Magellan Meridian Gold Problems

[Jazzerboo]

I recently bought a Magellan Meridian Gold. I had it running for about 2 hours when it suddenly went dead. I thought the batteries might have gone dead so I tried changing them but it still would not turn on. It was completely dead. Its a new GPS so I'll be able to return it with no problems, but I'm wondering if this is a common thing for the merdian golds. Has anyone else had this problem?

[+IV_Warrior]

Like anything, you can get units that are DOA, but I can't remember any, so I wouldn't call it a common problem. Many of us have Meridian Golds, and haven't had problems with them.

[vagabond]

Have had my gold for over 3 years with no problems

[+Milbank]

I had one for about a month that would turn itself off and when I turned it back on all the waypoints would be gone.

 

After the second time I returned it and got a Legend.

[Pinon]

I have a Merigold....been 3-4 months now...NO problems...I love my Merigold....

Edited May 31, 2005 by Pinon

[+The Waldo's]

Except for the boomerang thing mine has I have had no problems I have had it since

last May.

(boomerang) (It over shoots me about 50 to 100 feet and then brings me back)

[+embra]

It seems to me that most models have one or two weaknesses where chronic problems surface, although perhaps in small numbers...that is, the problems that surface tend not to be random, but clustered around a design or construction flaw.

 

For the Meridians, a not uncommon problem (I seem to be using a lot of double-negatives, sorry) is battery contacts losing contact with the mother board. The design does not have them soldered; they are just a pressure contact. If your unit worked with external power but not battery power, these springs would likely need reseating. It's a relatively easy fix, but it's a problem that could knock one out of operation.

[+Team Cotati]

I had one for about a month that would turn itself off and when I turned it back on all the waypoints would be gone.

 

After the second time I returned it and got a Legend.

Any volunteers?

[+Kit Fox]

Within the first week of owning my Meridian gold, it was blown off a rock pile. It tumbled 60 feet to the ground, bouncing off another rockplie on it's way dwon. About 6 months later I drove away from a cache with it on my truck's roof. It flew into a ditch. I have also dropped it myself several times.

 

It is a year old now, and it works fine.

[tossedsalad]

Except for the boomerang thing mine has I have had no problems I have had it since

last May.

(boomerang) (It over shoots me about 50 to 100 feet and then brings me back)

I don't think that is limited to the Marigold or even to Megellans. I have seen that mostly when the signal is weak when using my friend's eTrex.

[tossedsalad]

Since this is about the Merigold, I just got a used unit and I just noticed that there is no cover for the contacts on the back. Is there supposed to be one?

 

Also, the battery cover does not seem to fit very tightly. The latch works ok, it just doesn't seem to compress the gasket very tightly. Anyone know if this is a problem or is this normal and not create any problems.

[+embra]

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean by uncovered contacts; if you are referring to the battery contacts they are indeed bare springs that merit careful insertion and removal of the batteries to minimize the chance of the problem described above occurring.

 

I'm more confident about what you mean about the battery cover, as it is frequently questioned. If you hold your Meridian up to the light, you can probably even see light come through where the battery opening doesn't block it. It is normal;it's designed that way, and it seems to work pretty well but not perfectly. Most of the Meridians have seemed (when tested) to hold up to the waterproof standard guaranteed by Magellan. Some, however, have failed--Magellan has repaired or replaced all of these to my knowledge.

 

Some people have tried to increase the pressure on the gasket by bending the catches a little bit.

[tossedsalad]

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean by uncovered contacts; if you are referring to the battery contacts they are indeed bare springs that merit careful insertion and removal of the batteries to minimize the chance of the problem described above occurring.

 

I'm more confident about what you mean about the battery cover, as it is frequently questioned.  If you hold your Meridian up to the light, you can probably even see light come through where the battery opening doesn't block it.  It is normal;it's designed that way, and it seems to work pretty well but not perfectly.  Most of the Meridians have seemed (when tested) to hold up to the waterproof standard guaranteed by Magellan.  Some, however, have failed--Magellan has repaired or replaced all of these to my knowledge.

 

Some people have tried to increase the pressure on the gasket by bending the catches a little bit.

No, not the battery springs, the contacts for the serial cable. The cable attaches to four contacts on the back by a screw hold down. Funny that they use a screw (very reliable) for the cable but use the flimsy sliding latch (clearly not so reliable) for the battery cover.

 

I see the gap under the battery cover and that does not worry me so much. The top of the cover stands up a bit higher than the rest of the back side of the unit and that makes me think it is not compressing the gasket enough.

 

In scuba diving, orings are allways used for seals. But they are used with grease to make a water tight seal, even at high pressures. I expect a little grease will do the job rather than to try to bend the tabs.

[+embra]

Ah, gotcha. No, what you see is the usual: no cover on the cable contacts. They are engineered to be waterproof, so I suppose there was not much concern about anything getting in around them. In the three years I've had my plat, they are still bright and shiny. I don't think I've ever heard of them (or the lack of a protective cover) being related to a problem.

 

The grease sounds like a good alternative for those who might be concerned about leaks...does something like Vasilene do the job, or is something heavier-duty needed? I agree that bending the tabs doesn't look very promising. Myself, I just avoid water as much as I can and am extra careful when I can't.

[+scott9282]

Vaseline is a petroleum based product. If the o-ring is rubber, the vaseline will slowly destroy it. Likewise the plastic case of the GPSr.

 

While I am not happy with the sportrak Map's GPS abilities, it has never ever failed me in the waterproof department. That includes one intentionally trip into a swimming pool and two very unintended dunks in a local stream.

 

Unless you are planning to go deep diving with the unit I would not put any type of additional sealant on the o-ring. No telling what it will do to the unit's inner workings.

[+EScout]

Getting back to the original question, I think Embra has it correct. I suspect the contacts inside on the PCB (printed circuit board.) When mine was new, I put the batteries in carelessly and did the same thing. What you need to do when inserting or removing the batteries is push the positive end toward the negative (flat end), compressing the spring, then move the positive end and then release.

 

The fix is to remove the screws, realign the contacts inside and put back together. I did this once and have not had to do it again in over 2 years. Just take care moving the batteries.