magellan explorist 500 will not charge

[+floresm]

i have a magellan explorist 500 that will no longer charge the battery using the wall ac adapter or using the computer usb cable. i have a new cable and have confirmed that there is voltage going into the explorist. i have tried two batteries with the same results.

any ideas would be appreciated.

 

Mark

[Keystone]

I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the GPS and Technology forum.

[7rxc]

i have a magellan explorist 500 that will no longer charge the battery using the wall ac adapter or using the computer usb cable. i have a new cable and have confirmed that there is voltage going into the explorist. i have tried two batteries with the same results.

any ideas would be appreciated.

 

Mark

 

Hi There... I don't know the GPSr in question or the battery type... however... thats never stopped me before. You say that there is voltage going into the unit... or is that voltage coming out of the cable end from the ac adapter... I'm assuming you are used to charging in the past, so the first question is is that voltage out of the adapter/cable the correct type (AC/DC) and at what level. Check your docs to see if the voltage into the unit should be (usually DC) some cubes lose their rectification and put out something else other than pure DC... They also can put out less or more than desired voltage range... it's normal for 'charger' adapters to put out a bit high when unloaded.

Assuming that the supply is on spec. and that the batteries are good (do you know someone with a unit that can charge them?) The next thing I'd check would be that there is voltage on the unit battery terminals when the power is connected but the battery is removed... FIRST check and see if that is OK with your DOCS... some things don't like that. IF its OK then measure across the terminals and see if anything is getting to them... normally more than the nominal voltage of the battery... but not by much. If there is nothing there, you might have a bad or broken connection inside... or a problem with the electronics...

 

That is going to take a tech of some sort... I might go at it myself if it was mine, but I don't know your skills and likely is a job for a service shop... In the mean time... try getting someone to charge them for you, that will check the batteries, See if you can use 'normal' batteries in place of the rechargeable in the mean time... In fact see if what you have are rechargeable FIRST... I said I don't know what you have!

 

Read the manual, if the charging unit is built into the unit and only powered by the AC adapter, there may be a fuse or other protection... Try to follow the power to where it vanishes. Have you tried a fresh charged battery in the GPSr to see if it works... that might confirm a broken connection. How many terminals are IN the unit / on Battery... some use one pair for charging and another for normal use..

 

I'll see IF I can get anything from the Magellan site... more for my interest... Hope some of this helps locate a simple cause..

 

Doug VE7RXC

[7rxc]

Hi again.... I was reading through the 500 manual (pdf) and did not get much more than that it is a Lithium Ion rechargeable pac... and that there is a 12 VDC adaptor for car use.... so I'm guessing that the AC cube puts out nominal 12 V or 13.8 if like most things that can be car powered. I'm also guessing that the GPSr contains the charger circuit internally. It's obvious that there is automatic switching from internal battery to external power... Again I would ask if the unit works with the battery installed (charge or not) and the AC plugged in...

 

I also did some reading on another site... came across a comment about the data function not working for up or down load files... THEY suggested that the cable could be connected inverted... I was assuming that you know that the cable should run DOWN along the body of the unit, NOT off the top... One of those things I didn't know about your unit... I could see that that might have an effect on charging if ignored... I don't think that an unkeyed connector would have been first or best choice in design dept. Not a whole lot more I can think of... One question for you since I don't have one to look at... does that AC cube have a connector on it for direct charging without the GPSr.... the pic shows what might be a detachable cover... or maybe it's just the housing join line... I can't tell from the pic... the description makes it sound like a spare can be kept charged with just the adapter... probably not since the transformer would take up most of the space...

 

Just asking...

 

Doug

[+RRLover]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eXplorist/

 

I wouldn't condone sending 12v into the power port on the data cable w/out a little more research!

 

Norm

Edited November 9, 2008 by RRLover

[+EScout]

First, spray contact cleaner on a Q tip and clean the contacts on the cable, outside of the unit, inside the unit, and the battery. A pencil eraser can also be used.

Make sure the cable is attached pointing down the back of the 500. The 6 contact points on the cable have springs; make sure they are sprung out.

