GPS mapping and GPS units you use

**Howie** · 23rd February 2015, 21:32

Originally Posted by Logmaker

Took delivery of a Garmin 62st a couple of days ago , a little disappointed with product i think , plugged the external power lead sweet f all happened , stuck some AA batteries in it & it went but not for long , battery saver ON , backlight on for 15secs @ half strength , just eats batterys up , it even drags them down when device is switched OFF . Tried a number of times to get hold of a human being at Navi Technology in Auckland but to no avail , no bloody sales service whatsoever , grabbed the money & still running , sent email ,no reply !!!

Beware ladies & gentlemen , i think i may be toast ! If any inmates can give me some advice or help me make this device work like i think it should i would be most appreciative , many thanks in advance .

1, I assume by power lead you mean the USB lead that came with the GPS? if so it is not a power lead but allows you to connect to the gps via your PC using Basecamp or Mapsource to load tracks etc, or as a USB device. to power the GPS you need a different lead that is wired slightly differently.

2, Did a manual come with the unit if not one can be downloaded/ viewed here. http://www.gpscity.com/pdfs/manuals/62S-EN-MANUAL.pdf

It should also be available at the Garmin.com site, but the link to the Manuals seems broken at the moment.

3, Although I don't have the 62s/st model from experience I would expect good alkaline batteries to last about 8 hours use.The battery saver and backlight settings can be changed directions are in the manual. Have you fitted the Micro SD card that may have come with the unit and contains a set of Maps?

Hope this helps a bit.

**NordieBoy** · 24th February 2015, 07:13

Originally Posted by Howie

1, I assume by power lead you mean the USB lead that came with the GPS? if so it is not a power lead but allows you to connect to the gps via your PC using Basecamp or Mapsource to load tracks etc, or as a USB device. to power the GPS you need a different lead that is wired slightly differently.

Both cables will (usually) power the unit, the special cable just makes the unit think it's not connected to a computer.

Easy test is to see if it does so with no batteries in.

**Eddieb** · 24th February 2015, 07:33

No idea if the 62 is the same as my Colorado but in mine there is a setting somewhere for what sort of batteries you are using in it, Ni-CAD, NimH etc, if mine is on the wrong setting for the type of batteries I'm using the batteries last bugger all.

**pete376403** · 24th February 2015, 16:21

Eddie, you mentioned a Colorado - I got one recently (for the DB1K) - what sort of mounting do you have & where from?

**Logmaker** · 24th February 2015, 18:13

Originally Posted by Howie

1, I assume by power lead you mean the USB lead that came with the GPS? if so it is not a power lead but allows you to connect to the gps via your PC using Basecamp or Mapsource to load tracks etc, or as a USB device. to power the GPS you need a different lead that is wired slightly differently.

2, Did a manual come with the unit if not one can be downloaded/ viewed here. http://www.gpscity.com/pdfs/manuals/62S-EN-MANUAL.pdf

It should also be available at the Garmin.com site, but the link to the Manuals seems broken at the moment.

3, Although I don't have the 62s/st model from experience I would expect good alkaline batteries to last about 8 hours use.The battery saver and backlight settings can be changed directions are in the manual. Have you fitted the Micro SD card that may have come with the unit and contains a set of Maps?

Hope this helps a bit.

Many thanks to you all for advice , the cable appears to only for downloads etc, what i fail to understand why it drags power when device is switched off , any thoughts?

**Logmaker** · 24th February 2015, 18:21

Originally Posted by Eddieb

No idea if the 62 is the same as my Colorado but in mine there is a setting somewhere for what sort of batteries you are using in it, Ni-CAD, NimH etc, if mine is on the wrong setting for the type of batteries I'm using the batteries last bugger all.

Many thanks to all for comments , the cable with USB plugs appear to be only for down or uploading , what i fail to understand is why device drags down batteries when device is turned OFF , any ideas ??

**Eddieb** · 25th February 2015, 07:43

Originally Posted by pete376403

Eddie, you mentioned a Colorado - I got one recently (for the DB1K) - what sort of mounting do you have & where from?

I'm using a RAM mount but I can't specifically remember where I got it from now sorry. I think it from the US.

**flashg** · 25th February 2015, 16:37

Originally Posted by pete376403

Eddie, you mentioned a Colorado - I got one recently (for the DB1K) - what sort of mounting do you have & where from?

