No power with batteries

[Timolgra]

I have charged and recharged batteries but SP III will not work with them. It's ok when plugged into bike and the same batteries work ok in my Garmin III plus.

(Flippin thing, folding a map is much easier)

Any answears please

Tim

 

[Chris G]

are you putting enough batteries in [ if not it will rattle]



sorry it is late

 

[adamski49]

Are you putting them in the right way round?

Sorry to ask such a dumb question but the batteries don't go into the SPIII logically and seem to be all over the place in terms of positive and negative. I was always checking and re-checking because it didn't look right.

Adam

 

[Timolgra]

are you putting enough batteries in [ if not it will rattle]



sorry it is late

Chris, even I can count to six

BTW Ammo box fitted, great, Ta

Yes Adam I've checked and rechecked, I've had it for about 18 months and become familiar with all those things. Was wondering if even fully charged rechargables may not always have sufficient voltage to start the flippin thing. I'll get a pack of Duracells and compare voltages.



Tim

 

[John Armstrong]

1.2v rechargeable / 1.5v duracell etc? My SP3 worked fine with rechargeable ones in it.

 

[littleredrooster]

There's a setting in the SPIII for battery type - make sure it's set to 'Ni-Cad'.

If that fails, it could be the same fault as mine 'cos it does exactly the same thing. Narrowed it down to 'fretting' between the battery terminals and the unit. It develops a kind of black oxide the size of a pin-head between the batteries and the connector terminals on the unit. Careful cleaning restores it again (or, funnily enough, the vibration from the bike sometimes makes it work).

I was also getting a 'Battery Voltage Low' error message even when using external power. Taking the batteries out cured this.

 

[Timolgra]

OK I'll get the angle grinder out.

 

[Timolgra]

Now as an engineer in a previous life I've, like many of you, found that hitting something thats broke with a bloody big hammer often fixes most things.

Garmin GPS's are no different, hold down the on button and give it a couple of whacks with the handle of my Leatherman, hey presto, the flippin things working again.

Thanks for all the suggestions though.

Tim

 

[Mouse]

I'll bet one of the battery contacts (on the SP3) has become slightly compressed and so is not making a good connection. Try bending them out gently with a small knife or something.

 

[Timolgra]

I'll bet one of the battery contacts (on the SP3) has become slightly compressed and so is not making a good connection. Try bending them out gently with a small knife or something.

Mouse, I tried that before and snapped one of the feckers off, so be careful they wont bend much.
No my problem was not in the battey compartment, definately an internal connection, and as Littleredrooster says vibration can solve it, (er as it so often does )