dglorioso Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Some of this may be old news, but I'm quite excited about it and wanted to share this setup with other Garmin Nuvi users: Recently I had asked for advice in this forum on selecting a GPS to fit my needs and received many helpful answers. I intend to purchase one of the recommended GPS devices, but I have also discovered couple of things that fit in my budget and fulfill most of my needs without purchasing a new GPSr just now. One of the biggest problems with my Nuvi is the short 2-3 hour battery life that makes it useless on long caching/hiking trips. While I was researching some options, I came upon a Nuvi battery extender. This extender promises up to 9 additional hours of battery life per 4 AA battery set. So in effect, it's battery life is only limited by the number of rechargeable batteries I want to lug around. I haven't ordered it yet, but it would seem to be an effective solution. I'll post results when I get it. The next thing I found actually came from link-surfing these forums. Paperless Caching with a Garmin GPS. This I have tried and it works perfectly. My $99 Garmin Nuvi 200, which has been astoundingly awesome for driving, now gives me Pocket Query cache locations (not sure what the limit is, but I have 500 currently), each one with a detailed list including name, difficulty, size, hints and the first few logs for each. It also tells me whether I've visited a cache before, and allows me to bookmark the caches I want to log on geocaching.com. And of course, being a Garmin Nuvi, I can load on whatever kind of map I want. One remaining issue is the Nuvi's accuracy in dense woods or against a cliff face etc, but this is easily solved by getting to a clear spot and using a compass and pacing to get to GZ. The Nuvi is generally no more than 10 feet off anyhow (and it's occasionally dead on), and with a little Boy Scout mojo, I tend to do just fine in the tests I have run in a nearby heavily wooded lot. Another remaining issue is the fact that if you drop it in a puddle, it's a goner. Fortunately there are all kinds of cases out there that will provide some degree of protection from water damage, but nothing much to protect it should it fall in the deep end. I'll just have to be careful. Seems that I may be able to get the majority of the features of a $400 GPSr out of a $100 Nuvi. Not too shabby. I'll let y'all know how it works out. Quote Link to comment
scotthsi Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Um, yeah... Let us know how that Nuvi "solution" works out for you long term. Quote Link to comment
hoyshnin Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 I've been paperless caching with my Nuvi 255W for a few months now and it works great. About the battery extender, I've heard that emergency cell phone chargers (that take AA batteries) which have a mini usb output work great. I actually have one that takes a single AA battery but it isn't quite strong enough. I believe one that uses 2 AA batteries, though, would be strong enough given that enigizer sells one that is strong enough to charge an iphone. The one you linked to which uses 4 AA batteries looks awesome too, but I believe it's considerably more expensive than emergency cell phone chargers on ebay that take 2 AA batteries. I'll probably be purchasing such a cell phone charger in the future and I hope it works out! Quote Link to comment
dglorioso Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 Um, yeah... Let us know how that Nuvi "solution" works out for you long term. I surely will. Let me know if you find that tree that grows Oregon 400s, I'd love to get one for free. Quote Link to comment
dglorioso Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 I've heard that emergency cell phone chargers (that take AA batteries) which have a mini usb output work great. I'll check that out. If I could find one that works with fewer batteries, that would mean less crap to carry on the trail, thx for the info! Quote Link to comment
hoyshnin Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 (edited) I've heard that emergency cell phone chargers (that take AA batteries) which have a mini usb output work great. I'll check that out. If I could find one that works with fewer batteries, that would mean less crap to carry on the trail, thx for the info! Here's an example - http://cgi.ebay.com/AA-Battery-Emergency-C...4#ht_3221wt_887 (you would need to use the usb cable that comes with the nuvi with this one (the cable that goes from usb to mini usb)) No guarantees that it would work, but if it can power an iphone I bet it can power our nuvis. Edited September 18, 2009 by hoyshnin Quote Link to comment
dglorioso Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 I've heard that emergency cell phone chargers (that take AA batteries) which have a mini usb output work great. I'll check that out. If I could find one that works with fewer batteries, that would mean less crap to carry on the trail, thx for the info! Here's an example - http://cgi.ebay.com/AA-Battery-Emergency-C...4#ht_3221wt_887 (you would need to use the usb cable that comes with the nuvi with this one (the cable that goes from usb to mini usb)) No guarantees that it would work, but if it can power an iphone I bet it can power our nuvis. Hey, for five bucks it's worth a shot. I'll post results when it comes in. Quote Link to comment
scotthsi Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Let us know how that external battery "band aid" thingy works out long term, too. Gotta be reeeel handy plugged in and carried in a pocket, backpack, etc. I can hear it now... SNAP! goes the USB port. Oh, and you do know you need a special "not normal" USB cable so Nuvis won't go into computer/USB mode, right? How good are you with diodes? Quote Link to comment
