[Prowler]

I searched for Garmin SatNav postings and found this. Note to Mods - if this post doesn't belong here, please move it wherever it belongs.


My ageing Garmin SatNav Nuvi 215 started showing odd symptoms after nearly 9 years of service. It mutes on its own - is the symptom as of now. It takes a long time to get a fix on Satellites. The battery on its own lasts for an hour. I suspect it must be the battery.

Problem is it is not available locally. It is a 3.7V 1250mAh Li-pol battery with an inbuilt chip to regulate the current and keep the battery 'cool'. It has 3 pin plug indicating extra circuitry.

Any idea where I can source a battery? Anyone changed the battery on Garmin Satnav ?

These Garmin devices are hardy units. With OpenStreet maps, they have earned their keep in our cars for years. It is a pity we have to discard them for want of a battery.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Any idea where I can source a battery? Anyone changed the battery on Garmin Satnav ?
.

Just google Garmin Nuvi 215 battery and you will find a whole host of websites that have these on offer. And you will find many youtube video's on the actual replacement.

I have never replaced a Garmin battery, but I did replace the battery on my very first TomTom Go many years ago. Also, by carefully following a youtube video.

Good luck
Jeroen

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Just google Garmin Nuvi 215 battery and you will find a whole host of websites that have these on offer. And you will find many Youtube video's on the actual replacement.

Jeroen

Thank you Jeroen sir. I did search in google and found a dozen sites selling replacement batteries. Unfortunately none of them including Amazon.uk were willing to ship to India. Amazon.com doesn't have the exact battery.


In my search, I found a bit of interesting information regarding the Li-pol battery specifically designed for Garmin SatNav - that the built-in chip bonded to the body of the battery helps to prevent thermal runaway. In other words, when the car's internal temperature rises beyond a threshold of safe operating temperature, the chip forces shut down. This is probably the reason why we have never heard about a Garmin device exploding.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by vasoo

The only issue with it was its inability to work in offline mode, especially while driving in areas without good cell coverage. But that was relatively less frequent.

For these situations, you can download the maps of that particular region to your device to work in offline mode. Now with downloaded maps, It does NOT require to latch onto mobile towers and hence NO need of cell coverage.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

For these situations, you can download the maps of that particular region to your device to work in offline mode.

Maruru sir. Vasoo asked that about 5 years ago.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Maruru sir. Vasoo asked that about 5 years ago.

My bad! The thread has gone cold, what with the advent of 'Google Maps' on mobile, there seems to be no use case for dedicated PNDs.

Are there any here, who prefer a PND over 'Google Maps' on mobile?

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

My bad! The thread has gone cold, what with the advent of 'Google Maps' on mobile, there seems to be no use case for dedicated PNDs.

Are there any here, who prefer a PND over 'Google Maps' on mobile?

I am one who prefers Garmin PND over Google maps. Garmin loaded with OpenStreet maps, tells you precisely where you have to head instead of circumlocution. Eg. Garmin tells you 'Turn right in 100 meters' as against Google's way of saying ' Turn towards Kanyakumari Delhi highway'. It may not have the traffic conditions, but whatever information you need in a lonely deserted highway, it tells you in simple actionable way.

For highways, Garmin PND is still the best. For city navigation, may be I use Google maps. And many times, Google has taken me around 'discover India trips'.

[sbiswas]

Originally Posted by Prowler

I am one who prefers Garmin PND over Google maps. Garmin loaded with OpenStreet maps, tells you precisely where you have to head instead of circumlocution. Eg. Garmin tells you 'Turn right in 100 meters' as against Google's way of saying ' Turn towards Kanyakumari Delhi highway'. It may not have the traffic conditions, but whatever information you need in a lonely deserted highway, it tells you in simple actionable way.

For highways, Garmin PND is still the best. For city navigation, may be I use Google maps. And many times, Google has taken me around 'discover India trips'.

I still use Garmin when I am overseas, to save money on mobile data.

