Wiring in a GPS Tracker in Hidden Location?
 

Anyone wire in a GPS locator in a hidden area using an always on hot wire? I was thinking of hooking to battery like instruction say but that'll be the first place they look. Wired GPS locator monthly service is $15 compared to battery you have to charge every 2-4 weeks is $25 a month so going with something I don't have to charge every 2 weeks and is not easily found.

If you have pictures that'd be great! Any ideas are welcome!:coolpics:

I purchased an inexpensive GPS tracker off Amazon. It needed to be charged via a USB cable, so I bought a USB charging port like this (also off Amazon):

2PCS 12V/24V RV USB Outlet with Cap, PD3.0 18W Type-C & QC3.0 18W USB-A Port Panel Mount Surface Automotive Car USB Socket Quick Charger Power Adapter for RV Marine Boat Bus ATV Motorcycle Truck Golf

Wired it to a switched power circuit. Now it charges every time the car is on. Works like a charm and I've not had to remove it for manual charging.

Where/what location and what does wire look like (colors)? That would be another option.

in for details

It's been a minute since I did this little project, but I tapped into a switched power wire (I think it was the Accessory circuit) in the fuse box in the trunk. I'm happy to go snap a pic and confirm which wire it was if someone needs me to. From there, I ran a wire to my desired location for the charging port. I put it somewhere that it would not be easily viewable or found. I connected my tapped wire to the power wire of the charging port and simply used a screw into metal for the ground wire of the port. That got my charging port powered up anytime the car ACC circuit was on. Then I simply plugged in the USB charging cable to the port and the tracker.

You've got some options to consider - You can install the port close to the fuse box in the trunk and then run a long USB cable to wherever you put your tracker OR you can run a long wire from the fuse box to the port and use a shorter USB cable for the nearby tracker. I did the latter.

Let me know if you have any specific follow-up questions.

I'd love to do the same as my tracker is in the rear. Could you find what wire/fuse you tapped into and attach a pic?

Here's a pic of the wires in the fuse box in the trunk. The wire you need is the ACCESSORY power which is a VIOLET wire. I put a red arrow pointing to that wire. You want to tap into this.

My car, bought used, came with a LoJak (long story - tl;dr - it was baked into the OTD price I negotiated and didn't realize it till I was signing papers). I pulled out the unit under the dash that tapped into the OBD Port and somewhere else for power.

When putting the rollbar and seat in I found another box under the carpet. I tore it down and it didn't have a GPS chip in it, it did have a cell radio and 4 foot long wire that looked like an antenna coming out of it. I suspect its the unit that broadcasts a signal that boxes in police cars pickup.

It was getting power through a vampire tap in the wiring bundle that runs up the driver's side door sill. There's no way I would have found it w/o pulling the driver's seat. If I were hiding something like a GPS receiver that feels like a goo dplace to put it -easy to get to - 2 bolts to lift the seat out of the way - but not easy to find.

What about an Apple AirTag? $30 and replace the battery when it runs out.

https://www.apple.com/airtag/

I'm not an Apple user.

Thank you!

You don't have to be an Apple user to use an Apple Tag.

You can log into the website and track your items

Those are not helpful, most phones will alert of unknown trackers traveling with you, and if the person/theif has an iphone the airtags can easily be found.

Thanks for that. Great info. But I need an always on power wire with ground wire since mine doesn't have a battery. I choose this one since its less than $13 a month half the price of others. Is there a wiring diagram for this fuse box handy?