Need Help Identifying a Connector

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svet-am

Supreme [H]ardness
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Jan 6, 2003
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I just inherited a Lowrance iWAY 500c GPS unit. However, it does not have the power connector.

Here's the pinout of the connector:
http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/Lowrance_iWAY_500C_GPS

I know that the cable will need to be a 6-pin female DIN of some kind, but all of the 6-pin DIN's I've found (digikey, mouser, etc) are fully circular, not flat on the bottom.

Does the flat-bottomed connector have a different name? Also, this connector is full DIN size, not mini-DIN size.

I'm rolling my own cable so that I can do some cool things with the audio out and power adapter.
 
I don't know the name of that connector, but I believe it's a type that is common in marine applications. If you can visit a marine supply shop that sells Lowrance marine electronics, you should be able to find the connector - however, it may be attached to something like an automobile cigarette plug adapter.

Google "Lowrance iWAY 500c GPS connector" and you'll find such products.
 
I know it's 6-pin DIN (I'm a PCB designer) since that's a standard "type". But, I've not worked with the flat-bottom ones before. I looked through my catalogs (Avnet, Nu Horizons, Digikey, and Mouser) and I wasn't able to find it.

If I could even determine a _brand_ I could find what I need.
 
get the standard round one, and take a pliers to the bottom and flatten out the roundness... seems like a pretty quick answer to me... Or, change out the connector on the GPS side (get the male/female set) and not worry about trying to find a one-off connector.
 
goobenet said:
get the standard round one, and take a pliers to the bottom and flatten out the roundness... seems like a pretty quick answer to me... Or, change out the connector on the GPS side (get the male/female set) and not worry about trying to find a one-off connector.
Click to expand...

I contaced Lowrance. They laughed at me. 1) they said it was proprietary information which connector they use. 2) they said that it's a discontinued item so they don't actively support it 3) that kind of information would have to come from engineering and their contact lines don't let the public talk to engineering

I opened the GPS and took it apart thinking I could make new connectors, but not so. That male connector on the GPS side is form molded into the bezel and then water-sealed. I'd do more damage to the plastic housing trying to take the connector out then it's worth.
 
GPS units, especially before USB was an old standard, often used proprietary connectors... it might not be anything standard you can buy from anywhere.

Try ebay for the cable?
 
i take it since you need a female connector it has a male connector on the GPS?

if you dont really care you could always just solder wires onto the pins?

not a great solution but it will work
 
I used the online pinout to connect power to the unit. it turns out that it looks like the GPS was dead all along.I pulled the HDD out of it and it's in good condition (I was able to mount it and poke around inside the file system).

I'm going to play a little more. If I cannot get it to come alive, then I'm stripping it down for parts -- the LCD in it would make a nice plaything.
 
have you tried checking the fuse? you sure your looking at the pinout in the right direction when you try and apply power?
 
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