Can this power (cigarette) adapter be repaired?

[FatherOfFive]

I just bought a TomTom One 3rd edition on Black Friday. It worked fine for 3 days. After that I noticed that the light on the power adapter no longer turned on when plugged into the car and I noticed that the unit appeared to be running on battery power. Sure enough, the unit ran out of battery. When I first got the unit, the power adapter would turn green when plugged into the power source. Now I get nothing. I hate to have to send this off for service so soon.

What are my options?
It looks like there is a built in fuse... can it be pried out and replaced? What type of fuse is it? Where can I find a new fuse?

Thanks

-FoF

 

[cexsiman]

yea, you can replace the fuse, it is a 2 amp mini automotive fuse. they are in tons of new cars today. you can get a new one for few cents at any auto parts store, just bring in your adapter and they will help you out just fine.

also just so you know, you can use any mini usb charger to charge it, you can charge it from your pc/laptop/mac or if you have a razr or any cell phone with that same charging usb shape it will work to charge you tomtom

its nice to know that there are backups

 

[Three3]

First, start by making sure that your power source is OK. I know this sounds pretty basic, but it could save you time and money in the long run. Is it always on, or on only when the key is on? Does the lighter, a trouble light, or another device work when it?s plugged in there?

If it passes that test, then the problem moves to the power adapter itself. It?s common in many of these that there?s a fuse built in to them. A plastic ring surrounding the center contact can be unscrewed to get at it. However, the adapter that came with my TomTom is unfortunately not constructed that way. It's totally sealed. So if all TomTom adapters are like that, you?re out of luck. But since adapters are pretty much a commodity item, it could be that TomTom bought them from different manufacturers and yours just might have an accessible fuse in it. Check and be sure.

If you succeed in finding a fuse (and if it indeed is blown), get out a magnifying glass and read its current rating. It would typically be a number followed by the letter A. Then head down to Radio Shack or equivalent with the fuse in hand and buy a replacement.

One thing you always have to wonder when a fuse blows is Why? Sometimes it?s just a weak fuse, sometimes it?s something specific that you know to have happened, and sometimes it?s actually a symptom of bad problems elsewhere. So if the second fuse immediately blows, then it's probably time to throw the whole thing away.

If all this fails, then go to eBay and buy a USB adapter and a mini-USB cable. We are quite fortunate that TomTom chose an open standard for both powering the unit and connecting it to a computer. You can probably get both for maybe $10-15. Just study the TomTom end of the cable carefully to be sure it?s the correct shape, as there are a few different types of USB connectors. Another $5 or so will get you a right angle mini-USB fitting if that orientation is important in your installation. These are manufactured by Motorola for use with Razrs. Search for "angle USB Razr" (without the quotes) to find these.

Good luck.

 

[JimT]

I just bought a TomTom One 3rd edition on Black Friday. It worked fine for 3 days. After that I noticed that the light on the power adapter no longer turned on when plugged into the car and I noticed that the unit appeared to be running on battery power. Sure enough, the unit ran out of battery. When I first got the unit, the power adapter would turn green when plugged into the power source. Now I get nothing. I hate to have to send this off for service so soon.

What are my options?
It looks like there is a built in fuse... can it be pried out and replaced? What type of fuse is it? Where can I find a new fuse?

Thanks

-FoF

Yom may want to check to see if there is any corrosion or dirt on the contacts in the cigarette lighter-especially if you do use it as a cigarette lighter. It does not take mustdirt or corrosion to increase the resistance. the cord is rated to operated @ 12 volts. The slightest drop in current flow will cause it to be inoperative. I have seen this before. Pull the fuse first if you can. A fiberglass brush, a vac., and some rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab will do the trick. You may want to try another lighter outlet to be sure. This will tell you if it truly is a problem with the cord.

 

[FatherOfFive]

All is well now . It was a bad fuse which I was able to replace at Radio Shack. The original fuse was exceedingly hard to remove, which made me doubt that it was user replaceable.

I would much rather spend $2 on 3 fuses than mail the part back for warranty service. Hopefully this fuse will last longer that the original one did.

I am glad you guys are here! Thanks for all the advice.

-FoF

 

[sparky672]

Hopefully this fuse will last longer that the original one did.

It should last for many years.

If you blow your new fuse, I suggest you seriously investigate the root cause before proceeding.

- a. either your TomTom or TomTom battery is drawing more than 2 Amps which should never happen.

or

- b. there's an intermittent short circuit in the power cord or adapter.

Whatever happens, NEVER replace the fuse with a larger size (amp rating) fuse. You'd be surprised how many so-called knowledgeable people will recommend this course of action for nuisance fuse blowing. By doing that you'll definitely find the root cause.... just follow the smoke.