Matronics Email Lists :: View topic - Garmin 296/396 losing location

Matronics Email Lists
Web Forum Interface to the Matronics Email Lists

Get Email Distribution Too! FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register

Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in

Garmin 296/396 losing location
Goto page Previous 1, 2

Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> RV-List

View previous topic :: View next topic

Author Message

d-burton(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:48 pm Post subject: Garmin 296/396 losing location

I guess the question is how long did Lowrance consider the life of the Airmap to be?  We replace these all the time in medical equipment and computer products.  They don’t last the lifetime we expect out of the equipment…  There are different types of lithium batteries and some last longer then others.  I think 10 years would be about it.  If you start with 100 of these, at the end of the “average” life 50 are dead, and some will be dead much sooner then average.  I just changed a back-up battery in a 286 computer that had been working for more then 20 years.  The iMac batteries can fail in 2 sometimes.  

   

It wouldn’t surprise me too much if replacing the backup battery did not cure this problem, but given what Garmin’s flat rate is it may be worth trying.  I would.  

   

DaveB  

         

  

From: owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Ron Lee

 Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 10:07 AM

 To: rv-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: Garmin 296/396 losing location  

  

     

I found this in the Lowrance Airmap 500 manual (page 11)  

    

   

    

"Flash memory and an internal lithium battery will keep your stored  

data safe and accessible for the life of the product."  

   	  Quote: 	
		    http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List 	
0 	  Quote: 	
		   	
1 	  Quote: 	
		   	
2 	  Quote: 	
		   	
3 	  Quote: 	
		   	
4 	  Quote: 	
		   	
5 	  Quote: 	
		   	
6 	  Quote: 	
		   	
7 	  Quote: 	
		   	
8 	  Quote: 	
		   	
9

       [quote][b]

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

ceengland(at)bellsouth.ne
Guest

Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 2:29 pm Post subject: Garmin 296/396 losing location

Can't speak for the 396, but the III Pilot warns when the internal 

backup battery gets low & warns every time you turn it on after it's too 

low to sustain the memory while powered off.



You're not that far from DC. With all the tricks the military can play 

with GPS, I wouldn't be surprised about anything going wrong up in your 

area. Have you compared notes with others up there to see if theirs 

displays the same symptoms if turned off the same length of time on the 

same days?



Charlie



Bill Boyd wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Good thought.  Any problem with opening these things up for user service 

 (besides warranty, which I'm way beyond) - like a nitrogen-filled case 

 to mitigate condensation, that might be ruined?

 

 -Stormy

 

 On Jan 19, 2008 10:54 PM, Bob J. <rocketbob(at)gmail.com 

 <mailto:rocketbob(at)gmail.com>> wrote:

 

     I don't know about the 396 but I had the same problem with a Garmin

     GPS III Pilot.  There is a coin size battery which is epoxied to the

     inside of the case with leads going to the circuit board.  This

     battery keeps the real time clock powered when the main batteries

     are discharged.  My battery went bad and every time the GPS was

     powered down it would lose track of the almanac, even though I had

     fresh AA batteries in it.  I didn't look at the board to see how the

     coin battery is charged but I found a replacement and fixed mine.  I

     suspect the 396 also has an internal coin-sized battery for the RTC

     and yours is probably dead also. 

 

     Regards,

     Bob Japundza

     RV-6 flying F1 under const.

 

     On Jan 18, 2008 6:36 PM, Greg Young <gyoung(at)cs-sol.com

     <mailto:gyoung(at)cs-sol.com>> wrote:

 

         I hope your 296 doesn't keep going south like my 396. My 396

         loses it's location almost every weekend - for sure if I miss a

         weekend flying. It takes 5-10 min to find itself if I tell it to

         use a new location - but at least it's still useable. I've

         talked to Garmin tech support a couple times and their drill is

         to get the latest software update and to purge the satellite

         almanac. Power up while holding the zoom out key for ~12 sec

         will flush the almanac (at least for the 396) and then leave it

         on in the open for 30-45 minutes to download a new one. That has

         not cured my problem so they tell me the next step is to send it

         in for the $350 flat rate repair... aaarrggghhh!

