Batteries

[Guest HauntedMyst]

I finally got my Magellan 320 and have mostly figured it out but after 2 days of figuring it out, I've already gone through 2 sets of batteries. Is this normal?

[Guest makaio]

I imagine the Mags and Garmins are similar in their use of batteries, but your typical handheld will eat a set of batteries in 18-24 hours of use. Quicker if you're turning them on/off alot and/or using features like compasses, maps, etc.

[Guest ClayJar]

I've heard 10-14 hours on 2 AA's, depending on type et al. If I were you, I'd snag a couple sets of NiMH rechargeables (not Energizer ones, though, as I've heard too many stories) and a charger. Radio Shack has been having a sale on a charger with four batteries included for about $15 (it's an in-car 2-hour charger, but you could buy an AC adapter if you need one).

 

NiMH rechargeables will register as somewhat less than "full" on the Mag's meter due to their lower nominal voltage (this is normal), and they'll last roughly 10 hours or so on a charge.

[Guest Point2Point]

Just a note about batteries, I bought twelve Nexcell brand NiMH batteries from an ebay auction and they have basically died (won't hold a charge) after less than about 10-15 charges.

 

Conversely, I have a set of four Radio Shack NiMH batteries that I use with same charger and they have been going strong for almost 3 years.

 

Just wondering if anyone else has had problems with Nexcell batteries?

[Guest echo2000]

So it's not just me running through batteries quicker than a nun with a... um... back massager.

 

I do, in fact, wobble between screens fairly frequently. And you Vets say this affects it, huh? Makes sense.

 

Assuming Garmin interface, which screen do you use most?

 

E2

[Guest Iron Chef]

When the unit needs to redraw the screen completely it takes up more power. This happens drastically when changing between screens. I usually rotate between the Satelite (to see if I can trust the navigation screen) and Navigation screens. I wish Garmin would make a feature for signal strength/quality that could show up on the Navigation screen on one of the user data fields, this would save (me at least) a lot of bettery life in some situations. Also, back to the redrawing, the map screen takes up more juice if you don't have it set to north up because it has to rotate the map which can be processor intensive (thus the need for more go-juice).

 

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-Iron Chef

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agefive.com/geocache/ ~ Fe-26

Lets Drive Fast and Eat Cheese!

[Guest echo2000]

Hey Iron Chef,

 

Thanks for that info. Wasn't aware of that. Where is the feature for that? Under "Settings"?

 

Thanks again,

 

E2

[Guest BX Tale]

The battery subject has been coverd several times already. I went through a couple packs of batteries with my Venture. Till I went with some rechargable batteries from Powerex 1600mAh NIMH batteries. These where definately the best investment todate. I don't have a link to them but if you do a search you can find the link to the company that sells them. They are alittle more than the better ones from Walmart, Target..ect. But are the best rechargable batteries I ever used. They hold a charge similar to regular batteries. But they do register less than full. But they do hold out on a whole day of Geocaching. My batteries already paid for it self from all the use that I put them through. Good luck.

[Guest Pote]

I have a garmin, but I suspect that Mag has a similar feature to Garmin's Simulator mode. If you are just fiddling around, entering waypoints, going through the setup menus, etc., flip it into simulator. This gives you all functionality EXCEPT that the receiver is turned off and it doesn't work to acquire the satellites. That burns more power than anything. Cheers!

[Guest HauntedMyst]

Thanks all!

[Guest Geoffrey]

For the Etrex Vista, I think that Regular Alkalines are best, or The Lithiums if you have all the features turned on like WAAS and the compass.

 

My Etrex Vista requires a strong pointy object to pry the batteries out, so Rechargeables will get torn up. It is a pain because any brand of battery seems to be extremely tight, and wont come out of the Vista easly.

 

I would like to see a creative person come up with a modification to the battery cover to allow a 2nd set of batteries in parallel. Also a Rechargable battery pack that could hook up to Etrex somehow(Externally or whatever).

 

[This message has been edited by Geoffrey (edited 26 September 2001).]

[Guest echo2000]

Hunh?

 

My Vista doesn't require anything pointy to get the batts out. I'm wondering if my was altered since I got it off Ebay?

 

The config is the usual one + up and one + down but one of the + ends touches a spring which, I thought, was for the - end of a batt.

 

Basically, 2 springs at the top, 2 tabs at the bottom though the batts are inserted in convetional "opposing polarity" config.

 

Jeez. Sorry I can't be clearer.

 

hanks.

 

E2