Update so far: GME only support Non-Aviation Garmin GPS models.
GME put me onto RossAir in Adelaide who support Aviation GPS's. RossAir believe that the GPS92 recharges the internal lithium battery from the External 12V supply. To do this the four AA batteries need to be removed and the external 12V supply connected and left for 24hrs. If this doesn't work then it has to be sent back to the States for repair as there are no authorised repair agents in Australia. Hopefully the recharging will work. I will let you know the outcome. Thanks Peter >From: jason armistead <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: [aus-soaring] Garmin Authorised Service Agents >Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2001 11:58:57 +1100 (EST) > >Peter > >Garmin in Australia are represented by GME Electrophone (www.gme.net.au) > >But, according to http://www.garmin.com/support/faqs/30.html the nearest >Garmin >repair centre is in Taiwan. > >You might also be surprised by the "Repair rates" quoted at >http://www.garmin.com/support/outofwarranty.html (remember, this is $US) > >Maybe GME can help out locally ? (I'd be interested to know) > >This whole "memory battery is low" error is a bit of a worry. The GPS 12 >can >suffer a similar fate. Apparently Garmin used to install a *rechargeable* >lithium cell on the main PCB for waypoint / route / configuration memory >backup >and it could actually be charged from the 4 * AA batteries via a charger >circuit. Their "solution" to this problem was to recommend that you >install a >fresh set of AAs and leave it for 48 hours, which was the time taken to re- >charge the lithium memory backup cell. Now (on the 12 at least) Garmin >have >changed to a non-rechargeable lithium "button" cell (with a 10 year life) >and >done away with the charging idea. There are reports of bad batches of >lithium >batteries as well as faulty charging circuits, which Garmin handled for >free >under warranty (normally 1 year only) terms up to 3 or 4 years after >purchase >(I think this was after you paid the postage). I think GME in Australia >offer >a "double warranty" deal of some sort too. > >I read one very thorough anaylsis (on the web at a URL I can't recall !) of >it >all by a chap whose GPS 12 packed it in and for one reason or other it >wasn't >worth returning to Garmin. He pulled it apart (remember the GPS 12 has a >welded plastic seam, not a regular pull-apart case, certainly no "design >for >repair" concept here) and did his own reverse engineering of the circuitry >inside, worked out what was wrong that caused it *not* to charge, and ended >up >charging it externally. Quite a read ... > >Suffice to say, when he went back to Garmin with "the facts" they were a >little >bit taken aback. > >Moral of the story, keep a set of batteries in your GPS 12 regardless of >whether it's in use or not - that prevents the internal lithium cell from >discharging. > >I'm not sure how the GPS 92 compares with the GPS 12 in terms of internal >memory backup, but 15 months sounds like a very short period (as users of >the >12 were reporting when they first noticed problems). Lots of newer designs >like the eTrex use FLASH memory and thus do away with the need for any sort >of >internal battery backup. Even so, for some owners the "improved" GPS 12 >with a >10 year battery still sounds a bit short - most of us would probably like >to >think that after 10 years (and a bit of TLC) that our GPS would still be >working fully ... > >As for getting your GPS fixed this week, good luck ! > > >Cheers > >Jason > >Quoting Peter Robinson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > > > Anyone know if and where there is a Garmin Authorised Service agent in > > > > Adelaide? > > > > My Garmin GPS92 which is 15 mths old has a flat internal battery (Memory > > > > Battery is Low error) which I would like to get fixed this week before > > the > > State Comps. > > > > > > Peter Robinson > >-- > * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. > * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message > * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information. > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp -- * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information.