Try www.ja-gps.com.au its where i got the ram mounts for my Garmin Montana, great to deal with. Good prices i thought

**pete376403** · 25th February 2015, 16:53

Originally Posted by flashg

Try www.ja-gps.com.au its where i got the ram mounts for my Garmin Montana, great to deal with. Good prices i thought

Perfect. $17 plus whatever goes between the mount and the bars. thanks. http://www.ja-gps.com.au/RAM/ram-hol-ga27u/

**flashg** · 25th February 2015, 16:56

Originally Posted by pete376403

Perfect. $17 plus whatever goes between the mount and the bars. thanks. http://www.ja-gps.com.au/RAM/ram-hol-ga27u/

I spent $78 and got all the bits i needed. One postage

**Waihou Thumper** · 25th February 2015, 17:54

Originally Posted by pete376403

Perfect. $17 plus whatever goes between the mount and the bars. thanks. http://www.ja-gps.com.au/RAM/ram-hol-ga27u/

http://www.rammount.com/files/pdf/universal.pdf

This will help.....
Find and build what you require...

I recommend gpscity.....
whatever you choose just don't buy RAM here in NZ, it is too expensive! Someone is milking it.

**dino3310** · 25th February 2015, 19:12

Originally Posted by Eddieb

I'm using a RAM mount but I can't specifically remember where I got it from now sorry. I think it from the US.

waihou mark hooked me up on ebay wayyyyyyy cheaper than NZ

**Logmaker** · 25th February 2015, 19:25

Originally Posted by Waihou Thumper

http://www.rammount.com/files/pdf/universal.pdf

This will help.....
Find and build what you require...

I recommend gpscity.....
whatever you choose just don't buy RAM here in NZ, it is too expensive! Someone is milking it.

Hi there WT , Woodman told me to contact you regards the Garmin 62s that i cant seem to master ,why would it be dragging batteries down when the device is switched OFF , rechargeable batteries last about 1hr or so ?? any ideas . Thanks.

**Waihou Thumper** · 25th February 2015, 19:40

Originally Posted by Logmaker

Hi there WT , Woodman told me to contact you regards the Garmin 62s that i cant seem to master ,why would it be dragging batteries down when the device is switched OFF , rechargeable batteries last about 1hr or so ?? any ideas . Thanks.

Never heard of this issue, it does seem weird?
I would say that it is broke! mate....

I have NEVER had a GPS (and I have had a few) that use batteries when off?
Perhaps try normal alkaline, then try NiMh, then try the super duper eneloops and see if there is a pattern?

Just for your information take a look at this quote...

I have a 62s. Battery Save mode on. Backlight set to 100% (anything else is hard for me to see in daylight), with a 2 minute timeout. I was traveling and caching the other day. I had loaded a set of PowerEx 2700 NiMH batteries which I had just purchased, and run through a breakin cycle and then topped off with a slow charge on my new Maha MH-C9000 charger. They lasted 4 hours before the GPSr winked out (without warning). Replaced them with a set of new Eneloops (also just charged) and got only 3 hours. I am beginning to think I have a defective GPSr.

More bells and whistles on the 62s compared to the 60Csx and other 60 series. These were and still are the best by far IMHO apart from the Montana 650 I have now.
Never the less, when either turned off or connected to the USB for use on the computer it shouldn't use battery power..
In fact, when batteries are out of the device, you can still use it from the usb and load/transfer data etc.
For it to drain so fast suggests an issue, especially using the NiMH and others such as eneloops.
The settings disabling/enabling etc aren't going to be such a large factor. With your symptoms, it points to a fault, surely?
I can get over 16 hours at full backlight, on and off etc with a basic 60Cx or CSx

**Logmaker** · 25th February 2015, 20:06

Originally Posted by Waihou Thumper

Never heard of this issue, it does seem weird?
I would say that it is broke! mate....

I have NEVER had a GPS (and I have had a few) that use batteries when off?
Perhaps try normal alkaline, then try NiMh, then try the super duper eneloops and see if there is a pattern?

Just for your information take a look at this quote...

I have a 62s. Battery Save mode on. Backlight set to 100% (anything else is hard for me to see in daylight), with a 2 minute timeout. I was traveling and caching the other day. I had loaded a set of PowerEx 2700 NiMH batteries which I had just purchased, and run through a breakin cycle and then topped off with a slow charge on my new Maha MH-C9000 charger. They lasted 4 hours before the GPSr winked out (without warning). Replaced them with a set of new Eneloops (also just charged) and got only 3 hours. I am beginning to think I have a defective GPSr.

More bells and whistles on the 62s compared to the 60Csx and other 60 series. These were and still are the best by far IMHO apart from the Montana 650 I have now.
Never the less, when either turned off or connected to the USB for use on the computer it shouldn't use battery power..
In fact, when batteries are out of the device, you can still use it from the usb and load/transfer data etc.
For it to drain so fast suggests an issue, especially using the NiMH and others such as eneloops.
The settings disabling/enabling etc aren't going to be such a large factor. With your symptoms, it points to a fault, surely?
I can get over 16 hours at full backlight, on and off etc with a basic 60Cx or CSx

Many thanks for your comments , have tried ph & email Auckland but get no replys , so might have to get a bit of aggro going.