hoyshnin Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Let us know how that external battery "band aid" thingy works out long term, too. Gotta be reeeel handy plugged in and carried in a pocket, backpack, etc. I can hear it now... SNAP! goes the USB port. Oh, and you do know you need a special "not normal" USB cable so Nuvis won't go into computer/USB mode, right? How good are you with diodes? Actually any usb to mini usb cable will work. If you have a cable that tries to put it into computer mode, there's a way of getting around it. On my 255W you just push down on the battery icon for a few seconds and it goes into test mode. Then you plug in the cable and then hit exit. The nuvi will restart in NONcomputer mode. Quote Link to comment
hoyshnin Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 I've heard that emergency cell phone chargers (that take AA batteries) which have a mini usb output work great. I'll check that out. If I could find one that works with fewer batteries, that would mean less crap to carry on the trail, thx for the info! Here's an example - http://cgi.ebay.com/AA-Battery-Emergency-C...4#ht_3221wt_887 (you would need to use the usb cable that comes with the nuvi with this one (the cable that goes from usb to mini usb)) No guarantees that it would work, but if it can power an iphone I bet it can power our nuvis. Hey, for five bucks it's worth a shot. I'll post results when it comes in. Yeah, let me know how it works out. Another question - would you mind taking a quick look at the 4AA battery pack you have right now - can you tell if there is a circuit board or anything between the batteries and the cable that plugs into the nuvi? The reason I ask is because I'm finding DIY battery packs all over the internet that use a normal 4 AA battery pack soldered directly into a usb cable which they then use to power anything that can be powered by usb. I guess because AA's are 1.2-1.5 volts then 4 of them are right around 5 volts (normal usb power). I'm wondering if that is essentially what the battery pack you have is - 4 batteries wired directly to the usb cable (without any circuit or anything in between modifying the current). If it is, I might be temped to do a DIY (do it yourself). Quote Link to comment
hoyshnin Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Oh, and don't mind scotthsi, he/she likes to be rude instead of helpful, that's just who he/she is (I'm assuming scott is the first name, so i'm guessing "he"?). Quote Link to comment
dglorioso Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 I've heard that emergency cell phone chargers (that take AA batteries) which have a mini usb output work great. I'll check that out. If I could find one that works with fewer batteries, that would mean less crap to carry on the trail, thx for the info! Here's an example - http://cgi.ebay.com/AA-Battery-Emergency-C...4#ht_3221wt_887 (you would need to use the usb cable that comes with the nuvi with this one (the cable that goes from usb to mini usb)) No guarantees that it would work, but if it can power an iphone I bet it can power our nuvis. Hey, for five bucks it's worth a shot. I'll post results when it comes in. Yeah, let me know how it works out. Another question - would you mind taking a quick look at the 4AA battery pack you have right now - can you tell if there is a circuit board or anything between the batteries and the cable that plugs into the nuvi? The reason I ask is because I'm finding DIY battery packs all over the internet that use a normal 4 AA battery pack soldered directly into a usb cable which they then use to power anything that can be powered by usb. I guess because AA's are 1.2-1.5 volts then 4 of them are right around 5 volts (normal usb power). I'm wondering if that is essentially what the battery pack you have is - 4 batteries wired directly to the usb cable (without any circuit or anything in between modifying the current). If it is, I might be temped to do a DIY (do it yourself). I have it on order and it wont be here for a few days, but when it comes in, I'll let you know what I find. Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 (edited) I love my Nuvi (255W now, but I had a 200W) for driving to the cache area and for paperless caching (I use the Pilotsnipes macro myself) but I would never think of using it to try to find the cache. Wrong tool for the job, in my opinion, but there are a number of people that do use it for that. FWIW, the built-in battery on my 255 seems to last MUCH longer than it did on my 200. In fact, I haven't received a low battery warning yet with it (I've had it for almost a year now and cache almost every weekend, both days) Edited September 18, 2009 by knowschad Quote Link to comment
hoyshnin Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 I love my Nuvi (255W now, but I had a 200W) for driving to the cache area and for paperless caching (I use the Pilotsnipes macro myself) but I would never think of using it to try to find the cache. Wrong tool for the job, in my opinion, but there are a number of people that do use it for that. FWIW, the built-in battery on my 255 seems to last MUCH longer than it did on my 200. In fact, I haven't received a low battery warning yet with it (I've had it for almost a year now and cache almost every weekend, both days) My 255W lasts 4-5 hours and that's always been long enough for me. I still would like a back up battery pack, though, in case of emergency or if I happen to just be out longer than 4-5 hours. Quote Link to comment
