Go 520 charging problem - SOLVED

gpspcb · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 18

Hi guys,

Don't know if you can help but my problem is that my tomtom doesn't charge up in the car for some reason. The power light illuminates which is strange.

Charging in the dock that is attached to my pc is problem free and the battery will last me a good 4hrs when fully charged.

I've considered the car charger being faulty so I tried one of these universal chargers that have all the attachments for various phones etc and that doesn't charge it up either (power light illuminates).

I have a pda which I use for work and that uses the same cigarette lighter socket and it charges ok. I've even tried pulling that out and just using the tomtom. No joy.

Any suggestions?
Thanks

mikealder · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 5:58 pm Post subject:

Any car charger to be used with a TomTom should be generally rated at 5V and capable of delivering 2 Amps, most universal car chargers don't supply enough current, consider getting a replacement TomTom charger or look very carefully at the rating of any third party chargers - Mike

gpspcb · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 18

Thanks for that quick reply but I'm worried now. Did I just stick 12v up it and did it cause it any harm. Hope not. I'll buy a new one from that quality online shop eBay Laughing Out Loud

.

cheers.

mikealder · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 10:15 am Post subject:

If the charger you used had a mini USB plug moulded on to the lead then it will have been fine, only issue is whether the unit would have enough output current to power AND charge the device.

Why not take a trip to your local Halfords and purchase a new TomTom car charger, ask at the counter as they might have some unboxed for next to nothing (they don't put these on show, you have to ask) - Mike

Guivre46 · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 10:52 am Post subject:

Interesting; I'm using the TT highspeed multicharger with my 550. I find the 1amp outlet just about maintains the charge level, but the 2.1amp outlet keeps it fully charged. I think most of the TT chargers, supplied with devices, are rated at 2amp?
_________________
Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
Go 530T - unsupported
Go550 Live [not renewed]
Kia In-dash Tomtom

gpspcb · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 18

Well I got my hands on a working replacement and it didn't charge my tomtom. Something must have died on the circuitry. Interesting that it works in the dock!

Andy_P · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:56 pm Post subject:

MrT · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 6:16 pm Post subject:

I had a similar problem some time ago with my 940 in that it would not charge in the car even though the LED was showing orange and I thought I had a fault with the car power (from the Carcomm handsfree car kit) to the TomTom. I could not find any issue with the USB power in the car as it charged other devices. In the end when I had to do a backup restore for other reasons it started charging in the car again.

My assumption was that the charging is controlled by the software rather than purely the hardware and something had become corrupted in the software. This might be totally wrong, but I cannot think of another reason why restoring the software from a backup would cure a charging problem. Maybe take a look in this area?
_________________
Drivelux

gpspcb · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 18

Andy_P · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 6:41 pm Post subject:

gpspcb · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 18

mikealder · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:22 pm Post subject:

The only other idea I have is that the battery is shot, while its charging connected to the PC my guess the TomTom is switched off, when its in the car the device is powered up and working. The combined load of the device and a duff battery is too much for the car charger so it doesn't charge the battery.
Might be worth trying a replacement battery before getting a new toy - Mike

M8TJT · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 10:24 pm Post subject:

Would it not the length og time the TT stays on after a long charge be an indication of the state of the battery?

gpspcb · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 18

gpspcb · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 18

Solved it.

I thought I'd cut the beast open as I committed myself to buying a via 120 tomorrow from comet. In it's belly I found a little black chip thingy that was sitting sideways to the rest of the other little black chip thingies. I tried to straighten it but it came off.

Now I know what you're thinking - I must have dropped it recently! You're probably right but I can't remember a drop coinciding with it suddenly not working. It's been a sturdy booger and I've had it a good few years now, used it every day too.

I got a soldering iron so I thought I'd have a go, guessing which way around it went and to my delight, it worked! Hoorah! So Happy I don't have to spend my wages on a new one.

Here's a picture of the black thingy in question. Thanks all for your time and help. You're truly heroes of the satnav world for helping out and making life easier for every1.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/821/go520.jpg/

	PocketGPS
	Web