Stay Powered
The Garmin eTrex Solar is equipped with an internal rechargeable 1800 mAh Li-ion battery.- The eTrex Solar can provide 200 hours of power in GPS Only mode, or 1800 hours when using Expedition mode.
- The eTrex Solar can provide virtually infinite power when the solar cell is exposed to sufficient sunlight (75 kilolux).
- If necessary, the battery can be charged in the field by connecting a compatible external power supply.
Charging the Battery
- USB Charging
- The internal Li-ion battery is charged while an external power source is connected.
- The back cover may reach external temperatures > 95°F (35°C) during the charging process.
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Completely charging a fully depleted battery may
require 6+ hours.
- Solar Charging
- The internal Li-ion battery is charged by the solar cell, even when powered off.
- Solar charging is activated when the solar cell is exposed to sufficient sunlight.
- Solar charging is deactivated after 30 seconds of insufficient solar intensity.
- One hour of charging at 50% solar intensity will add about two hours of device operation.
- Solar charging status and history can be viewed in the Solar page.
Maximizing Battery Life
- Li-ion batteries can retain their charge for long periods of time between uses.
- When storing the device for extended periods of time, the battery should be charged fully at least once every year.
- Several options are available to help extend battery life:
- Decrease Backlight Brightness
- Reduce Backlight Timeout
- Disable the Magnetic Compass
- Disable Multi-GNSS (use 'GPS Only')
- Configure Recording Method to 'Smart'
- Set Map Orientation to 'North Up' (do not use 'Track Up')
- When permissible, use the Compass or Trip Computer pages while navigating, not the Map page
- Expose the solar cell to sunlight as frequently as possible
Battery Display
- The eTrex Solar battery icon provides information about the current battery charge level.
- Remaining battery capacity is updated dynamically based on live battery load conditions.
- A reduction of indicated battery capacity may be observed while using high current draw features.
- The eTrex Solar battery icon reports current battery charge level in the Status Bar, Small Data Field, and Large Data Field.
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Battery Charge = Infinite (energy harvesting is sufficient to maintain device operation) | |
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Battery Charging via USB | |
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Battery Charge ~ 100% | |
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Battery Charge ~ 75% | |
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Battery Charge ~ 50% | |
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Battery Charge ~ 25% | |
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Battery Charge Critical |
Power Options
- Multiple 'non-solar' options are available to help keep your eTrex Solar running for as long as you are:
| External AC |
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| External DC |
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Universal DC |
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