60cs

[+BlackBuck]

So I took the kayak out today i had the gps with me it got wet but was not submerged just vyour basic paddle spray.after a couple of hours in the sun(80 degrees)I noticed condensation developed on the screen ,i shut it down took it home and put in new batteries.Now when in starts up the screen is upside down and very faded.any advice?

[+bobbyfrass]

Is it still under warranty? That may be a manufacturer's defect. If it really happened just like you said, then something was wrong with the seal on the case. The 60c should be able to withstand full submersion for a limited period of time.

 

Call Garmin. But be prepared for a wait. As much as I like their GPSr's, their customer service is lacking. Everyone I have spoken to is friendly but the last two times I have called it has been a 30-40 minute wait. Good luck!

Edited July 3, 2006 by bobbyfrass

[+Miragee]

If you call Garmin first thing in the morning, Central Time, on a workday, the wait is usually not as long as it can be later in the day.

 

They are very good about Customer Service and replacing GPSrs with defects.

 

That definitely should not have happened to your GPSr under those circumstances.

[+BlackBuck]

Its about a month past warranty,and garmin is closed for the holiday.Ill have to wait till tommorow to call support.Is there any way to reboot it?

[stevesisti]

.

 

If the condensation is on the "inside" of the unit I wouldn't even fool with it...even if it recovers now, there is no guarantee it will be ok in the future...especially if you were paddling in salt water. Being one month out of warranty ususally isn't a problem for Garmin...send it in and have then take a look at it. Go buy yourself an Auapak ($ 10.00) for carrying the unit when on the water...doesn't interfere with signal and buttins are easily operable. Pak comes with a carbiner and tether so you can snap it onto yor deck lines. If it does recover and you wait a few months to "see how it goes", garmin might not be so willing to replace the unit.

[+koikeeper]

Now we all should know that condensation has nothing to do with being waterproof ..... as we have seen with many cache containers. Your problem occured by placing the unit out in the direct sun ... in a damp environment. Place the unit near a dehumidifier or even under a light bulb. It will dry out and come back to normal.

 

Condensation occurs from the trapped air in the case letting go of its water molecules due to heating.

 

If it does not .... then call Garmin. They are very good at service and will most likely take care of you even though you are out of warrenty by one month. ImpalaBob July 3, 2006 - 1000 finds with Koikeeper!!!!!!

[+BlackBuck]

Now we all should know that condensation has nothing to do with being waterproof ..... as we have seen with many cache containers. Your problem occured by placing the unit out in the direct sun ... in a damp environment. Place the unit near a dehumidifier or even under a light bulb. It will dry out and come back to normal.

 

Condensation occurs from the trapped air in the case letting go of its water molecules due to heating.

 

If it does not .... then call Garmin. They are very good at service and will most likely take care of you even though you are out of warrenty by one month. ImpalaBob July 3, 2006 - 1000 finds with Koikeeper!!!!!!

 

That makes sense,the condensation on the screen is allomost gone but its still not working!Ill leave it out to dry another day and see what happens.

[stevesisti]

Now we all should know that condensation has nothing to do with being waterproof ..... as we have seen with many cache containers. Your problem occured by placing the unit out in the direct sun ... in a damp environment. Place the unit near a dehumidifier or even under a light bulb. It will dry out and come back to normal.

 

Condensation occurs from the trapped air in the case letting go of its water molecules due to heating.

 

If it does not .... then call Garmin. They are very good at service and will most likely take care of you even though you are out of warrenty by one month. ImpalaBob July 3, 2006 - 1000 finds with Koikeeper!!!!!!

 

Wow you're violating the rules of basic science here Heating doesn't cause condensation...cooling does. And neither one of those would occur if it were not for Excessive amounts of moisture bieng present in the unit in the first plase. I've used my GPS on my Kayak hundreds of times leaving it directly on the Kayak deck in full sunlight and have never had a problem.

 

To the real science , not voodoo magic...internal fooging of the lens is most times the first sign that water has penetrated your unit...unless you have a "large" failure or dunking where a significant amount of water enters and is visible, you really wouldn't know there has been a leak. It doesn't take much water at all, to be heated and turn to vapor and then condense on the screen. Only an idiot, while he still has potential warranty help available, would put a hair dryer to the unit...How are you going to dry it if the unit is sealed...all your doing is putting more water into vapor and sending all over the internal electronics..if you were to self dry the unit, you would have to open the seal on the main body case and then try to dry it. Of course if Garmin sees that you have opened it, they just might not be so willing to help.

 

Science 101 also tells you that air does not hold or let go of water vapor. Water moves back and forth between liquid and vapor phase having solely to do with the energy levels of the molecules involved. Air does not hold anything. Contrary to what you say, Heating will cause water molecules to move to the vapor phase. Cooling, as in splashing cold water from the paddle over the lens screen will cool the air just under the screen and cause condensation on the underside (internal) side of the screen. Again, for this cooling to cause condensation under the screen, there had to be a "significant" amount of moisture present in the first place for the heat/cool condensation cycle to happen. There just simply should not be this amount of water vapor inside the unit.

 

Send the unit back and hopefully they will replace it...Many electronic itels that were "recovered" by their owners only wound up failing several months later...corrosion on the circuit board being the main killers.

[ImpalaBob]

OK.. I bow to Steve the science guy! Bottom line.... moisture in units has been discussed on the forum many times. The majority of the time the units come back to normal after drying out. GPSs are not sealed units with nitrogen inside like a rifle scope or binoculars. I hope yours also comes back to life after a good de-hydrating! Good luck ImpalaBob

[+BlackBuck]

I left it to dry for a couple of days with no luck in fact it wouldnt even ppower up this morning so I sent it back to garmin to get repaired,it was a month over warranty but they agreed to fix it for no charge.ill let you know how things work out.