Garmin power/traffic cord alternative?

Are you saying you want the type of cable you would use to connect your 50LMTHD to a laptop or desktop computer?, I.e. a full size USB connector on one end and a smaller USB to connect to the satnav?, if the answer is yes, then the only problem I can see is that this type of cable might put the unit into data transfer mode rather than navigation mode, This is because the standard cable has 2 wires for power and 2 for data, if the 2 data wires are disconnected, the unit will go into navigation mode

Rather than destroying the supplied cable, you can use a standard USB cable and disconnect the 2 data wires to prevent 'data mode', Please note that the supplied cigarette plug cable converts 12 Volts to 5 Volts, whereas the USB cable does not do this conversion, because a USB socket supplies 5 Volts anyway, Also some supplied cables have an FM receiver built-in to supply traffic data to the satnav, if you don't use this cable and a 12 Volt supply, it may stop traffic info. working

 

The traffic module might need to run from the vehicle's 12 Volt supply (see note in post #2)

 

If you need to retain the traffic info. function there is probaly no alternative to hacking the cable, cutting the wires near the cigarette plug will give you a better idea of what is happening, if you find only 2 wires supplying 5 Volts you should be O.K. to replace the cigarette plug with a USB plug

If you find 12 Volts at the 'cut' then the conversion from 12 Volts to 5 Volts is being done in the tuner module and connecting 5 Volts at the cut won't work, if you find 3 or more wires then something more complex is going on, possibly an antenna wire or 1 or 2 data wires