Check the voltage at the cable where it connects to the back of the unit. Should be 5V DC.

Remove the batteries. Put your VOM (Volt Ohm Meter) on the battery contacts. You will see + and - on the two end ones. It should show over 3V DC. If it does not, the battery got shorted or run down too much, and cannot then be charged or used.

With the unit on, the battery level indicator should say "Charging."

Edited November 9, 2008 by EScout

[7rxc]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eXplorist/

 

I wouldn't condone sending 12v into the power port on the data cable w/out a little more research!

 

Norm

 

Assuming that to be aimed at my 'advice'... I wouldn't and hope didn't either... I thought I was clear about reading the manual, and the info on the charger unit... I did not see anything on the subject in the PDF for that unit but did see a 12 v adaptor... and freely admit that it could be a different output voltage... in fact I did notice the USB charge bit (including the fact that it has to be set on in the software)... so I should have assumed a lower voltage unit... My Garmin will take up to 34 volts or so direct, but I wouldn't do that either without dropping a bit. I think Escout has a bit more from my read, but it was essentially what I was going for... follow the electricity to where it dissappears and fix or have it fixed.

 

We have yet to hear from the originator again...

 

Doug

[+RRLover]

Assuming that to be aimed at my 'advice'... I wouldn't and hope didn't either... I thought I was clear about reading the manual, and the info on the charger unit... I did not see anything on the subject in the PDF for that unit but did see a 12 v adaptor... and freely admit that it could be a different output voltage... in fact I did notice the USB charge bit (including the fact that it has to be set on in the software)... so I should have assumed a lower voltage unit... My Garmin will take up to 34 volts or so direct, but I wouldn't do that either without dropping a bit. I think Escout has a bit more from my read, but it was essentially what I was going for... follow the electricity to where it dissappears and fix or have it fixed.

 

We have yet to hear from the originator again...

 

Doug

 

@ Doug :

Not necessarily "aimed" per-say, just a caution to those to whom "letting the magic smoke out"

isn't necessarily in the forefront.

 

Norm

[7rxc]

@ Doug :

Not necessarily "aimed" per-say, just a caution to those to whom "letting the magic smoke out"

isn't necessarily in the forefront.

 

Norm

 

I didn't take any offense by it... in fact I probably could have typed it a bit clearer. Nice to meet someone who understands the 'real' science of smoke and its place in electronics. That said, I've released it from

and then restored function to many devices... and some NOT! Something about having many salvaged electrolytic caps and good power supplies in my youth (and later)... sigh!

 

I certainly am not impressed with the amount of info provided in the 500 manual (pdf)... LI battery, no voltage, aH info etc... Nothing on charger other than price and picture... I see the cable is useable several ways... but I was concerned when I found the GPSr end could be reversed... and looks like contact only for the connection. EScout said that there is some sort of spring loading to enhance contact and that it could be cleaned up... I agree that it was a continuity problem of some sort... I still would like to know if he got his batteries charged / checked and if the unit works with them, or even thru the adapter... As for that 12V car source, that is the description... obviously for the source not the output, but I bet the error has been made by DIY enthusiasts who don't read everything...

 

I've got to run... checking out some of the threads by people selecting flashlights instead of "darksuckers".

 

Doug

[7rxc]

@ Doug :

Not necessarily "aimed" per-say, just a caution to those to whom "letting the magic smoke out"

isn't necessarily in the forefront.

 

Norm

 

I didn't take any offense by it... in fact I probably could have typed it a bit clearer. Nice to meet someone who understands the 'real' science of smoke and its place in electronics. That said, I've released it from

and then restored function to many devices... and some NOT! Something about having many salvaged electrolytic caps and good power supplies in my youth (and later)... sigh!

