GPS and voltage spikes

[rolmops]

I use a Garmin 182 on my lake boat.As long as the engine is off,it works fine. when I start the engine there is an error message (cannot identify satelites).I turn the engine off again and everything is fine.<br />The engine is a 1967 50 horse merc with pointless thunderbolt ignition.There is a rectifier on this engine and it charges the battery just fine.<br />I wonder whether these old solid state rectifiers (1967 type)are only rectifiers or do they also regulate the voltage.Would replacing the 1967 type and updating it to a newer solid state rectifier solve the problem? Or should I add a voltage regulator in the line towards the GPS unit and solve the problem that way? <br />For the meantime I run the GPS off an auxillary battery,but I don't like lugging all that extra weight in the boat.<br />Any help is highly appreciated.

 

[JB]

Re: GPS and voltage spikes

Your battery should "absorb" the shock of alternator spikes, rolmops. There may be some resistance in the connections at the + terminal.<br /><br />Remove, clean and reinstall all of your connections at the battery + terminal.<br /><br />As a last resort, you can make and install a regulator/filter in the power line to the GPS. If you do need to do that, let us know:<br /><br />The input voltage range from the GPS specs.<br />The current load the GPS draws.<br /><br />Good luck.