          

         Regards,

         Greg Young

          

 

             ------------------------------------------------------------------------

             *From:* owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com

             <mailto:owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com>

             [mailto:owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com

             <mailto:owner-rv-list-server(at)matronics.com>] *On Behalf Of

             *Bill Boyd

             *Sent:* Friday, January 18, 2008 4:13 PM

             *To:* rv-list(at)matronics.com <mailto:rv-list(at)matronics.com>

             *Subject:* Re: APRS tracking technology as

             alternative to SPOT

 

             Replying to my own post, here-  too many things wrong with

             the flight so I stood down.  Garmin 296 wouldn't lock onto

             more than 2 birds, and thought the local time was 11:36 AM,

             so it acts like the internal battery is going south (flown

             as recently as last week) - but the unit powers up fine on

             the bench using just its own battery, as I write this. 

             Directional control on the snow was awful, even though there

             was lots of grass showing - just too much cover.  I think I

             packed the wheel pants with snow in short order.  I couldn't

             even hold brakes against a 1600 rpm run-up without sliding. 

             When I was about 50% beyond my normal rotation point and

             still hadn't broken ground, weaving like a taildragger pilot

             in a crosswind (gulp!) I balked the takeoff.  Barely had

             enough braking action to execute a 180 within the width of

             the strip.

 

             This is disappointing, since I wanted to fly tonight and

             wanted to demo the APRS, but I guess I get an "A" for

             decision making.  Even if I had had hull coverage I don't

             think I could have felt good about completing that takeoff,

             knowing I'd have to return to that  same runway in a few

             minutes and try to stop safely, possibly with frozen brake

             pads.  The weather is supposed to turn here tonight, so that

             was probably my one window to fly for the next week or two. 

             Snow expected again tomorrow and a deep freeze on top of

             that.  Should stay mushy out there till about April even if

             the snow dissipates.  Some days are like that.

 

             I'll post a heads-up if /when I try the airborne APRS

             again.  Meanwhile I'm going to have harsh words with my 296.

 

             -Stormy

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

ronlee(at)pcisys.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:52 pm Post subject: Garmin 296/396 losing location

Dave, it would appear that if you power up the GPS unit and the date/time  is way off then suspecting

 a bad internal battery would be my first choice.  However, without an  obvious way to replace that 

 battery in the GPS units I have, a flat rate of $300-400 to replace a  battery seems outrageous.

  

 Ron Lee

 [quote]   ---

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

brian.kraut(at)engalt.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:35 am Post subject: Garmin 296/396 losing location

I have  opened my 396 with no problems.  It has been a while and I don't remember  if there was a battery in there or not.

  

 I used  work in the marine electronics industry and with those products Lowrance was the  only one that had nitrogen filled cases.  Don't know if they ever did that  on their aviation units or not.  Would probably be way overkill.  I  have been in lots and lots of pieces of marine electronics and those with well  designed enclosures (15 years ago they were few and far between, but now nearly  all have watertight enclosures) would not get internal corrosion problems even  around a salt water environment without any other special  protection.

  

 If you  are really anal about the ultimate in protection put in a cortec VpCI-101 vapor  corrosion inhibitor which can be found at http://www.cortecvci.com/Products/products.php?showonly=Electric or  a small package of silica gel, but I wouldn't bother unless I was using my GPS  on a float equipped open cockpit ultralight off of salt  water.

  

 

Brian Kraut

Engineering Alternatives, Inc.

www.engalt.com   [quote]   --

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

steveadams

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 191

Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:22 am Post subject: Re: Garmin 296/396 losing location

I have had the same issue with my 396 for the past 6 months or so whenever it has been inactive for a few days. I found that when it can't find the satellites, it gives you a screen with options like "start simulator" and "stored without battery." When I select "stored without battery", it almost immediately starts locking onto satellites normally. My unit is barely 18 months old and the battery should not be going bad already.



Steve

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

Display posts from previous:

	Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> RV-List	All times are GMT - 8 Hours Goto page Previous 1, 2
Page 2 of 2

Jump to:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum