Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems.

I use a garmin etrex legend and the extrex bike mount.

Clocked up maybe 3 solid weeks touring on it in that time on the
monster, and no problems whatsoever.
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

lemmiwinks.au.DeleteThis@gmail.com <lemmiwinks.au.DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Was it on battery power? From what I've read it's quite common when
> they're running on batteries, the accepted solution is to wire it into
> the bikes power.

Caused by "battery float", where vibration tends to make the
battery bounce away from the solid contacts a little.

Happens on the Garmin GPS12, too, that's got pairs of
cells with springs at each end, but the two cells float apart
a little. Can allegedly be fixed by taping the batteries
into pairs, but an anti vibration mount (or stuffing it
in the top of a clear tank bag) works better.

-----sharks
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

Brad wrote:
> I use a garmin etrex legend and the extrex bike mount.
>
> Clocked up maybe 3 solid weeks touring on it in that time on the
> monster, and no problems whatsoever.

I'm sure that you haven't had any problems. Doesn't address the
original question, though, where there IS a problem.
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

What, the original question of this

"Do any of you folks own a Garmin Etrex and use the Etrex bike mount?
If
so, have you had problems with it switching off all the time? "

Nah, my answer doesn't answer that, does it?
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

Lemmiwinks wrote...

>> Was it on battery power? From what I've read it's quite common when
>> they're running on batteries, the accepted solution is to wire it into
>> the bikes power.

That will solve the problem, as plugging in a power adapter allows the
unit to run without any batteries. I've already tested that with the USB
cable. It has a dual role of data connectivity and alternate power
supply. I've removed the batteries when connected to the PC and it still
works.

I s'pose I could strap the computer to the pillion seat. Only problem is
getting an extension lead for those longer rides...

(nah, I've ordered the 12v power adapter for it...)



--
He's heavy for his weight...
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

sharkey wrote:

> Caused by "battery float", where vibration tends to make the
> battery bounce away from the solid contacts a little.

I've been reading some more on this. One suggestion was to insert
sections of rubber bands under the battery contacts to apply more
pressure against each cell's terminals. I tried that on one side (the
common connector that series the two cells). It still switches off. I'll
put bits of band under the other two contacts (the ones that form the
+/1 3v end of the "battery") and see how that goes.

The cells are well and truly seated, so it's got me buggered how
vibration can make them lose contact. I've wriggled each cell, tapped
them, twisted them and so on and they've not lost contact. I even prised
each one in turn upwards to see if that would do it. Nope.

It must really be voltage sensitive if it sees a high resistance and a
corresponding dip in volts for it to switch off like it does.

Thing is, I rode some 300 klicks before it started playing up. The prior
GPS, a mono Legend (this new one's the "C" or color model) has covered a
coupla thousand kays and only started doing it recently.

That leads me to guess that perhaps something internal is failing,
like a dry solder joint or cracked circuit or something as a result of
the vibration.

> a little. Can allegedly be fixed by taping the batteries
> into pairs, but an anti vibration mount (or stuffing it
> in the top of a clear tank bag) works better.

The Garmin bike mount is basically a plastic bracket that clamps around
the handlebar of a pushbike and has a rubber pad for vibration
dampening. It's mounted on a bracket that I got made up. Prior to that,
the bike mount was more or less wrapped around the upper triple clamp
and clamped into place by some stainless lock-wire that I got from work.

As I don't use a tankbag, and I'm not likely to, that's not an option
for me.

Thing is, the damned thing's a gadget. I use it as a glorified trip
computer, and decided that the color one would be easier to view in
daylight, compared to the previous models. It is, sort of, but requires
the backlight to be on and that reduces the alleged 36hr battery life to
around 4 hours...

As for mapping unless I want to spend $300 on Garmin Mapsource maps to
get detailed roads and street mapping, then it's really only a guide and
not a very good one, at that.

The inbuilt basemap is off my at least 300 metres. When I rode up to
Dinner Plain on the weekend, the track was always about off-set by
200-300 metres to the north of the Omeo-Hotham road on the map. The
Princes Highway to Sale, Stratford, etc. was much the same in terms of
offset. The other Etrex Legend, though, was fairly spot on.

And I'm told that the built in base map can't be replaced.

BTW, any of you guys do the Dinner Plain bike rally thing? There weren't
that many bikes up there. There seemed to be more non-riders up there.


--
"Today's payslip has more deductions than a Sherlock Holmes novel."
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

MJT wrote:
> Lemmiwinks wrote...
>
>
>>> Was it on battery power? From what I've read it's quite common when
>>> they're running on batteries, the accepted solution is to wire it into
>>> the bikes power.
>
>
> That will solve the problem, as plugging in a power adapter allows the
> unit to run without any batteries. I've already tested that with the USB
> cable. It has a dual role of data connectivity and alternate power
> supply. I've removed the batteries when connected to the PC and it still
> works.
>
> I s'pose I could strap the computer to the pillion seat. Only problem is
> getting an extension lead for those longer rides...
>
> (nah, I've ordered the 12v power adapter for it...)
>
>
>
You know that you can get ciggy lighter plugs with a USB cable on the
back? They only supply power, not connectivity, but I use one so I can
charge my USB powered devices from 12v.

