Garmin 120 ??

July 3, 2004

Hello all! Newbie here (to these forums and geocaching). I have a 10-day-old Garmin 120 and yesterday while out geocaching my batteries died. <_<

But before you ask, my answers are: Yes, they were fresh.; They were rechargeable.; They were rated for this type of unit.; No, I didn't accidentally turn it off.; I didn't drop/bang/drown or throw it. The machine DID heat up something fierce.

I then changed the batteries to new rechargeables. Drained them in about three minutes. Bought a pack of eight and zipped through the first three in less than that. Stopped trying.

My DH then told me it might be the little key chain ring I'd attached to it (between those two antenna lookin' things) causin' interference so I took it off. Still overheats.

Okay, by now I know it's the unit but is there anything I can do about it (without messing up the warrentee) to fix it? Is there something I'm doing wrong? I'm going to have to buy another one to get me through this weekend though cause we were planning on a big geocaching weekend.

Any help will be most appreciated. Thanks! <_<

July 3, 2004

But before you ask, my answers are: Yes, they were fresh.; They were rechargeable.; They were rated for this type of unit.; No, I didn't accidentally turn it off.; I didn't drop/bang/drown or throw it. The machine DID heat up something fierce.

Did you check to make sure the batteries are facing the right way? Sounds to me that there is a current related problem dealing with the power supply. I know it sounds stupid enough, but it can happen...

If thats not the case, then something definitely wrong with your GPS. No GPS should significantly overheat on its own. There is probably a short somewhere in the unit.

What type of rechargeables are you running? (capacity wise... i.e. 1800mah, 2100mah?)

July 3, 2004

Okay, those questions should have been in there too. <_< The rechargables I use are 2300mAh and I tripple checked that they were in correctly. I think it's the unit but I really haven't done anything to it to make it overheat. <_< I don't think!

I did take it to a cache on the Mexican border that same day. Didn't get it in the sand. Maybe it's the sea air. . .

And sorry if my original message comes through. Haven't figured out the quote thing yet.

5.3k · July 3, 2004

Sounds like a bad unit. Before you call Garmin take ot to the store you bought it at and ask the "Manager, not a salesman" if they can replace it. this ca save some time. If it had to go to Garmin, send it in yourself this will save a few days, also call garmin do not e-mail them for return information, this will add days to the process of returning your gps.

July 3, 2004

Thanks for the REs guys. I tried calling Garmin but they're closed for the holiday. I got the unit fromon Amazon.com. I'll find out what their policy is and go with the better offer. Thanks again! <_<

5.3k · July 3, 2004

Thanks for the REs guys. I tried calling Garmin but they're closed for the holiday. I got the unit fromon Amazon.com. I'll find out what their policy is and go with the better offer. Thanks again!

the advantage to buying in a real store, easy to make an echange. And if you shop around you don't save all that much buying online.

Edited July 3, 2004 by JohnnyVegas

July 3, 2004

Did you change the setting from alkaline to NiCd or NiMh?

July 4, 2004

Did you change the setting from alkaline to NiCd or NiMh?

Yeah, I even tried that.

I did go out and get a 110 (we like those because of the 2-ways) so we could do some geocaching. All was not lost!

July 4, 2004

the advantage to buying in a real store' date=' easy to make an echange. And if you shop around you don't save all that much buying online.[/quote']

Hey -- I live in San Diego. I have a big blue suburban payment and even bigger mortgage payment and I have four kids. Anywhere I can pinch pennies . . .

2.9k · July 4, 2004

Did you examine your GPS for SHORT CIRCUITING, inside the battery compartment, are there any bent springs? Look at it with and without batteries, and with the unit off, keep a meter across the batteries. Does it kill the batteries only when turned on? There maybe a short curcuit internally too. Try it with the FRS and GPS receivers turned off, but in DEMO mode.

1.4k · July 4, 2004

Are we talking about a Rino 120? Check the PPT (push to talk) switch. I've got a feeling that it's stuck on transmit. That would explain the heating and battery drain.

July 6, 2004

If you drained a set of three 2300 mah batteries in three minutes you should have smelled someting burning

Stupid questions: what charger are you using to charge your batteries, and how long had it been since they were charged before your problem?

If I remember right, leaving a multi charger set to Ni Cd while charging Ni Mh gives you a signifigant UNDER charge (technical types jump in here if I got that backwards)

July 6, 2004

Did you examine your GPS for SHORT CIRCUITING, inside the battery compartment, are there any bent springs? Look at it with and without batteries, and with the unit off, keep a meter across the batteries. Does it kill the batteries only when turned on? There maybe a short curcuit internally too. Try it with the FRS and GPS receivers turned off, but in DEMO mode.

I just checked the unit out today (sorry, we spent the whole weekend geocaching). I can't see anything that would indicate a short circut. No bent springs with or without batteries.

