Garmin Megathread-Ask your questions here-See post 1 on how to search thread

Gringo78

shels4ever wrote: »

Whats the expected life of the battery in the 305's, think mine might be on its way out.

Mine lasted 3 years with average use of maybe 4-5 hours per week (always with HR monitor) and I would have generally let the battery run down before charging it (i.e wouldn't have generally had it plugged in which as I understand it is not good for rechargeable batterys, they last longer if they are allowed run down often)

Krusty_Clown

Gringo78 wrote: »

Mine lasted 3 years with average use of maybe 4-5 hours per week (always with HR monitor) and I would have generally let the battery run down before charging it (i.e wouldn't have generally had it plugged in which as I understand it is not good for rechargeable batterys, they last longer if they are allowed run down often)

With lithium ion batteries, you should try to avoid full discharges as they will shorten the life of the battery (in contrast to older rechargeable battery technologies). The best policy is to charge it more often, but use a charger that does not maintain a 100% charge (so really somewhere in the middle). You typically get 3-5 years, depending on temperature, number of charge/discharges cycles etc.

shels4ever

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

With lithium ion batteries, you should try to avoid full discharges as they will shorten the life of the battery (in contrast to older rechargeable battery technologies). The best policy is to charge it more often, but use a charger that does not maintain a 100% charge (so really somewhere in the middle). You typically get 3-5 years, depending on temperature, number of charge/discharges cycles etc.

Cheers think its abotu the 3 year mark now, will keep an eye on how long its holding the charge for now, once it's good for 3-4 hours should still do the job. If not will look into having it replaces of splashing out on a new one.

smurph10

lads does anyone have one of these and if so are they experiencing any problems with them

Mine simply wont charge, had it on there for a few hrs and the charge is getting less and less. Same thing when i tried yesterday.

I got a mate to buy this for me in america as it was cheaper and when it is charged i find it exellent but at the iminute it is really p ing me off.

Anyone know where i could bring it to to get it checked, it gives a 1 year world wide guarantee with it.

Thanks

Krusty_Clown

smurph10 wrote: »

Anyone know where i could bring it to to get it checked, it gives a 1 year world wide guarantee with it.

If you look at the review of the 610 on Amazon.com, there are lots of references to this problem (which put me off). Send it back to Garmin. It's the only thing you can do (once you've established that you're not doing anything wrong).

Garmin forum thread on it here: https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?t=20184

Micilin Muc

Have any of you put a new wrist-strap on your 305? I broke mine this morning and would like to put the spare, longer one on, but the instructions aren't very clear in the Owner's Manual.

Edit: Just fixed it now. Not sure how I got the old strap off!

jfh

hi all,
wondering if anyone one else's backlight has stopped working?
anything i can do or should i just ring up garmin and sent it back?
many thanks J

Krusty_Clown

jfh wrote: »

hi all,
wondering if anyone one else's backlight has stopped working?
anything i can do or should i just ring up garmin and sent it back?
many thanks J

Not that it matters too much, but which watch do you have, and how long do you have it?
You can try a hard reset (given that you're just going to get a replacement anyway, so will be losing all of your current settings regardless), but I don't expect it will do anything for you.

You need to ring Garmin support, get an RMA number, and send it back to them.

littlebug

have a new laptop... can i install the garmin software again on the new machine? just crossed my mind that I might be limited to one install.....

Krusty_Clown

littlebug wrote: »

have a new laptop... can i install the garmin software again on the new machine? just crossed my mind that I might be limited to one install.....

Anywhere and everywhere....

littlebug

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Anywhere and everywhere....

kewl:cool:

hidden

I am thinking of getting the Garmin 110 forerunner, does anyone ever have trouble with the "acquiring satellite" and the GPS signal strength? I am in the South Meath area, have used endomundo on the phone and the satellite signal was so bad I gave up on it.
Thanks

G-Money

I have the same Garmin and I live in South County Dublin and I occasionally have problems getting a signal. When I say I have problems getting a signal, what I mean is that sometimes it just takes a bit longer. Sometimes I will get a signal within a minute or two. Other times it can take up to 10 minutes, but I've never not got a signal.

I'm no expert but unless you are running in an underground car park, I don't think you've anything to worry about regards getting a signal as its coming from a satellite as opposed to a mobile phone mast which I imagine can be patchier and have more blackspots.

Although I'm sure someone will prove me wrong!

robinph

The aerial and signal chips in the specific GPS watches are more than likely better than in most phones, but not a whole lot of difference. The phone has a lot of other electrickery going on around it internally though which will potentially cause a problem with obtaining a signal.

You shouldn't have a problem getting a signal anywhere in Ireland once you are outside. If you're stood against the north facing wall of a tall solid brick building when trying to acquire then you may have a problem, but there isn't really anywhere in Ireland that could be classed as a concrete jungle that would mess with the reception like you might get in a big city with loads of skyscrapers. Trees, in a dense forest in the summer, and being inside are the only things likely to cause you a problem getting a signal.

jfh

i've the forerunner 405, second one, first one lasted a month, sent i back for repair and got this replacement, that was a 15 months ago.
guess i'll have to send this one back too.nothing wrong with it bar the backlight.
thanks for your help krusty.