Aussie Post were selling a universal phone adapter that has a
ciggylighter - USB plug, and a retractable USB cable that has a set of
different phone plugs. I use mine with a hot-synch cable to recgharge
the PDA. Should work to power a GPS.

Moike
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

I've got a Garmin GPSMAP 60C that does it. Improved markedly but not totally
fixed by putting some foam tape under the battery spring contacts. I
contacted Garmin and they actually sent me some sticky foam pads to use.

I think an autorouting GPS is a brilliant accessory for a bike.

Ian.


"MJT" <mjpt57.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:44150821.00000754.bm000@yahoo.com.au...
> Do any of you folks own a Garmin Etrex and use the Etrex bike mount? If
> so, have you had problems with it switching off all the time? And if so,
> were you able to rectify it?
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

MJT wrote:
> get some thin adhesive foam strip, stick to lid and bottom of battery case,, makes lid tight, no more problem

Mick Chester
>
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

Moike said....

> You know that you can get ciggy lighter plugs with a USB cable on the
> back?

No, I didn't. At least, not a unit that has a universal application. I
was only aware of the Garmin specific job which I found on Ebay.

> Aussie Post were selling a universal phone adapter that has a

That'd be right. No doubt when I rock up there tomorrow to collect the
mail, they'll have one in the junk tray that you have line up next to,
and it'll be a quarter of the price that I paid for the Garmin one
($30).


--
"Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the USA. Ask any Indian."
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

Thanks guys, for the help and suggestions on trying to fix this Etrex
thing.

What other brands of GPS are you guys using? I saw a small handheld in a
sporting goods store recently. Might've been a Magellan brand. Not sure
how it compares to the Etrex for features or performance and bike
accessories.

I saw a fellow on an MRA run recently who had something like those car
Navmans mounted on his bike. But he had conventional handlebars where a
round bracket clamp could be affixed easily to the bike and didn't have
to worry about the GPS fouling the fairing as the handlebars turned.

Might've been a Beemer or similar. Looked impressive with the street
names, directions, etc. Had surprising detail for Traralgon, a Victorian
country regional centre, much more than the Garmin Metroguide does, in
any case.



--
Few women admit their age. Few men act theirs.
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

MJT wrote:

> What other brands of GPS are you guys using? I saw a small handheld in a
> sporting goods store recently. Might've been a Magellan brand. Not sure
> how it compares to the Etrex for features or performance and bike
> accessories.

Dunno about anybody else, but, I use a yellow Etrex, and a Navman 5500.

> I saw a fellow on an MRA run recently who had something like those car
> Navmans mounted on his bike. But he had conventional handlebars where a
> round bracket clamp could be affixed easily to the bike and didn't have
> to worry about the GPS fouling the fairing as the handlebars turned.

Well, that's the benefit of "proper" handlebars.
If you haven't got them, you might need a tank bag.

> Might've been a Beemer or similar. Looked impressive with the street
> names, directions, etc. Had surprising detail for Traralgon, a Victorian
> country regional centre, much more than the Garmin Metroguide does, in
> any case.

Dunno about the Metroguide business, but, I have looked at whatever the
Navman uses for streets and stuff...(I use mine on the boat!) and found
it was wrong.

How do I know? I set it to my home address, and it showed me a street
that doesn't actually, as such, exist, within about 50 metres of my
house.

Anyway, as a really silly question, why would folk use a gps on a
motorcycle nowadays?

Accurate speedo...accurate trip meter... done far cheaper with bike trip
computer.

I admit to trying for poser points with a Sony Pixis on a BMW K100RS,
quite a number of years ago, but... <shrug>

Many of my more memorable trips on a motorbike involved getting, or
being, lost.

regards,
CrazyCam
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems. 

CrazyCam wrote:
> Dunno about the Metroguide business, but, I have looked at whatever the
> Navman uses for streets and stuff...(I use mine on the boat!) and found
> it was wrong.
>
> How do I know? I set it to my home address, and it showed me a street
> that doesn't actually, as such, exist, within about 50 metres of my
> house.

Ahhh.. a mapping easter egg. The companies which produce street
directories do it intentionally. It's to keep the other bastards
honest. If they insert a fictitious street or map feature in new maps,
and their competitors new maps include it also, they know they've been
plagiarised.

Nev..
'04 CBR1100XX
 >> Stay informed about: Garmin Etrex, Bike mounts and vibration problems.