Anyone use a Garmin SatNav?
15 March 2011, 11:23 AM
#1
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Anyone use a Garmin SatNav?
I am doing some long journeys at the moment so I found a Sat Nav that I had bought the kids a couple of years ago and thought I would give it a go. Never used one before or even seen one operating 
Anyway this is a Garmin Nuvi, don't know the model number and, of course, instructions lost.
So I plug into lighter socket and red light comes on on charger. This light goes out intermittently. So off I go and unit works for a while dishing out instructions but then seems to stop working sometimes with message saying battery low before going "off air".
So any tips as to what might be going wrong? Would the battery need replacing - I can't even see where battery is (is it part of socket charging unit?). What does light on socket unit indicate? May be the cigarette lighter socket is faulty although it seems to work?
I don't really want to fork out another 100 odd quid.
Thanks, David
Anyway this is a Garmin Nuvi, don't know the model number and, of course, instructions lost.
So I plug into lighter socket and red light comes on on charger. This light goes out intermittently. So off I go and unit works for a while dishing out instructions but then seems to stop working sometimes with message saying battery low before going "off air".
So any tips as to what might be going wrong? Would the battery need replacing - I can't even see where battery is (is it part of socket charging unit?). What does light on socket unit indicate? May be the cigarette lighter socket is faulty although it seems to work?
I don't really want to fork out another 100 odd quid.
Thanks, David
15 March 2011, 11:32 AM
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Sounds like the battery is completely dead! Leave it on charge over night from the mains and see if that improves it. Other than that i would just leave it powered from the cigarette lighter all the time.
15 March 2011, 11:35 AM
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You seem to have a dodgy connection to your *** lighter/charger somewhere.
My Garmin works fine on the in car charger. Give it a wiggle at the lighter end until you get a constant red light showing.
The red light should be on all the time.
My Garmin works fine on the in car charger. Give it a wiggle at the lighter end until you get a constant red light showing.
The red light should be on all the time.
15 March 2011, 11:43 AM
#4
I might have the same one as you. You need to twiddle the charger that goes in the cig lighter. Also, mine wont work for very long without the charger plugged in.
I bought my one as an emergency when the Snooper was on the blink.
My Snooper will work up to 4 hours without the charger.
I bought my one as an emergency when the Snooper was on the blink.
My Snooper will work up to 4 hours without the charger.
15 March 2011, 11:51 AM
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=======
Don't see how I can re-charge from the mains??? Where is battery anyway, maybe I can get a new one?
I'll get the maps out just in case.......
Cheers, David
15 March 2011, 12:03 PM
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You can just plug the Garmin into your PC and it'll charge whilst connected. If you have never plugged it into a PC, go to garmin.com and update the firmware while you are about it!
You should also just be able to plug in a USB cable to your cigarette lighter with something like this: http://www.maplin.co.uk/micro-dc-to-usb-adaptor-274029
Steve
You should also just be able to plug in a USB cable to your cigarette lighter with something like this: http://www.maplin.co.uk/micro-dc-to-usb-adaptor-274029
Steve
15 March 2011, 12:29 PM
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The Garmin I used to have had just a AA battery for when it wasn't plugged in. I never used it without being on charge so never had a battery installed. Plus the connection where the charger gets plugged in went a bit "flakey" meaning that it would go off sometimes. But pull the plug (out of the Garmin end) and plug it back in and all was fine.
So the "charger" wasn't a "charger" per se, it was actually the power lead. You couldn't have rechargeables in there. Something to check but your's could well be different.... obviously!
Dave
So the "charger" wasn't a "charger" per se, it was actually the power lead. You couldn't have rechargeables in there. Something to check but your's could well be different.... obviously!
Dave
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15 March 2011, 12:49 PM
#8
I am doing some long journeys at the moment so I found a Sat Nav that I had bought the kids a couple of years ago and thought I would give it a go. Never used one before or even seen one operating
Anyway this is a Garmin Nuvi, don't know the model number and, of course, instructions lost.
So I plug into lighter socket and red light comes on on charger. This light goes out intermittently. So off I go and unit works for a while dishing out instructions but then seems to stop working sometimes with message saying battery low before going "off air".
So any tips as to what might be going wrong? Would the battery need replacing - I can't even see where battery is (is it part of socket charging unit?). What does light on socket unit indicate? May be the cigarette lighter socket is faulty although it seems to work?
I don't really want to fork out another 100 odd quid.
Thanks, David
Anyway this is a Garmin Nuvi, don't know the model number and, of course, instructions lost.
