2015 RT-s directly to the battery, but I'll see what the 2021 accessory point on the right side will allow and how easy it will be.

I just did the same with my Sea to Sky. It was a Garmin Tread but the power is the same. I had the dealer install the floorboard lights. When I took off the tupperware, which only takes minutes, I found that is where the floorboard lights get powered from. Knowing this is a 10 amp circuit and both items take minimal power I just tied into the same point. Total of maybe 30 minutes start to finish!

[RayBJ]

The GPS will ask if you wish to continue on internal battery power when you shut the key off. If the GPS is shut off and you have a route loaded and active at the time, the GPS will remember where you left off and you just continue from there. The GPS connector on the right side is the ideal place to pull the switched power.

[rick_w]

This video that we made should help. We have the breakouts available.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99AJzb10Kas

[Arion]

What's the best way to get power to my Zumo 396 on my 2020 Spyder RTL? Do I run the red and black wires of the GPS to the pos and neg posts on the battery? I'm obviously not a mechanic, any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Steve

Steve, I hope you haven't given up hope but performing the electrical connection and then documenting it (after I was certain everything worked properly) took more time than I expected. Most things I do end up being that way, but thus far my efforts have been successful. So . . . here's what I did and here are pictures I hope will make the steps understandable. But before the wiring steps I should say I've mounted the 396 using one of Lamonster's GPS mounts and it is an excellent choice, in my opinion. Anyway, here goes:

Garmin 396-00.jpg

First, remove the right speaker grill. Lift from the inside edge (red arrow). I fed the end of the cable that plugs into the Garmin mount up through the speaker opening and through the large metal wire guide and finally through upper opening at the handle bar center. I then install the power plug into the Garmin mount (take care not to lose the tiny black screw that secures the power plug to the GPS mounting bracket). The black inline box makes it impossible to feed the cable any other way as near as I can determine.

Garmin 396-01_LI.jpg

Next, remove the upper right side panel. Pull the tab at the rear of the panel (red pointer) and gently tug. The clips will release one after the other.

Garmin 396-02_LI.jpg

Next remove the lower side panel by pulling at the rear edge, or along the rear portion of the top, gently releasing the clips and then pulling slightly rearward to release the two locating tabs on the front edge of the panel.

Garmin 396-03_LI.jpg

Next remove the large lower panel that is held in place by three Torx screws . . .

Garmin 396-04_LI.jpg

. . . And three push pins that can be accessed by opening the front trunk.

Garmin 396-05_LI.jpg

Note: there are two locating tabs beneath the bottom edge of the panel near the shock that have to be released. Finally slide the panel toward the front of the Spyder to release the locating tabs inside the air scoop.

Garmin 396-06_LI.jpg

This is the view after the three panels are removed. The important thing is that you now have access to the OEM accessory power cable and connector (note the blue butt connectors). The task is to tap into that cable to have switchable power for the GPS.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Several forum sponsor merchants have mentioned there may be a polarity issue with the accessory power cable on 2020 RT models. It can be tested with a multimeter or, as I tested our 2021. After stripping wires (refer to the next step below) I simply twisted the exposed GPS and accessory ground wires together (black), turned on the ignition, and touched the power wires together. The GPS activated.

Garmin 396-08_LI.jpg

To splice the GPS wires into the accessory power cable I unplugged the cable and removed a section of the cloth wrapping to gain access to the two individual wires. I left about 1 1/2 inches on the connector (plug) end of the OEM cable, and cut each wire. I then stripped about 1/4 inch of insulation from each of the four wire ends. I then crimped a butt connector onto each of the plug-end wires. I then twisted the GPS power and ground wires to the accessory power cable power and ground wires and crimped each into the appropriate butt connector. Finally, I plugged the accessory power cable into its receptacle and switched on the ignition to determine if the GPS would come to life. It did, and when I switched the ignition off, after the Spyder concluded its shut down process, the GPS turned off. This is what the finished product looks like.

