GPS Battery Life

[wpeterg]

I'm currently using a Garmin 705 to track my training on a day to day basis for years now, and I really love the way it works.  I've done a few overnight trips around town this summer to sort out my gear for a longer trip this fall.  My current route selection looks like it will work out to about 200-225 miles over the course of 2.5 long days.  I'm thinking the days will be "long" enough that the battery won't be able to last until the end.  So what do people do for really long rides, 4/5 days +?  Do the battery extenders work very well, do larger GPS units that use regular batteries last longer (and you could carry/buy spares), or should I just put an old fashioned bike computer on to track my mileage?  Thanks for the help.

[mgindle]

Unfortunately you're stuck with internal batteries. A friend of mine had some success with recharging here Garmin with a device that took AA batteries. That might be your best bet. Most garmin units designed for backpacking take standard batteries, AA or AAA and with Lithiums, I was able to get 20+ hours of riding out of my Etrex Vista HCX and still had plenty of battery time left. You'll find this to be one of the major complaints of the Garmin 'cycling' units.

[Beaglesdadi]

I love my 705! I bought this for the 705 and my Sprint phone, it's worked well. I keep the batteries out of the unit when it's packed and only put them in when I go to charge something. Post back with what you ended up using, thanks!
 http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-Energi-Portable-Charger-CEL2MUSB/dp/B005B29NL4

[KittyOnMyFoot]

The Vista HCx (probably any in that series, really) has outstanding battery life on two AA batteries. Replacements are light (if you won't be near civilization for a while and need to carry spares) and widely available (if you will, and can just pick up a set along the way). The backlight will obviously reduce this, and I leave the electronic compass off too.

[bartspedden]

I use the Garmin Oregon 450t, typically with the fancy rechargeable batteries that they recommend. To conserve batteries I turn it on when I need it and then turn if off once I figure out where I'm going.  This is actually a pretty easy thing to do get in the habit of.  I'll also turn it on just make sure I'm on the correct trail too. While it would be nicer to just leave it on, I like carrying less batteries.

[Rob Colliver]

Vista Hcx - 25 hours on lithium AA's - simples.
Worked perfectly for the TD, and if you are sneaky, you can get the entire route crammed onto it!
The OE bar mount is rubbish; turn your own one up on a mill - I went through Salida and the guy at Absolute Bikes said he has never seen an OE make the course without ductape and cable ties...a homemade mount is the way ahead.

[wpeterg]

I've been looking around at some portable USB chargers, Duracell seems to make a couple of different models.  From what I can tell you charge the unit up with your computer and the use the unit to recharge USB devices on the go.  They don't specifically mention GPS units, they seem to more geared towards phones and cameras.  Anybody have any experience charging a Garmin with a device like this?

[Beaglesdadi]

Anybody have any experience charging a Garmin with a device like this?

This is the one I use  http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-Energi-Portable-Charger-CEL2MUSB/dp/B005B29NL4 for my 705. It will power the 705 while the unit is on and tracking.

Matt

[wpeterg]

I was thinking more about charging it once you were stopped for the day.  How long would it take to fully charge the 705 do you think, and how many charges would you expect to get without recharging the Energizer device?  Thanks for the help.

[a.k.a.]

This is the unit that will solve your problems:

Goal Zero Nomad 7 / Guide 10 Adventure Kit
http://www.goalzero.com/shop/p/79/Guide-10-Adventure-Kit

The Guide 10 is a battery pack with 8000 mAh worth of storage, and it'll play nicely with the Micro USB charger port on the Garmin.  The Guide 10 works in tandem with a 7 W solar panel (Nomad 7), and that's higher wattage than virtually any other compact panel on the market, which generally are in the 2-5 W efficiency range.

Your Garmin battery is about 1250 mAh, so you'll get about 6 charges on a Guide 10 pack, or likely 3 with the Energizer pointed to above, which uses 2 AA cells.

With any of these USB chargers, charge time for your Garmin won't be any slower than using a wall wart charger -- the limiting factor here is the 4.5 V Micro USB port's throughput.

The advatage of the Goal Zero product is that you can recharge the cells themselves, unlike the Energizer.  Recharging the cells will always take most of a day with any solar setup, but you can just lay the Nomad 7 solar panels out across the rear bike rack (or drape them from the front handlebars), and let the cells power up over the course of your ride.

You can, of course, strip out the AA cells of the Guide 10 and use them in other devices.  (The Energizer has that advantage too.)

[Area54]

I bought one of the genuine Garmin battery extenders (made by powermonkey) and I rate it highly. Comes with a small solar panel and a few plugs for mini USB and fullsize USB. I used it for a recent week on the trail to power my HTC and old 305. Solar panel on the helmet top and battery on the helmet rear.

Lithium internal battery, can recharge from the panel, USB 2 or from a wall charger. LCD backlit display, great form factor and flexible mounting options. I don't know the IP rating (water/dust ingress protection) but common sense would keep it running in any conditions. My other option would have been a brunton powerpack with panel. Here in Australia there is no shortage of sunshine...

[Ultra Magnus]

If you are handy with a soldering iron you can take this myog approach - http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKAD2B

On instructables they have instructions for modding it to take 4 AA's to increase it's capacity.  Others convert it to run on lipo or li-ion batteries (dunno for sure) and add small solar panels to help keep it charged.  I've looked at the builds, and I'm very skeptical of their tiny solar panels being able to generate any significant amount of juice.

BM