So I plug into lighter socket and red light comes on on charger. This light goes out intermittently. So off I go and unit works for a while dishing out instructions but then seems to stop working sometimes with message saying battery low before going "off air".
So any tips as to what might be going wrong? Would the battery need replacing - I can't even see where battery is (is it part of socket charging unit?). What does light on socket unit indicate? May be the cigarette lighter socket is faulty although it seems to work?
I don't really want to fork out another 100 odd quid.
Thanks, David
15 March 2011, 04:22 PM
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Thanks chaps and Ms Squares,
All very helpful. It is a Nuvi 200 model made just after WW2 I think
I reckon it's a dodgy lighter connection. But I have now downloaded a manual which may help.
Cheers, David
All very helpful. It is a Nuvi 200 model made just after WW2 I think
I reckon it's a dodgy lighter connection. But I have now downloaded a manual which may help.
Cheers, David
15 March 2011, 04:35 PM
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Do you have an iPhone or other smartphone? if so there are some very cheap alternatives (some free!) to a fixed satnav device.
I gave up using my hardware tomtom for CoPilot Europe on my iPhone, its fantastic and very well priced.
I gave up using my hardware tomtom for CoPilot Europe on my iPhone, its fantastic and very well priced.
15 March 2011, 05:28 PM
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Good suggestion but I am still catching up with technology
I have only just replaced my Nokia 2310 with a 3310. But my daughter has an HTC phone which seems to do most things so maybe she will let me borrow that.
d
15 March 2011, 05:36 PM
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CoPilot Live is £26.99 from the Android market 
It runs perfectly on any iPhone
Copilot Live is very resource hungry and runs quite slowly on older handsets such as the T-Mobile G1 and HTC Magic. The great looking interface is really well designed and works well, but often lags behind when you press buttons on the screen. Redrawing of the 3D maps is also pretty slow as you drive around, but is normally just about fast enough. It's a shame it struggles a bit on the G1 and Magic because otherwise Copilot Live is superb and is also pretty well priced. You can speed up the map redrawing a bit by changing the 3D angle, zooming in a bit, and switching POI display off, but still it's way slower than some of the other sat nav apps. If you have loads of apps installed, you might need to remove some to install Copliot, because the install takes 15Mb of the phone's memory!
On newer, more powerful handsets such as the Nexus One and HTC Desire, Copilot runs much better. So I'd recommend Copilot if your Android handset is up to the job.
On newer, more powerful handsets such as the Nexus One and HTC Desire, Copilot runs much better. So I'd recommend Copilot if your Android handset is up to the job.
Last edited by Jaybird-UK; 15 March 2011 at 05:37 PM.
15 March 2011, 05:58 PM
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Also - If you have an android phone with an OK data plan, you can use Google Navigation for free.
Uses google maps, and downloads the route on the fly.
15 March 2011, 06:17 PM
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Yep , got one on the boat
Gives you an arrow pointing leftish or rightish depending on how far off course you are
assuming youve programmed in the correct lat and long of your destination , whilst sober
Gives you an arrow pointing leftish or rightish depending on how far off course you are
assuming youve programmed in the correct lat and long of your destination , whilst sober
15 March 2011, 06:25 PM
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15 March 2011, 06:39 PM
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No its ok it uses satellites , theyre every where
Needs 3 at least 5 is better , i think . Havnt used it in quite , its probably lost its bearings completley even with ok ? batteries in it
Noooo....... thats another 4 aa batteries down
Mus get a power lead for the 12v !
Needs 3 at least 5 is better , i think . Havnt used it in quite , its probably lost its bearings completley even with ok ? batteries in it
Noooo....... thats another 4 aa batteries down
Mus get a power lead for the 12v !
Last edited by dpb; 15 March 2011 at 06:54 PM.
15 March 2011, 06:40 PM
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Download Satnavs are terrible and I would avoid unless you are certain you are only driving in a 3G area.
Since I use my phone satnav in Europe a download one like google maps would be financial suicide
15 March 2011, 08:55 PM
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OK, any iPhone with GPS (I actually use it on a 3GS) where as not every current Android phone can run satnav
Download Satnavs are terrible and I would avoid unless you are certain you are only driving in a 3G area.
Since I use my phone satnav in Europe a download one like google maps would be financial suicide
Download Satnavs are terrible and I would avoid unless you are certain you are only driving in a 3G area.
Since I use my phone satnav in Europe a download one like google maps would be financial suicide
The google maps 1, you can set up your route while at home on wifi etc, and it'll cache the entire map needed for the journey, as well as a set distance off the planned route, so you can technically use it "offline".
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