hoyshnin Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 I've heard that emergency cell phone chargers (that take AA batteries) which have a mini usb output work great. I'll check that out. If I could find one that works with fewer batteries, that would mean less crap to carry on the trail, thx for the info! Here's an example - http://cgi.ebay.com/AA-Battery-Emergency-C...4#ht_3221wt_887 (you would need to use the usb cable that comes with the nuvi with this one (the cable that goes from usb to mini usb)) No guarantees that it would work, but if it can power an iphone I bet it can power our nuvis. Hey, for five bucks it's worth a shot. I'll post results when it comes in. Yeah, let me know how it works out. Another question - would you mind taking a quick look at the 4AA battery pack you have right now - can you tell if there is a circuit board or anything between the batteries and the cable that plugs into the nuvi? The reason I ask is because I'm finding DIY battery packs all over the internet that use a normal 4 AA battery pack soldered directly into a usb cable which they then use to power anything that can be powered by usb. I guess because AA's are 1.2-1.5 volts then 4 of them are right around 5 volts (normal usb power). I'm wondering if that is essentially what the battery pack you have is - 4 batteries wired directly to the usb cable (without any circuit or anything in between modifying the current). If it is, I might be temped to do a DIY (do it yourself). I have it on order and it wont be here for a few days, but when it comes in, I'll let you know what I find. I'll bet it works great, MintyBoost is a DIY charger that uses 2AA's and they specifically tested the Garmin Edge 305 and Garmin Forerunner 305. They did mention on the webpage, though, to disconnect the battery pack when the garmin is fully charged or else it can begin to drain the battery. Pretty cool! http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/ Quote Link to comment
dglorioso Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 I've heard that emergency cell phone chargers (that take AA batteries) which have a mini usb output work great. I'll check that out. If I could find one that works with fewer batteries, that would mean less crap to carry on the trail, thx for the info! Here's an example - http://cgi.ebay.com/AA-Battery-Emergency-C...4#ht_3221wt_887 (you would need to use the usb cable that comes with the nuvi with this one (the cable that goes from usb to mini usb)) No guarantees that it would work, but if it can power an iphone I bet it can power our nuvis. Hey, for five bucks it's worth a shot. I'll post results when it comes in. Yeah, let me know how it works out. Another question - would you mind taking a quick look at the 4AA battery pack you have right now - can you tell if there is a circuit board or anything between the batteries and the cable that plugs into the nuvi? The reason I ask is because I'm finding DIY battery packs all over the internet that use a normal 4 AA battery pack soldered directly into a usb cable which they then use to power anything that can be powered by usb. I guess because AA's are 1.2-1.5 volts then 4 of them are right around 5 volts (normal usb power). I'm wondering if that is essentially what the battery pack you have is - 4 batteries wired directly to the usb cable (without any circuit or anything in between modifying the current). If it is, I might be temped to do a DIY (do it yourself). I have it on order and it wont be here for a few days, but when it comes in, I'll let you know what I find. I'll bet it works great, MintyBoost is a DIY charger that uses 2AA's and they specifically tested the Garmin Edge 305 and Garmin Forerunner 305. They did mention on the webpage, though, to disconnect the battery pack when the garmin is fully charged or else it can begin to drain the battery. Pretty cool! http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/ ::smacks forehead:: You know, I've been a member of Instructables and a fan of Make for years, and MintyBoost never even crossed my mind. Mintyboost is regularly featured on make and in instructable projects, I'm going to see if I can DIY a charger setup (maybe with a large altoid tin rather than the smaller one). I'd bet anything it works. Thanks for the idea, can't believe it didn't pop into my head at all. Quote Link to comment
hoyshnin Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 I think the ebay option is better for a 2 AA battery pack, though, because the mintyboost requires a lot of small parts or the entire kit ($20). I bet you could make a killer 4AA batter pack for really cheap, though. I might just attempt it. I think I'd put a 5v regulator in it, though, just to ensure that I don't short out my gps! But other than the regulator, I don't see why you couldn't just directly wire the batteries to the usb cable. Quote Link to comment
+sledgehampster Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Have an old DeLorme Hyperformance GPS with a 4AA battery pack in it. Don't use it any more and have a 5v regulator as well. Might make me a backup power supply as mentioned. Lithiums will be $$ but will last a lot longer even if I leave it in my swagbag. Quote Link to comment
hoyshnin Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Have an old DeLorme Hyperformance GPS with a 4AA battery pack in it. Don't use it any more and have a 5v regulator as well. Might make me a backup power supply as mentioned. Lithiums will be $$ but will last a lot longer even if I leave it in my swagbag. I just found out that the 4AA battery pack with a 5v regulator might not be a good idea. Apparently the regulator needs the input to be a FEW volts higher than 5 to effectively bring it down to 5. So some people do it with 6 AAs or 8, but it might not work well with 4 AAs. You could always try it, though, and test it with a multimeter and see what happens, especially if you just have the pieces laying around. Quote Link to comment
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