"2002 Mitsubishi Galant: GPS Unit Constant Power Problems"

Red 2002 Mitsubishi Galant Front View

I have a GPS device which runs on either it’s own rechargeable battery, or by being wired into the car’s power. The problem is, the battery on the device runs out almost every day, so the only practical solution is to wire it into the car’s power. The device comes with a kit that consists of the adapter that connects to the device, a fuse to protect it, and the red and black wires. The car’s lighter port won’t work because it is stepped down from 12V to 5V and it only gets power when the ignition is on. I have a Mitsubishi 2002 Galant. Behind the glove compartment and below it are a lot of wires and harnesses / ports. I have a multimeter. I assume that the red wire should be attached to a stripped section of one of those wires, while the black wire should be attached as a ground to a bolt on the car’s chassis.
The main complication I have is finding an appropriate wire that is LIVE even when the power is off. I’m guessing that a wire to the electric window, power locks, or lighting might work.

Answer: You could also look at the”hot” wires to the radio. The radio needs constant power for the clock and most alarm systems run through the radio because the power is always hot to the radio. A mechanic may be able to give you advice as to which circuits have a constant “hot” wire and be the best possibility fro tapping into. You may wish to have the GPS units re-chargeable checked out. It could be bad. I’ve seen advertisements fro these portable GPS units that you can remove from your vehicle and use to get back to your parked vehicle after walking around any unfamiliar city. You didn’t indicate how long the battery does last or how you’ve been re-charging it, but the batteries should last at least a few days with normal use in the car.