+Jake81499 Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Has anyone experimented with rechargeable batteries yet? The Garmin nmhi look like just a two pack of 1.2 volt batteries but the mah rating is just 2000. I can't tel is they are using two 1000mah batteries or two 2000mah batteries from the label. I suspect two 1000mah batteries. Second, is there a way to replace the 250,000 preloaded caches with 250,000 useful caches? By useful I mean haven't been found by the GPS owner. So far I really like the gps, we will see how it works out on a motorcycle. Quote Link to comment
insig Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 The battery pack consists of 2 AA-sized 2000mAh NiMH batteries connected together. Each one is 1.2v, and they're connected in series, so the voltage goes from 1.2v to 2.4v with the amperage rating staying at 2000mAh. To get rid of the preloaded caches, delete Garmin\GGZ\preload.ggz or rename it to something like preload.ggz.txt so the device doesn't interpret it as a geocaches file. Quote Link to comment
+JohnCNA Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I'm using my standard Eneloop batteries from the previous GPSr. They work just fine. I noticed in the setup menu where you select battery type it has 'NIMH' and 'Precharged NIMH' or something like that. I have tried both settings and can't see any appreciable difference in device behavior, so I don't know what the significance is between those two settings. Quote Link to comment
+Jake81499 Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 K thanks so far. Quote Link to comment
+Jake81499 Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 Still nothing on rebuilding the cache preload to a useable file of caches the owner of the GPS hasn't found yet. Quote Link to comment
+Walts Hunting Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Just use PQ's or API to load what you want. keeping such a large database means it will always be out of date and get worse as time goes on. Quote Link to comment
+New Jersey TJ Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) Second, is there a way to replace the 250,000 preloaded caches with 250,000 useful caches? By useful I mean haven't been found by the GPS owner. One of the PQ parameters is "that I haven't found". Run your PQ with whatever parameters you want that, but include this one. Also, limit the size. No one needs 250,000 caches loaded all at once. I also use the PQ parameter to not include caches on my ignore list. Edited June 21, 2014 by New Jersey TJ Quote Link to comment
+Jake81499 Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 Just use PQ's or API to load what you want. keeping such a large database means it will always be out of date and get worse as time goes on. That's all fine, dandy and true. But I travel. I'd like to keep a huge number of caches that I can keep updated when I get home. I just noticed in GSAK that the 5000 caches are saved as a GGZ file called Geocaches.ggz. I'll bet that I can build the huge file rename that to preload.ggz and get the numbers that I'm looking for. It can be done. Quote Link to comment
+New Jersey TJ Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) Is there a cache limit to a ggz? The name may not matter. Edited June 22, 2014 by New Jersey TJ Quote Link to comment
+Jake81499 Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share Posted June 22, 2014 Is there a cache limit to a ggz? The name may not matter. From what I've been reading some of the Garmin units can hold up to 6 million caches. I figured out how to create a preload.ggz using a handful of different macros in GSAK. It's pretty easy using garminexport.gsk. Quote Link to comment
insig Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 The filename doesn't matter -- you don't need to call it "preload.ggz" for it to work. Quote Link to comment
+JohnCNA Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Just use PQ's or API to load what you want. keeping such a large database means it will always be out of date and get worse as time goes on. That's all fine, dandy and true. But I travel. I'd like to keep a huge number of caches that I can keep updated when I get home. I just noticed in GSAK that the 5000 caches are saved as a GGZ file called Geocaches.ggz. I'll bet that I can build the huge file rename that to preload.ggz and get the numbers that I'm looking for. It can be done. A lot of work, though. When I got my 64s I copied the ggz file to my computer and opened into a blank database in GSAK. That took a few hours to do. But there was, as advertised, 250,000 caches in there, from all over the world. Just for fun, I added a few thousand from my local area, to add to the local caches that were already there. Then saved it all back to the 64. The next boot up of the 64s took over 15 minutes to reindex all that. Subsequent bootups were nice and quick; only the first one took a while. Quote Link to comment
+mikeD Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Ref the batteries I have bought the Garmin battery pack Info given above is I think is correct. The batteries are ganged together and press on a small black switch at the bottom of the battery bay This switches / confirms the precharged battery type selection This also allows batteries to be charged in the unit via the usb cable. This is a useful feature Someone elsewhere uses eneloop batteries with a piece of plastic under to cause the same effect Issues The precharged batteries drop quickly on the meter from 100% 4 blobs to 2. Blobs in about an hour Disconcerting!!! They stay on for another 8 hours at least that is as long as I have had the unit on Garmin need to tweak the battery meter Mike Quote Link to comment
+Jake81499 Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Ref the batteries I have bought the Garmin battery pack Info given above is I think is correct. The batteries are ganged together and press on a small black switch at the bottom of the battery bay This switches / confirms the precharged battery type selection This also allows batteries to be charged in the unit via the usb cable. This is a useful feature Someone elsewhere uses eneloop batteries with a piece of plastic under to cause the same effect Issues The precharged batteries drop quickly on the meter from 100% 4 blobs to 2. Blobs in about an hour Disconcerting!!! They stay on for another 8 hours at least that is as long as I have had the unit on Garmin need to tweak the battery meter Mike Ok, thanks for that info. I made a metal piece from a small thin brass piece to trip the switch. It's working great. That and the 11,000 caches that I put in make the GPS the cats meow. Working great on the motorcycle so far. Quote Link to comment
+mikeD Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Update I wrote to Garmin re the inaccuracy of the meter when using their pre-charged batteries suggesting a software/firmware tweak They wrote back and said do a 'hard reset' having made sure I am on the latest firmware. ' that should resolve it' they said confidently! I have done that and we will see what happens. The meter seemed to stay on 100% a bit longer but I will test it over the coming weeks I did leave the unit on in doors overnight and was still on with one 'blob' in the morning after some 12 hrs Mike Quote Link to comment
+mikeD Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Update I wrote to Garmin re the inaccuracy of the meter when using their pre-charged batteries suggesting a software/firmware tweak They wrote back and said do a 'hard reset' having made sure I am on the latest firmware. ' that should resolve it' they said confidently! I have done that and we will see what happens. The meter seemed to stay on 100% a bit longer but I will test it over the coming weeks I did leave the unit on in doors overnight and was still on with one 'blob' in the morning after some 12 hrs Mike Quote Link to comment
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