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So I am in the process of mounting a Garmin Zumo 590 to my bike. The provided harness had leads to wire directly to the battery. My question is, with the GPS OUT of the cradle, will it drain my battery as it sits overnight? I'd prefer to have it on a switch or ideally on the ignition feed, but I don't have a Fuzeblock yet and I am leaving Saturday. Has anyone else tested this?

If the GPS is not in the cradle it should not have any load. Get you a fuzeblock, though. It really tidies things up at the battery, as well as, providing switched or un-switched power.

Well I got the mount wired up tonight. I decided to go ahead and run the wires for a Fuzeblock and when I get back from my trip, install should be a breeze. The GPS is currently wired under the seat and mounted on steering stem nut with ram mount, since I didn't want to stash all the extra wire in the fairings. Gonna test to see if it drains the battery any overnight.

I still think that as long as the circuit isn't completed that it shouldn't draw any power. Do I need to be sure and pack some jumper cables?

thompsonian wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2017 7:19 am I still think that as long as the circuit isn't completed that it shouldn't draw any power. Do I need to be sure and pack some jumper cables?

My gps power is not switched. Unless the unit is on, it shouldn't be drawing power, right?

Of course electricity is magic dust, so I have no idea.

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My gps power is not switched. Unless the unit is on, it shouldn't be drawing power, right?

Of course electricity is magic dust, so I have no idea.
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This is my assumption as well. Just want to double check. I'll check the bike this evening and see if there is any drain on the battery. That would be a full 24 hours, so it should be a good test.

I have mine unswitched, 'cuz I hate it rebooting after every key cycle. There will be no draw if the GPS is not in the cradle. There are 2 ways to shut down a 590, I'll let you read the manual. One is 'standby' the other is off (but battery will charge).

The 590 has both an off and standby mode. To turn the unit OFF you must hold the power button down and select off in the screen display. This mode does not consume power. When the GPS is switched, and loses power, it will warn that power is lost and it will go into standby, which is a low power mode that allows faster startup. This drains the GPS internal battery if you leave it in standby for long periods of time. Standby can also happen if you remove the unit from the mount, and don't use the OFF function.

When directly wiring the GPS, the risk is that your simply forget to manually turn it off and leave it in the mount. The GPS draws enough power to potentially affect starting the bike after 24 hours or so, and it can completely drain a battery, which can damage the battery. If it is not switched, be aware, and be sure to shut down the GPS whenever you will be away for more than a few hours. Removing the unit from the mount invokes the standby mode.

Many complaints about the GPS battery not lasting long is caused by not shutting the unit off by holding down the power button.

Checked the bike after 24 hours of having the mount wired directly, and it didn't drain at all. Looks like I am all set for my trip this weekend.

JustinNck1 wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2017 11:14 pm Checked the bike after 24 hours of having the mount wired directly, and it didn't drain at all. Looks like I am all set for my trip this weekend.

This weekend? I thought you were headed down a week from Saturday?

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Fri May 12, 2017 6:57 am

JustinNck1 wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2017 11:14 pm Checked the bike after 24 hours of having the mount wired directly, and it didn't drain at all. Looks like I am all set for my trip this weekend.

This weekend? I thought you were headed down a week from Saturday?

We're leaving tomorrow morning.

thompsonian wrote: ↑Fri May 12, 2017 7:25 am

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Fri May 12, 2017 6:57 am

JustinNck1 wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2017 11:14 pm Checked the bike after 24 hours of having the mount wired directly, and it didn't drain at all. Looks like I am all set for my trip this weekend.

This weekend? I thought you were headed down a week from Saturday?

We're leaving tomorrow morning.

hmmm, if Sunday wasn't Mother's Day I would have met you Saturday night and ridden with you Sunday. Have a great trip!

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Fri May 12, 2017 7:46 am

thompsonian wrote: ↑Fri May 12, 2017 7:25 am

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Fri May 12, 2017 6:57 am

This weekend? I thought you were headed down a week from Saturday?

We're leaving tomorrow morning.

hmmm, if Sunday wasn't Mother's Day I would have met you Saturday night and ridden with you Sunday. Have a great trip!

Yeah somehow I got my dates mixed up, this time of the year is chalked full for me. I'll be back down June 7-11 at Fontana Village. Leaving for it June 2 and hitting Ozarks and Natchez Trace on the way there from Ohio.