Garmin 396-10.jpg

Here is the finished product before replacing the panels. You can see the black GPS wire disappearing into the steering hub and the red GPS wire on its way to the accessory power outlet. The excess cable and GPS black box are coiled in the space below the speaker and wire tied to a convenient cable. The red wire is wire tied several times just to keep things tidy.

Garmin 396-09_LI.jpg

All that remains is to re-install the three panels - in the reverse order from witch they were removed. When installing the third (large) panel, start by aligning the locating tabs in the air scoop first, then the two locating tabs at the bottom of the panel, then the remaining tabs. Finally, install the three Torx screws and three push pins.

Align the two locating tabs at the front of the second panel and then tap the remaining clips into place. The third panel simply snaps into place after aligning the clips with their respective receptacles.

This may seem daunting but it really isn't. It took longer to sort out the pictures and write the text than it took to do the job. I'm not a highly skilled tinkerer but I've managed four alterations to my wife's Sea to Sky thus far and have succeeded in each effort. The alterations: Spyder Pops LED mirror-mount running/turn signal lights, Show Chrome adjustable/removable rider's back rest, KOTT stainless grill guards, and the GPS power task.

I hope this may help your wiring effort. And if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

[Bluesjammer]

Arion, I just got two pictures and then it ends. Is there more? You were off to a good start!!

steve

[Arion]

Arion, I just got two pictures and then it ends. Is there more? You were off to a good start!!

steve

It seems I lost the rest of the post while updating. God, I hope not - it was massive. I'll see if I can locate it. If not I'll have to start again. Sorry.

[Arion]

Arion, I just got two pictures and then it ends. Is there more? You were off to a good start!!

steve

Steve, go back to post #15 and you'll find my second attempt to explain how to wire your Garmin 396. I hope it's of some assistance.

[JayBros]

For those concerned with GPS theft when off the bike I suggest checking out Robert Becker Design and his Kradellock system. He makes locks for most all models of Zumo that fit between the Garmin device cradle and the GPS. He also has locks for ball mount systems. https://robertbeckerdesign.com/

I leave my GPS locked on the Spyder all the time except when overnighting on tour.

[RayBJ]

Arion,
Your pictures (7) showed up in post 15.

[Arion]

Arion,
Your pictures (7) showed up in post 15.

I somehow tapped the wrong key and lost everything beyond the first two photos so I returned to post 15 and slowly recreated what I had already done and saved over and over again along the way. Oh how I love technology!!

[pidjones]

For those concerned with GPS theft when off the bike I suggest checking out Robert Becker Design and his Kradellock system. He makes locks for most all models of Zumo that fit between the Garmin device cradle and the GPS. He also has locks for ball mount systems. https://robertbeckerdesign.com/

I leave my GPS locked on the Spyder all the time except when overnighting on tour.

But, why Oh why didn't Garmin provide a simple lock system in their mount? Even a security torx would prevent some Bozo from pocketing it as he walked by. They used one on the Streetpilot 2720/30 mount.

[Bluesjammer]

Arion, thank you very much. I'm going to give it a shot. Great presentation with photos. Loved it. Thanks to all for chipping in your thoughts and ideas.

steve

[pidjones]

Always wondered why Garmin didn't provide some small measure of security on the 396 mount. Today, I took mine apart and drilled a very small hole in the back of the mount near the part that moves out when you press the release. I put a 7T screw in it, that blocks the latching pawls from opening if inserted all the way but permits normal release when backed out about four turns. This should keep glad-hands that know about the release button location from swiping it at stops. Now to put the rest of the necessary kit together for mounting. It already has a nylock nut instead of the thumb screw on the RAM arm.

[Arion]

Always wondered why Garmin didn't provide some small measure of security on the 396 mount. Todsy, I took mine apart and drilled a very small hole in the back of the mount near the part that moves out when you press the release. I put a 7T screw in it, that blocks the latching pawls from opening if inserted all the way but permits normal release when backed out about four turns. This should keep glad-hands that know about the release button location from swiping it at stops. Now to put the rest of the necessary kit together for mounting. It already has a nylock nut instead of the thumb screw on the RAM arm.

Please let us know what the rest of your steps are if they differ from Garmin's instructions.