# Charging things in your car **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 23, 2007, 12:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/charging-things-in-your-car/3512 "2007-08-23T00:30:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![douglasmark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@douglasmark](https://community.cartalk.com/u/douglasmark)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 12:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/charging-things-in-your-car/3512/1 "2007-08-23T00:30:41Z")
I have a TomTom One GPS unit and a XM Roady XT. They both get plugged into the DC to keep a charge. Right now, everytime I get out of my car, I unplug them. Do I need to, or can they stay plugged in. If I leave them plugged in, I can leave the GPS on so it has it’s signal and is ready to go when I get into my car next. Right now, I turn it on and it takes 5 minutes or so get a signal, not helpful when I don’t know where I am. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/charging-things-in-your-car/3512/2 "2007-08-23T00:54:34Z")
How much power do they draw? ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 11:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/charging-things-in-your-car/3512/3 "2007-08-23T11:34:09Z")
Over and above the issue of whether your GPS unit is up and running when you start your car, there is another issue, namely theft. Lately there has been a lot of publicity about GPS units being items that are very likely to lead to a broken window. And, needless to say, the hapless owners have returned to find that their GPS unit was missing. Just as radar detectors (or fancy after-market audio systems) once led to broken windows, the GPS units are the new targets of smash & grab thieves. Law enforcement authorities and car insurance companies suggest that GPS units be taken out of a car when it is parked, and that the suction cup mounting units be disconnected and hidden from view, so as not to lead a thief to believe that the GPS unit is somewhere in the car. Even if you think that you live in a “safe” area, when one travels to a different neighborhood, it is difficult to know whether that area is being trolled by potential thieves. So, I would suggest that you forget about the issue of charging these items while the car is parked and instead focus on protecting these items from theft. A GPS unit that takes a few minutes to begin functioning is still more beneficial than a broken window and a missing GPS unit. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 11:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/charging-things-in-your-car/3512/4 "2007-08-23T11:43:15Z")
``` I don't like to leave mine out where it can be seen. I tend to leave it pugged in if I am only going to be gone for like five minutes and it is in a public area. I don't know about your TomTom but mine will function for about four hours on its internal battery. ```