New eTrex Solar

[Sibstr]

New eTrex Solar

Spoiler

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/869859

Well, GPS multi-bands support are very good, solar is good to have but not a necessarily.
I'm staying with SE.

[kot7OpHyd]

Well, GPS multi-bands support are very good, solar is good to have but not a necessarily.
I'm staying with SE.

Yes, it's not clear why this new device was necessary. They could have made the eTrex SE bug-free instead. The eTrex SE is not exactly wanting in its power requirements for solar backup to be necessary. Multi-band is good to have, but these are map-less devices and the eTrex SE already settles to 3m accuracy and is pretty consistent holding it even with buildings and trees around.

Why not fix your software as a priority Garmin? Fix your eTrex SE device crashes reported to you. The last firmware version 3.51 for eTrex SE was released in July 2023. It has been 4 months since, and bugs are piling up without being addressed.

[Nail]

Yes, it's not clear why this new device was necessary. They could have made the eTrex SE bug-free instead. The eTrex SE is not exactly wanting in its power requirements for solar backup to be necessary. Multi-band is good to have, but these are map-less devices and the eTrex SE already settles to 3m accuracy and is pretty consistent holding it even with buildings and trees around.

Why not fix your software as a priority Garmin? Fix your eTrex SE device crashes reported to you. The last firmware version 3.51 for eTrex SE was released in July 2023. It has been 4 months since, and bugs are piling up without being addressed.

Standard Garmin policy.

[Dunnikin]

New eTrex Solar

Spoiler

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/869859

Well, GPS multi-bands support are very good, solar is good to have but not a necessarily.
I'm staying with SE.

Solar is a good idea, the SE have a very low energy consumption. But the solar version comes with a build-in battery. Garmin don't have a "battery service" if the internal battery is dead.

My experience with such devices and these batteries are bad. So I must disposed a very good Sony mobile beamer about the blown internal battery. The metal case of the Sony was near like a bubble and I get it quick out of my house before it catch fire.

And yes, the firmware needs some fixes. Now I have my 4th (!) SE and this unit seems to be usable (I like this little thing, it fits in every pocket). Only the power off crash persists. If you change some menus or the glance the SE is very unstable.

[Sibstr]

Solar is a good idea, the SE have a very low energy consumption. But the solar version comes with a build-in battery. Garmin don't have a "battery service" if the internal battery is dead.

My experience with such devices and these batteries are bad. So I must disposed a very good Sony mobile beamer about the blown internal battery. The metal case of the Sony was near like a bubble and I get it quick out of my house before it catch fire.

And yes, the firmware needs some fixes. Now I have my 4th (!) SE and this unit seems to be usable (I like this little thing, it fits in every pocket). Only the power off crash persists. If you change some menus or the glance the SE is very unstable.

Internal battery, I missed that, that is an absolute no go feature. All GPS on AA batteries still working. eTrex Legend 20 years, GPSMAP 60CSx 17 years, etc. The integrated battery is a problem for the long life of the device.

[GPSrChive]

Internal battery, I missed that, that is an absolute no go feature. All GPS on AA batteries still working.

Well, except for all those devices destroyed by leaking alkaline batteries....

eTrex Legend 20 years, GPSMAP 60CSx 17 years, etc. The integrated battery is a problem for the long life of the device.

For those who suffer with 'internal battery lifespan anxiety', here are some simple numbers to help alleviate some of your worries:

A device that can run for 200 hours on a full battery charge, when used for a full 8 hours every single day, would require more than 34 years to reach 500 battery charge cycles, or 68 years to reach 1000 battery charge cycles.

[kot7OpHyd]

For those who suffer with 'internal battery lifespan anxiety', here are some simple numbers to help alleviate some of your worries:

A device that can run for 200 hours on a full battery charge, when used for a full 8 hours every single day, would require more than 34 years to reach 500 battery charge cycles, or 68 years to reach 1000 battery charge cycles.

A removable battery is good for field replacement reasons. I'm a software engineer, and I've seen way too many bugs where an infinite loop due to a software bug causes CPU utilization to spike to 100%, that can drain battery in a portable device. As an example, on a GPS receiver a bug in routing calculation due to some unforseen corner condition on a routable map might cause an infinite loop without a break that doesn't stop the task by pressing any buttons on the device.. and you can't quickly pop open the battery cover and remove the batteries. Never had routing computation get stuck on a Garmin receiver? I have had this occur several times on previous generation GPSMAP devices.

Given your fondness for Lithium ion battery, you'd hardly dislike hardware with a replaceable Lithium ion battery. It'd allow you to replace it if you want, just like in old Nokia mobile phones.

I like to use AA cells btw, even though I really appreciate how the rated charge/efficiency of Lithium ion cells holds over several charge-discharge cycles compared to NiMH. I didn't like the comparison with old dogs and new tricks that I read in a previous (now what appears to be deleted) comment. I remember reading this comment made on a different forum too. Different people like different things. I wouldn't want to make a remark that puts you down because it isn't compatible with my view. The world is big enough that even Garmin produces devices that users want, both with AA and Lithium ion cells.

The new EU law is going to mandate removable batteries on all consumer appliances for some other reasons. I wonder if Garmin will make separate models for EU and rest of the world.. it's probably unlikely.

Spoiler

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/pres ... batteries/

The regulation provides that by 2027 portable batteries incorporated into appliances should be removable and replaceable by the end-user, leaving sufficient time for operators to adapt the design of their products to this requirement. This is an important provision for consumers. Light means of transport batteries will need to be replaceable by an independent professional.

[GPSrChive]

I do prefer removable batteries, like the Montana 7x0 and RINO series use. I hope the new EU laws will push Garmin in this direction for future worldwide products.

However, I do not subscribe to the mass hysteria that devices with non user replaceable batteries are not a viable option for the reasons described in previous posts.

For the devices with internal batteries, should an infinite loop occur, or should you want to simulate removal and installation of the battery pack for any reason, this can be achieved by holding the power button for >30 seconds.

[Dunnikin]

A device that can run for 200 hours on a full battery charge, when used for a full 8 hours every single day, would require more than 34 years to reach 500 battery charge cycles, or 68 years to reach 1000 battery charge cycles.

Remember the calendar aging of pouch cells (Lithium Polymere). Such cells used by Garmin. After about five years the cell is dead. Worst case the cell blows and catches fire or at minimum it destroys the circuit board or display of the unit. In best case the unit quits working after serval minutes with a dead battery.

I‘ve seen a video how to replace a dead build in battery from a GPSMAP. It‘s possible (if you can get a fitting cell), but it‘s a lot of difficult work and can‘t done by everyone.

Garmin was better to use circular rechargeable lithium cells like a 14500 behind a battery lid. I‘m from Germany and the EU law let get us soon units wits easy replaceable batteries.

[GPSrChive]

Remember the calendar aging of pouch cells (Lithium Polymere). Such cells used by Garmin. After about five years the cell is dead. Worst case the cell blows and catches fire or at minimum it destroys the circuit board or display of the unit. In best case the unit quits working after serval minutes with a dead battery.

I have an inReach Explorer+ that is nearly 7 years old now and it is not showing any signs of failure or slowing down. This model uses the same Lithium battery that is found is the GPSMAP 66i/66sr/67/67i/86s/86sc/86i/86sci and Montana 7x0.

We have not seen any reports of premature battery failure on any of these models.