Gringo78

Anyone ever encounter problems with forerunner 305 HR strap not working properly because of type of jacket they were wearing? Can't think why it woukd make a difference but was wearing a very light ron hill rain proof jacket and the HR reading went all funny???? Coud be the battery's going but it did start working again after I took the jacket off. Happened earlier in the week also and it was only today that I made the connection that I was wearing the same jacket that day also.

menoscemo

Gringo78 wrote: »

Anyone ever encounter problems with forerunner 305 HR strap not working properly because of type of jacket they were wearing? Can't think why it woukd make a difference but was wearing a very light ron hill rain proof jacket and the HR reading went all funny???? Coud be the battery's going but it did start working again after I took the jacket off. Happened earlier in the week also and it was only today that I made the connection that I was wearing the same jacket that day also.

Any time I wear more than 1 layer, the HR readings are very dodgy.

gsxr1

menoscemo wrote: »

Any time I wear more than 1 layer, the HR readings are very dodgy.

I think static electricity from clothing rubbing effects them.

menoscemo

gsxr1 wrote: »

I think static electricity from clothing rubbing effects them.

That's what I've concluded too. Sad that it means that the HRMs are pretty much redundant in the Irish winters.

Krusty_Clown

menoscemo wrote: »

That's what I've concluded too. Sad that it means that the HRMs are pretty much redundant in the Irish winters.

I use my HRM throughout the year, and don't find it any less reliable* during winter. There are some fabrics that seem to have a noticeable impact on performance though. Garmin recommends an anti-static spray. I've never gone that far.

*: usual crap Garmin HR unreliability

neilc

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I use my HRM throughout the year, and don't find it any less reliable* during winter. There are some fabrics that seem to have a noticeable impact on performance though. Garmin recommends an anti-static spray. I've never gone that far.

*: usual crap Garmin HR unreliability

Usually don't have a problem with mine but since I started wearing a wind shielder on my runs in the last couple of weeks my reading are all over the place.

Gringo78

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I use my HRM throughout the year, and don't find it any less reliable* during winter. There are some fabrics that seem to have a noticeable impact on performance though. Garmin recommends an anti-static spray. I've never gone that far.

*: usual crap Garmin HR unreliability

Rang in the pouring rain yesterday with just technical-t on and HR was the same thing, basically not reading - I wear my HRM continuously also in winter and have never had problems before so I decided to be on the safe side I'd get a new battery, hopefully that solves it. My marathon plans are very dependant on HR working so a little bit of taper madness is creeping in.

Gringo78

Gringo78 wrote: »

I decided to be on the safe side I'd get a new battery, hopefully that solves it. My marathon plans are very dependant on HR working so a little bit of taper madness is creeping in.

Just swapped out the battery and that was the problem....

Of course taper madness has me now questioning the HR readings I had in the last 2 weeks training where I was hitting my PMP at my target HR - if the monitor was reading low then I'm not in as good shape as I thought I was....will have to test this evening tp set my mind at ease.

Krusty_Clown

Gringo78 wrote: »

Just swapped out the battery and that was the problem....

Of course taper madness has me now questioning the HR readings I had in the last 2 weeks training where I was hitting my PMP at my target HR - if the monitor was reading low then I'm not in as good shape as I thought I was....will have to test this evening tp set my mind at ease.

I found that when the battery was low, the HR reading tended towards being a lot more spiky, rather than reading low across the session. Don't worry, you'll be great!

Gringo78

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I found that when the battery was low, the HR reading tended towards being a lot more spiky, rather than reading low across the session. Don't worry, you'll be great!

Last time the battery failed, I noticed it that way also...spiking high...hence this time around I didn't immediately think battery as it was reading low or not at all - I actually for a time thought it was interference with the iPhone.

Thought me a lesson though - I have to think about what the strategy in the marathon will be if the Garmin fails (maybe a failure of the Garmin is good - my best race performance has been without a garmin, HR monitor or watch)

Krusty_Clown

Gringo78 wrote: »

Last time the battery failed, I noticed it that way also...spiking high...hence this time around I didn't immediately think battery as it was reading low or not at all - I actually for a time thought it was interference with the iPhone.

Thought me a lesson though - I have to think about what the strategy in the marathon will be if the Garmin fails (maybe a failure of the Garmin is good - my best race performance has been without a garmin, HR monitor or watch)

A pace-band and a stop-watch. Hard to go wrong. I'm particularly liking this one at the moment. Obviously not much use for monitoring your heart rate though.

Is there any way to transfer the exercise data from Sportracks to one of the Garmin apps...?

Krusty_Clown

glasso wrote: »

Is there any way to transfer the exercise data from Sportracks to one of the Garmin apps...?

Can you export from SportsTracks in one of: GPX, TCX, HST, FIT?
If so, you should be able to import them into either Garmin Connect or Garmin Training Centre.

Krusty_Clown

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Can you export from SportsTracks in one of: GPX, TCX, HST, FIT?
If so, you should be able to import them into either Garmin Connect or Garmin Training Centre.

yes but only individually (per activity) it seems - would take too long for all the individual sessions....

Krusty_Clown

glasso wrote: »

yes but only individually (per activity) it seems - would take too long for all the individual sessions....

You can only import into Garmin Connect one activity at a time, but you should be able to import multiple activities into Training Centre.

Go to SportsTracks report view and mark the activities or period you want to export and export them to a fitlog file. Convert the fitlog file to a TCX using TCX Converter and then import it into Training Centre.