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Garmin problem/question

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 8:04 pm
by CW2008
My Garmin GPS/bottom machine (I can't remember the model number now - it's 5 years old) turns off after a minute or two. I can turn it back on and all is OK. I assume it is a loose connection or corrosion, but I can't find it and I can't shake any of the connections and make it happen, it just happens at random. Has anyone else expeienced this? I am trying to find out if it is the wiring or the machine. Just thought I'd throw it out there. Thanks

Re: Garmin problem/question

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 9:19 pm
by reelhandy
I had something similar going on with my Garmin 178c and it was in the connection at the unit. The female socket carrying the juice either got pushed in or it came that way, but regardless it wasn't making solid contact and the unit would go off on it's own randomly. The difference is that mine wouldn't always just come back on, and it didn't always turn off in a minute or 2. I ended up sticking a small piece of flattened soft electronics solder in the connection hole and that fixed it by extending the juice back out to where it made good contact with the pin.

Re: Garmin problem/question

Posted: January 18th, 2012, 11:01 pm
by CW2008
Just checked mine, it's a 178c also. Thanks for the reply, I'll look more closely at mine.

Re: Garmin problem/question

Posted: January 19th, 2012, 9:56 am
by SHOWBOAT
how old is your battery? Electronics do weird things when they don't get sufficient juice.

Re: Garmin problem/question

Posted: January 19th, 2012, 1:02 pm
by Tidedancer
SHOWBOAT wrote:how old is your battery? Electronics do weird things when they don't get sufficient juice.
X2. Low voltage will snap a Garmin off like that. They are very voltage mindful.
Replace your battery or change to another one to see if that is your problem.

Re: Garmin problem/question

Posted: January 19th, 2012, 3:59 pm
by CW2008
Thanks again. Replacing battery today. I'll post after I get a chance to test this evening.

Re: Garmin problem/question

Posted: January 19th, 2012, 4:00 pm
by CW2008
Well I have a new battery but it didn't solve the problem. Must be a connection problem somewhere.

Re: Garmin problem/question

Posted: January 20th, 2012, 11:30 am
by wevans
Check for a loose or corroded ground also. And don't assume that the one for the GPS can be the only one to cause a problem :-D