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Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject:
Put a brand new set of Lithiums in the device just before you set out walking, don't have them installed prior to this point or they will be slightly used while travelling to you start point.
Carry the NiMH cells fully charged as a back up set of batteries, keep them in a waterproof case that prevents the cells from shorting out - don't put them in your pocket!
With the backlight set to go off after 30 seconds of no user interface I would expect 10 hours + from the Lithiums, if you need longer when they die fit the rechargables - Mike
Joined: Mar 21, 2007 Posts: 261 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:26 pm Post subject:
Yasack wrote:
Quote:
You need to tweak the power-saving options in your satmap to get more out of the rechargeables than 2-3 hours. I had the same problem as you when using the factory-default power-saving options, but what I do now is set the following options in the setup menu:
under power options, set "automatic power saving" to "always on"
set "automatic screen turn off" to "off after 30 seconds"
set "alert when screen off" to "off"
This turns the screen off if no button/joystick is pressed for 30 seconds, but the gps circuitry stays on, tracking your location (this doesn't need much power). Whenever you need to check your location, just press any key and the screen springs to life instantly with your up-to-date position displayed. By using this method, I now get 8+ hours life out of a set of freshly-charged 2000mAh NiMH batteries.
I use rechargeable Vapex 2700 mAh Ni-Mh batteries with exactly the same settings as you have stated and find I am really lucky if I get 3 Hrs life!!!
Which rechargeables are you using to get such great life times? If I could get this life out of a set I would not consider disposable batteries.
regards,
Richard
Really? I got longer than that (about 3.5 hrs, I think) when I first used the Satmap with rechargeables on the default power scheme (screen "always on" at 70% brightness)
I've got a reasonably new set of Sony CycleEnergy NiMH's rated "typical 2000mAh" batteries which I charge in an old 5hr Ross charger (it'll do 3 batteries at a time, whereas my 1 hr charger will only do sets of 2 or 4). What brightness setting is your screen set at? I use 70%, which is adequate on most occasions, and when it isn't (e.g. direct sunlight on screen) I just press the backlight boost button to get 30 seconds of 100%. Do you remove your batteries from the unit between uses? I found that leaving them in when the unit is switched off drains them over a period of 5 or 6 days, so I store the A10 empty now, only fitting the AAs just before I need to use it. Maybe there's a big variation in power drain between individual units?
im wondering whether it'll be necessary to have to keep taking out the new Ploymer (LiPol) battery when its finally released? I certianly hope not as i'd put this down to bad design. _________________ Visit my Walking Blog: http://jswalks.blogspot.com/
Visit my Tech Blog: http://jtech2010.blogspot.com/
I was checking the Satmap site last night (for Satsync news etc), and whilst there I looked at the Satmap site shop. They are selling Energizer lithiums for £5.00 (inc VAT) for a pack of 4. This is the cheapest I have seen, and I must admit (pleasantly) surprises me.
I was checking the Satmap site last night (for Satsync news etc), and whilst there I looked at the Satmap site shop. They are selling Energizer lithiums for £5.00 (inc VAT) for a pack of 4. This is the cheapest I have seen, and I must admit (pleasantly) surprises me.
Joined: Mar 21, 2007 Posts: 261 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:31 pm Post subject:
Jay1967 wrote:
im wondering whether it'll be necessary to have to keep taking out the new Ploymer (LiPol) battery when its finally released? I certianly hope not as i'd put this down to bad design.
I wondered the same thing- I've got a LiPol battery on back-order, so I'll let you know if it ever arrives...
im wondering whether it'll be necessary to have to keep taking out the new Ploymer (LiPol) battery when its finally released? I certianly hope not as i'd put this down to bad design.
I wondered the same thing- I've got a LiPol battery on back-order, so I'll let you know if it ever arrives...
I too have a back order so we may get them at similar times? FYI, I was told that a member of the SM team had tested the LiPol battery some weeks ago:
With Screen on 100% Brightness
Screen ALWAYS ON
ALL Data labels on-screen shown
And all settings ON maximum power drain (so whatever else that included?!)
He'd got over 11 Hours use.
Moreover, I was told that SM have identified some significant areas of power drain relating to tasks carried out within the CPU.. these are addressed in the next firmware update apparently due out in about week or so.
So by he time we have LiPo power hopefully we may have a SatMap that could last all day or most of it?!
The Sales team were quite defensive when it came to questioning the power drain. E.g when asked why there had to be a steady current flowing even when the unit was off, i got the rather quick and sharp reply "Well we cant please everyone, some early adopters complained of incorrect time display as a result of no power whilst other complained of slow satellite fixes and battery leaks!" and he went on!
So why doesnt my Garmin suffer from any of these problems when I turn it off? I put a set of 2700maH in my 60CSx in July, Ive used it for approx 30 hrs, and believe it or not, i still got 3 out of the 4 bars on the power display! Now hows that for stamina?!