 

I certainly am not impressed with the amount of info provided in the 500 manual (pdf)... LI battery, no voltage, aH info etc... Nothing on charger other than price and picture... I see the cable is useable several ways... but I was concerned when I found the GPSr end could be reversed... and looks like contact only for the connection. EScout said that there is some sort of spring loading to enhance contact and that it could be cleaned up... I agree that it was a continuity problem of some sort... I still would like to know if he got his batteries charged / checked and if the unit works with them, or even thru the adapter... As for that 12V car source, that is the description... obviously for the source not the output, but I bet the error has been made by DIY enthusiasts who don't read everything...

 

I've got to run... checking out some of the threads by people selecting flashlights instead of "darksuckers".

 

Doug

[+RRLover]

http://www.nitecore.com/index.html

 

Norm

[vagabond]

4.5 volts

[+RRLover]

4.5 volts

I have the 'Defender', it uses 1 AA, of any sort, be it Alk., Lith., NiCad, NiMh, LiIon(145000),or LiIon

rechargeable.

1.2v to 4.xx v. Brighter than a Sure Fire @ 1/2 the cost and can be fed from any convenience store.

 

Norm

[+Bad Duck]

This is how I charge the battery on my 600. It is a charger for a Motorola T720 phone. The extra capacity batteries were 5 bucks apiece and the charger was found for about 6 bucks. Since windows vista will not recognize my gps I pull the card to load my caches and just stick the battery on the charger at that time.

 

[+gelfling6]

I seem to have a similar problem (sorry for resurrecting an old thread)... I accidentally plugged a 9V power pack into the charger port of the explorist cable, and fried things.. Someone mentioned the possibility of a fuse on the PC-Board inside the device, Is this possible? When I opened it (it's well past the warrantee, not to worry)nothing looked like a fuse.. The curse of having the Magellan power pack & the power-pack for a cheapy net-book look the exact same. (and same size barrel connector!) Anyone know where I can find a schematic for the 500? (500-LE actually)

[7rxc]

I seem to have a similar problem (sorry for resurrecting an old thread)... I accidentally plugged a 9V power pack into the charger port of the explorist cable, and fried things.. Someone mentioned the possibility of a fuse on the PC-Board inside the device, Is this possible? When I opened it (it's well past the warrantee, not to worry)nothing looked like a fuse.. The curse of having the Magellan power pack & the power-pack for a cheapy net-book look the exact same. (and same size barrel connector!) Anyone know where I can find a schematic for the 500? (500-LE actually)

Just noticed this while reviewing old forum posts of mine... Still not an 'expert' though I have some experience.

 

I'd take a good look around for 'damage'. That can range from 'burnt' or 'smoky' areas to obvious damaged components.

Use a magnifier. There are 'pico' fuses that look like small resistors or diodes (in fact sometimes diodes are used as fuses).

I used to salvage batteries for various early ICOM handheld radios. They often seemed to just stop working. The mechanism was a simple shorting of the battery terminals by something metallic coming into contact with them. Keys were a favourite when a battery pack was shoved into a pocket, coins and other items as well. NOT A GOOD IDEA to do by the way. Always protect live terminals.

A rechargeable pack, say NiCad can discharge completely when shorted... as evidenced by pocket and pack 'fires'. That is WHY the Icom packs had both inside charge circuits and a 'wire' fuse on the hot contact. This was just a very fine strand of wire that burnt out (just like the ones in the glass containers). It stretched across two terminals but was exposed. When it worked, all that was left was a smudgy mark and sometimes bits of the wire at the joints. That is a minimalist fuse.

 

Hard to tell when pico fuses are popped, but following the electrical flow is still the valid test. Starts here, ends there and then the last area it could have disappeared is suspect. There can be other reasons of course, but you find the area then do other testing. This can and should be applied to all of the components, charger device and battery. Find out what works and doesn't.

 

Sorry I don't know about schematics, but they may be out there... try Google " Device/model number schematic diagram".

Lots of better techs out there, treat with grain of salt as well for docs and advice, mine included.

 

Also worth while to clearly label things that CAN get mixed up.

 

Hope you fare well or at least have some fun.

 

Edit to add: You are talking the charger unit right! as well as the schematic for the 500?

 

Doug 7rxc

Edited July 19, 2012 by 7rxc