Tomtom Go 720 Replacement Battery

dhn · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:22 pm Post subject:

Gary, I think the real question is whether that item is available in North America. I did a quick search and did not find an outlet.
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David

garcor · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:11 pm Post subject:

MarkMarkB · Regular Visitor Joined: Dec 07, 2008 Posts: 80

psyskiesman · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:09 pm Post subject:

There is also another type, it's a lithium-ion power pack the size of a cassette tape and I can confirm it does the business. Type "PortaPow USB Battery (Duracell Instant Charger)" into eBay search. I've used mine to recharge my mobile phone and My TomTom when a car I was collecting from a client had a dead ciggie socket; I couldn't risk driving over 200 miles without external power.

mikealder · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:39 pm Post subject:

Another product to consider is the U2O battery packs, whilst my usints in this picture are sat next to a different GPS device they will work fine with a TomTom unit

Satmap active10 with the 5400mA power pack plugged in, top right is an earlier U2O 3600mA power pack which is still working well.

Mike

garcor · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:05 pm Post subject:

Thanks all for the different suggestioins!!

My delema now is I am wondering if my unit has become an expencive paperweight.

As I had posted earlier my unit was coming on and working fine when hooked to car or (optional) home charger and it would connect to home when on docking station.
I tried a pin reset and a clear flash and now my unit will only come on for a few seconds and because of the short time it doesn't fully boot up.

I tried holding the power button down and I had a screen come on with two columns of about 10 lines each of information but won't stay on long enough to read them all.

So my dilemma is, is it my battery or something else?
I don't want to through good money after bad.

Gary

garcor · Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 4:05 am Post subject:

This is just a follow up as to what my results we as to replacing my battery in my Go-920
First of this is not recommended by Tom-Tom or by myself.
In fact Tom-Tom states that the battery is not replaceable.
( So you are at your own risk )

I was to a point where ether a new battery would fix my problem or I would have to replacement my unit. It was out of warranty so I felt I had nothing to loose.

My unit had gotten to a point that it wouldn’t boot up at all even with car charger/AC charger or docking station.

I first took my battery out and tried running my unit just hooked up to car charger but it still wouldn’t boot up.

So after replacing the battery and letting it charge up for a few hours it booted up fine and I am happy to report that all is well.

There is just a couple of pointers that I would like to mention it as been said the battery is hard to remove and it is.
What I did is gently pry up from the side applying a little pressure at a time rather than on the end of the battery sort of like spreading your weight over a wider area on thin ice. This should help prevent you from cracking you board??

I didn’t try using WD-40 but that might work in helping dissolving the adhesive.
(Perhaps someone else can comment on this)

When I went to put the battery back in I used the double sided sticky tape that you get to hold the 3M Medium wall hooks on and I just left the extra pull tab sticking out so if and when I need to replace the battery again it should be much easier to get the old battery out.

I didn’t try using WD-40 but that might work in helping dissolving the adhesive. It works great on taking stickers etc off stuff.
(Perhaps someone else can comment on this)

Now when I went to put the battery back in I used the double sided sticky tape that you get to hold the 3M Medium wall hooks on and just left the extra pull tab sticking out so if and when I got to replace the battery again it should be much easier to get battery out.

( Two of this size strips cover to complete bottom of battery )

Bottom line this is not to difficult but don't be in a hurry easy dose it.

I will let unit charge over night on docking station before I can comment on how long it will last after a full charge.
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peasemore · Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 12:33 pm Post subject: Battery grief

My 720T has suffered this failure; as I have free extended cover via cr card used when bought, I'm getting repaired by insurer's repairers.

Been away over a month, as transpires they had to send back to TT.

This has happened with 18mth old unit; if I hadn't had this cover I may have pursued TT as I recall that Euro law offers minimum 2 yr warranty, as TT used to offer as standard.
UK Law has some provisions too for up to 7 years I recall.

TT themselves besides offering a non green product as fails so soon, are denying themselves a revenue stream ie if they redesigned (Don't believe newest units are any easier re battery change) so that user could buy and easily install replacement batteries.
We know they are losing money hands over fist at moment.

Are other manufacturer's units any better???

I sell a consumer safety product that has cheap models under a fiver, and we guarantee for 5 yrs exc battery which is easily changeable. Sad

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Gel
Lifetime Member Thames Valley, Berkshire, UK
Mazda CX-5 built in SatNav- not sure if TT or not. Garmin NUVI in reserve.

garcor · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:57 pm Post subject:

Well here is the good & the bad news

Good news battery fit fine.

Bad news it would not fully charge It did however allow me to get enough charge to boot up and log onto home for updates. I went into reset defaults on my unit ad did so thinking this might allow me to get a full charge but no such luck. Yesterday when I tried to hook up to computer with docking station a got a message pops up on the computer (something about bad USB port). Then my unit wouldn't come on reset or anything. So I took it apart again and after looking at Circuit board very carefully with a magnifying glass I noticed just over USB plug in port area on the printed board that was burnt.

I have conceded that my unit is toast . It will be good for some spare parts ( like screen,remote, docking station etc etc. and a new battery if I get another 920 and I most likly will.

mikealder · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:02 pm Post subject:

I have a 530 from a mate that needs the battery changing so I will update the earlier post on how to change the battery as I have an idea on how to get them out without pulling the old cell from the PCB, if it goes wrong I have a CO2 bottle on the bench for fire fighting - Mike

garcor · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject:

Good Luck Mike
Keep us posted if you find a better way around the battery removal.
Gary

mikealder · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 9:47 pm Post subject:

dmac · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:29 pm Post subject:

Sort of a me too posting........ Sad

units just outside 1 year warranty and will only work when connected to power scource.
Perhaps a visit to trading standards required especially if many others are experiencing similiar probs.

tgold · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:18 pm Post subject: Re: Battery grief

peasemore · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:04 am Post subject: Euro law

There's guidance at
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_info/10principles/en.pdf

But I'd have thought that it was fairly easy {for consumer} to demonstrate a fundamental fault in the product failing after such a short time & within the Euro 2 year period.
The fact that TT are saying battery can't officially be replaced weakens their case further.

Still waiting for mine to come back; the Insurer's repairer "www.Camtronics.co.uk" couldn't fix so sent back to TT.
However they then rejected the repair, so it's gone back to TT again.

Does any other satnav makes have easier battery swap facility??
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Gel
Lifetime Member Thames Valley, Berkshire, UK
Mazda CX-5 built in SatNav- not sure if TT or not. Garmin NUVI in reserve.

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