Though technically speaking, removing batteries from most electronic devices does make sense especially when storing an inactive device for long periods, However, It certainly doesn't make any sense with modern rechargeables with a device that is used by some on a regular basis.
My garmin is fitted (i think most garmins are) with a circuit break so when the power is switched off the power is cut to the unit.
The SiRF Star III CS makes a good effort to reacquire satellites and once acquired, time data (as on all GPS units) is updated automatically.
So I dont understand SM defence in this. _________________ Visit my Walking Blog: http://jswalks.blogspot.com/
Visit my Tech Blog: http://jtech2010.blogspot.com/
Joined: Mar 21, 2007 Posts: 261 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:35 pm Post subject:
Jay1967 wrote:
I too have a back order so we may get them at similar times? FYI, I was told that a member of the SM team had tested the LiPol battery some weeks ago:
With Screen on 100% Brightness
Screen ALWAYS ON
ALL Data labels on-screen shown
And all settings ON maximum power drain (so whatever else that included?!)
He'd got over 11 Hours use.
Moreover, I was told that SM have identified some significant areas of power drain relating to tasks carried out within the CPU.. these are addressed in the next firmware update apparently due out in about week or so.
So by he time we have LiPo power hopefully we may have a SatMap that could last all day or most of it?!
Let's hope it's as good as they say it is. All this worrying about AA batteries running out will be a thing of the past!
I certainly hope this worrying about AA batteries running out will become a thing of the past. I've spent a silly amount on batteries since I got the Satmap and I'm really not happy about it. The initial problem I had after installing fresh Lithium Energiser batteries was screen flicker. This went on for some time and happened every time I installed fresh batteries. Battery life with the screen brightness set to 50% and setting the LCD screen to switch off after 3 minutes was about 10 hours. Put it this way, on two five hour walks the batteries had run out before the end of the second walk. I was told by a member of the Satmap team to try normal Alkaline batteries to remedy the screen flicker. I still got some screen flicker for a duration of time but it lessened. Battery life with the Alkaline batteries was ridiculously short. With the same settings (50% screen brightness, auto screen off after 3 minutes) when I come to check my location, I press a button to 're-awaken' the unit and I get a 'Power Critical' message telling me that the unit will shut down in 59 seconds. I've had this twice now and the Satmap has let me down when I really needed it. I can't understand why I would get these Power Critical messages with fresh batteries. I'm beginning to think the unit is faulty. I'm sick and tired of spending more money on batteries on this thing.
Joined: Mar 21, 2007 Posts: 261 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:22 pm Post subject:
My brother ordered me a LiPol battery pack for christmas, and it was finally delivered to him today! He also got the following e-mail from Satmap:
"I note from our records that you have purchased a power bundle for your unit. I am sure you will be happy with the difference between your unit on AA’s and the unit on the Lipol Battery, we have already been receiving great feedback from our customers!! The current software you are running on in your unit will not give a battery indicator as to how charged your battery is. The software for this is coming out shortly, and we will make it available to you as soon as it is, please ensure you have registered your unit so that we can notify you immediately as soon as the software is available. In the mean time the battery takes about 10 hours to charge fully so please ensure that you charge it for that time. The battery when it arrives with you will be 50 % charged, so if it does not run as long as expected on your first use to not be alarmed. Finally I should just say that the new software that is coming out also reduces the power draw of the unit, so with the reduced power draw and Lipol battery you should have a considerable change in your unit. Rest assured we are all working very hard here at satmap to get the new unit software out as soon as we can as we all feel that this is a great update that many of you will benefit from."
It looks like a pro forma letter sent to everyone who ordered a battery pack, but some promising news in there about the improvements in the next firmware update (I just hope they realise I have already registered my Satmap in my name, not my brother's, and so they need to let ME know about the software update, not HIM!)
Joined: Mar 21, 2007 Posts: 261 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:44 pm Post subject:
FrequentFlyer wrote:
News to me.... I didn't receive the above.
No, I didn't either (at least, not at my own e-mail address that I gave Satmap when I registered my A10) but my brother who bought the power pack for me did get the above e-mail, and he doesn't own an A10. Maybe Satmap have only sent this message to people who have bought the power pack but are not registered - and they're planning to e-mail all registered users once the software upgrade becomes available? Or is that giving them too much credit....?
Joined: Nov 08, 2007 Posts: 57 Location: Cambridge
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:21 am Post subject:
Likewise I have received no communication from them following registration. If it were not for this forum I would have learnt nothing about the software upgrades. Despite promises that such information would be posted on their web site - you have guessed it - 'next week' no such information has ever appeared.
Before I spend more money with satmap what is the current experience with users of the now available LiPol batteries are they really an improvement over lithium disposables ?
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