Garmin Zumo 660 - no power. Troubleshooting advice

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sparkplug

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Having not used my Zumo 660 for over a year it won't power up now.

Not sure if the issue is the battery in the 660 or if there isn't power coming to it from the mount.

Before I start shorting things out - does anyone know which pins I can stick a multimeter over in order to check if there is power at the mount?

Ta :thumb2
 
Does the 660 charge up from a mains transformer supply and then hold its charge?
 
Cheers Wapping. :thumb2

Will get the multimeter out in the morning

I have no idea where the other cabling is so haven't tested it off the bike yet.

However, the bike was in an accident and had a new battery put on it while my ribs were healing so my first suspicion is that it's likely to be related to that (the crash, not my ribs)
 
No idea. Haven't dug cabling out to try....

However, I did check the inline fuse and it's OK. I also checked the earth point to the fuse and that's OK - so there's something gone wrong between the fuse and the pins on the bike mount.

No obvious damage to the cable that I could see.

Testing the top pins to the row below (pos at the top neg on second row) I get no voltage.

I've tried pushing the pins in with the multimeter probes (not as easy as it sounds :D) as well but no voltage again.

So - the problem has been narrowed down but time has run out so I'll investigate further another day.

No idea if the mount can be opened to check the wiring inside?
 
There are reports about the pins sticking and / or corroding after time.

As far as I recall, the cradle is a sealed unit, so tricky to open up, I guess. If it is definitely broken and irreparable, replacements are cheap enough.
 
No visible signs of corrosion on the pins and all seem to spring in and out freely, but a good clean sounds like a plan.

If that doesn't sort it then it might just be quicker and easier to replace than to mess about cracking open a sealed unit and turning it into a no longer sealed unit...

It's done over ten years service so I can't really complain.

Will check the unit is working before buying a cradle for it though.... :D
 
Well, what a rubbish GPS this turned out to be.

You have to clean the pins every ten years or it stops working.

Think I'm going to complain to Garmin :rob

Of course now I have the dilemma that the maps are also from 2011 and I don't know if getting new maps makes sense or if I should take the opportunity to consider a new unit.

Would be nice to get something which worked with 'what three words'...

Decisions, decisions.

At least it's working again, which is the main thing.
 
Was in Scotland few years back watching some of the 6 day trials when I inadvertently didnt clip my 660 in properly & lost it down the road. Time I'd realised & back tracked found it smashed to pieces in the tarmac . Passing motorists viewing the tears roll down my cheeks may have assumed great sadness but they were tears of joy :beerjug: a more user unfriendly awkward peice of shite I have ever had the misfortune of owning.. as you were :augie
 
Before I start shorting things out
Click to expand...

Don't :D
The 660 is really a shite unit. Throw it a way and consider it a blessing.


As it happened to Q plate, I lost mine off the road as well, when it was brand new (few weeks old) along the A31. I was unlucky though. I found it along the hard shoulder and had to stick with it for another year or two.
A poor excuse for a motorbike GPS unit. I had hemorrhoids that were more useful than the 660.
 
The 660 is / was a good unit, after its initial teething problems were sorted out.

It’s a bit old now but for day-to-day basic use, it’s fine.
 
It's done perfectly well for ten years.

However, this latest episode with it has reminded me that the touch screen isn't as reliable as it once was and it's prompted me to look around at a replacement.

Doesn't seem to be as much choice on the market as there once was. I guess a lot of people are just using phones in enclosures now.

The XT is current favourite on paper at least but need to do some more reading up on it.

Might be a cheap 660 in FS&W soon!

Thanks for the help in getting it working again though :thumb2
 
After I sold the Zumo I got a 396 that served me very well.
Sold it for the Zumo because of the better screen, but it was an honest gps unit and I guess it’s cheap to find used these days.
 
Buy a secondhand Nav V or VI or Garmin equivalent, which will be cheaper than the XT. They are all pretty good and you’ll be able to use your 660 cradle, too.
 
It probs lay costs more as it integrates with the iWheel thing. That being said, the XT is the more modern device.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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