It kills the batteries with the unit on and off. I have the FRS and GPS turned off. The battery low beep sounded about one minute after putting fresh alkalines in. But it is currently holding on to the last bar of charge.

The heat started just below the larger of the two antenna as soon as I put the fresh batteries in it, specifically at the spot where the headset plugs in at. Then the heat spread across the screen. Now, starting at the top of the black nubby sides, the whole upper half is hot (except the antennas).

The hottest spot is still at the headset port. Great handwarmer though! The batteries are scalding hot. I can't pick them up now.

July 6, 2004

Are we talking about a Rino 120? Check the PPT (push to talk) switch. I've got a feeling that it's stuck on transmit. That would explain the heating and battery drain.

See reply to Got GPS?.

July 6, 2004

If you drained a set of three 2300 mah batteries in three minutes you should have smelled someting burning

Stupid questions: what charger are you using to charge your batteries, and how long had it been since they were charged before your problem?

If I remember right, leaving a multi charger set to Ni Cd while charging Ni Mh gives you a signifigant UNDER charge (technical types jump in here if I got that backwards)

Nope! No burnt smell and no melted plastic either.

>Stupid questions< I have to admit. I hadn't thought of this one. I only buy NiMH batteries or alkalines cause it doesn't take NiCd. They had also just come out of the recharger that morning. Both of the chargers I use are Rayovacs. One's a one-hour and the other one is an overnighter. These came out of the latter.

The ones I replaced the recharables with on the day this started were just bought that afternoon (akaline). I replyed to Got GPS? with more info. Thanks

1k · July 7, 2004

If this happens with regular old Duracell or Energizer batts, it is a problem within the unit. I have made 1 purchase through Amazon.com and will never do it again. What a hassle it was to find the "true" seller of the item. You best hope that the company that sold the unit to you through Amazon is an authorized Garmin dealer or they (Garmin) may charge you for the the repairs. They do not honor the warrantee from non-authorized resellers.

Kar

5.3k · July 7, 2004

the advantage to buying in a real store' date=' easy to make an echange. And if you shop around you don't save all that much buying online.[/quote']

Hey -- I live in San Diego. I have a big blue suburban payment and even bigger mortgage payment and I have four kids. Anywhere I can pinch pennies . . .

Yes but now you have to pay shipping cost and stand in line to send it back, then you will not have for 2 maybe 3 weeks.

sorry, I am not a real big fan of internet purchasing. If I want a new toy I want it now.

1.4k · July 7, 2004

You best hope that the company that sold the unit to you through Amazon is an authorized Garmin dealer or they (Garmin) may charge you for the the repairs. They do not honor the warrantee from non-authorized resellers.

While that's probably the official line, I'll bet they'll still fix it if the date of manufacture as indicated by the serial number shows that it's still in warranty. I suspect what they don't accept is the sales receipt of non-authorized dealers as indicating the initial date of purchase. Otherwise I could dummy up "GeckoGeek's House of GPS" receipt and get warranty for a out of warranty unit.

Simply call them up and say you've got a dead unit and it was a gift so you don't know how it was purchased. Ask about warranty by serial number lookup. You'll probably still pay shipping to Garmin, but otherwise you'll come out OK.

July 8, 2004

Simply call them up and say you've got a dead unit and it was a gift so you don't know how it was purchased. Ask about warranty by serial number lookup. You'll probably still pay shipping to Garmin, but otherwise you'll come out OK.

Well the good news is that Amazon is taking the unit back. They even paid the return postage for it. I just sent it out UPS this morning. We asked for a refund and they're going to put it back on the plastic.

Which is the bad news. I don't get the refund till they get the unit. hmmm wonder how fast UPS is in returning something.

I did talk to Garmin and they said the heating problem was not a common one. When I told them the suggestion about the stuck talk button he was more than happy to have me try that out before sending the unit in.

I didn't tell the Garmin guy that I wasn't about to pay for postage on a defective unit then have them repair it and send it back. No way! I didn't spend $200+ for a repaired one. I want a brand new one!

Then I'm going to march right down to the Ham Radio Outlet and buy one from them! So there Amazon!

1.4k · July 8, 2004

All's well that ends well. Given your later answers, it doesn't sound like the PTT. Maybe something stuck in the connector jack or something.

July 9, 2004

the advantage to buying in a real store' date=' easy to make an echange. And if you shop around you don't save all that much buying online.[/quote']

Hey -- I live in San Diego. I have a big blue suburban payment and even bigger mortgage payment and I have four kids. Anywhere I can pinch pennies . . .

Yes but now you have to pay shipping cost and stand in line to send it back, then you will not have for 2 maybe 3 weeks.

sorry, I am not a real big fan of internet purchasing. If I want a new toy I want it now.

that's a great point. You can save money online, but then you have to worry about support issues after the sale, returns, etc. If the purchase is expensive, I go to a store every time. Learned my lesson on this many times.

If you do some homework, you might even be able to take advantage of price matching.

Garmin 120 ??

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