S13 '91 always on wire for DIY GPS tracker

[youknowho]

I'm going to install an accessory outlet in my car (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... =424313691) so I can plug in a cell phone that will always be turned on and left in the car as a cheap GPS tracking device. I've looked at the wiring diagrams for the car but have pretty limited knowledge in this area - I just successfully wired in a new stereo for the first time.

From reading search results it sounds like the ignition and radio have always on wires, anything else? The stealthier (but still accessible in case I need to access the phone) the better, since this will be an anti-theft device. Location and wire color would be a huge help, thanks.

[moso]

Use the memory wire (red on the radio) and ground (black on the radio) to power the phone. then run the wires up next to the gear selector. you can zip tie the phone up next to the gear selector and access it by removing the radio bezel. alternatively you could run the wires into the glove box area and access it by reaching in behind the glove box, use Velcro to attach it to the rear of the glove box or to the heater box behind the glove box.

[youknowho]

Cool thanks!

[compactfean]

Memory wire is yellow right?

[moso]

oh, way to be right compact.... yellow or orange depending on manufacturer.

[youknowho]

I got this wired up over the weekend. In case anyone else finds this post and wants to do something similar, one gotcha I ran into was the ground for the accessory outlet had to go to a piece of metal that did not have plastic behind it. First time around I ran the accessory ground to the screw underneath the pocket below the radio (like the factory radio ground does) and it didn't work. Then I drilled a hole in a silver metal piece behind the radio and ran the accessory ground to that and it worked.

Only thing is now I get an occasional popping from the speakers... which I never got before wiring up the accessory outlet. I don't think it's from loose wires since I firmly connected all butt connectors when I wired the new stereo, and the popping will also happen when the car is not moving. Any ideas?

[driftneil]

I would wire it directly to the battery positive cable, and foam it into the frame....

[compactfean]

The big question is, will the phone constantly charging drain the battery?

[youknowho]

@driftneil The only thing about it putting it in the engine bay is then I have to get an enclosure or something to keep the accessory outlet and phone clean. When you say foam it in, what would you use to do that? I'm assuming it's not so permanent that I couldn't get to the phone if I needed to...

@compactfean The draw from the accessory outlet is low enough that it would take a while to discharge the battery. You could drive the car once a week and be fine. This is my daily driver so I'm not worried about it.

[youknowho]

Well the occasional popping in the speakers was interference from the accessory outlet being on the memory wire for the radio. I removed the accessory outlet from this wire and haven't heard a pop since. Time to find a new constant wire to splice...

[compactfean]

Dome light

[youknowho]

Hadn't thought about the dome light wire, thanks compact. Know where the easiest access to it is?

[compactfean]

Driver side around the auto seat belt behind the plastic.

[youknowho]

Awesome, thanks a lot.

[SemperWrenchin240SX]

thats an awesome idea!! Cheap phone hidden in the car....impressive!! What do you pay for your phone service and GPS tracking?

[compactfean]

You can get a burner phone for nothing...... Just make sure its got some minutes and youknow the phone number. Alot of the cheap burner phones have gps built in so if the car gets stolen the cops can work there magic and find it.

[youknowho]

I got the idea from this article:

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/how-to ... icle_cheap

I signed up for Boost Mobile ($0.50/day for data) and bought the Motorola i296. Works like a charm.

[futuras]

So I thought about doing this same thing, there's actually an app that will let you turn your old android phone into a GPS tracker. The only thing you need is a prepaid plan and to hide the phone somewhere in the car. I tried it and it works pretty damn good. the app is called "observer gps tracker". https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... XJ2ZXIyIl0. It was 1.99 but they dropped the price. With t-mobile its 10 cents to find your car's location.