[airguitar]

Surely, not many updates on this thread in the recent times. Got a few questions about Garmin handhelds for use in India

1. Do they still use MapMyIndia maps currently (etrex 22 or 32) ? How frequently are updates available ?
2. Is the altimeter reliable on the etrex 22/32 ?

My main purpose is for use on treks in remote areas, where coordinates and altitude woudl both matter.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by airguitar

2. Is the altimeter reliable on the etrex 22/32 ?

My main purpose is for use on treks in remote areas, where coordinates and altitude woudl both matter.

The location information including the altimeter is derived from the GPS. For civilian purposes, they introduce a small percentage of skew by the DoD - but for our navigational purposes it is more than enough. Unless you plan on to guide a cruise missile to its target destination, the GPS information available for the civilians is pretty accurate within 16 feet.
Largely the accuracy depends on satellite geometry, signal blockage, atmospheric conditions and receiver design features/quality.

My Garmin can tell the difference in height of my first floor office from ground floor as 4 meters which is accurate within few centimeters.

[airguitar]

Originally Posted by Prowler

The location information including the altimeter is derived from the GPS. For civilian purposes, they introduce a small percentage of skew by the DoD - but for our navigational purposes it is more than enough. Unless you plan on to guide a cruise missile to its target destination, the GPS information available for the civilians is pretty accurate within 16 feet.
Largely the accuracy depends on satellite geometry, signal blockage, atmospheric conditions and receiver design features/quality.

My Garmin can tell the difference in height of my first floor office from ground floor as 4 meters which is accurate within few centimeters.

My primary uses are as below

1. Internetless trek guidance ( even though I may not need actual rendering of maps, I need to import GPX files or a few dozen way points - lat/long/elevation all important - from people that have travelled those areas ). This also needs me to know my current altitude therefore the

2. Internetless road guidance ( I could just use googlemaps with offline caching, though accuracy on untrodden roads and kuchcha non motorable roads cannot be guranteed with 100% accuracy ). I need a good rendering/map for this, which needs to be updatable - can out of date if not udpated.

3. Livetrack feature without internet - the garmin livetrack is a fabulous feature ( but hey, whatsapp has it too ). Garmin livetrack needs internet on the sender's side - it's kind of a pity because garmin with so much tech at it's disposal could have done a satellite uplink of the gps info and make it downloadable for another person wanting to track the original gps's coordinates - that way the person can be tracked even in the mountains or thick forests.


Is there a single device that I could use in India that satisfies all this or atleast closely matches?

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by airguitar

My primary uses are as below

1. Internetless trek guidance ( even though I may not need actual rendering of maps, I need to import GPX files or a few dozen way points - lat/long/elevation all important - from people that have travelled those areas ). This also needs me to know my current altitude therefore the

2. Internetless road guidance ( I could just use googlemaps with offline caching, though accuracy on untrodden roads and kuchcha non motorable roads cannot be guranteed with 100% accuracy ). I need a good rendering/map for this, which needs to be updatable - can out of date if not udpated.

3. Livetrack feature without internet - the garmin livetrack is a fabulous feature ( but hey, whatsapp has it too ). Garmin livetrack needs internet on the sender's side - it's kind of a pity because garmin with so much tech at it's disposal could have done a satellite uplink of the gps info and make it downloadable for another person wanting to track the original gps's coordinates - that way the person can be tracked even in the mountains or thick forests.


Is there a single device that I could use in India that satisfies all this or atleast closely matches?

There are a few things you need to be aware of. These days many of the Smart phones including the iPhones don't have a real GPS receiver in them. They use AGPS (assisted GPS) which uses network information to extrapolate the actual location information. That is you need to have a working Wifi or a working Network connectivity to ferret out the location co-ordinates. In case there is no network connectivity, your phone can't guide you.
Google Map or Apple Map can't locate where you are if your phone has no connectivity.
The humble PNG Garmin uses an actual GPS receiver which doesn't need anything to locate you as long as you have a clear sky above you.
The Garmin PNG devices can import GPX files for route planning. My ancient Garmin Nuvi 215 has done all that when it was alive for a decade.

AFAIK there is no single device that can do all that you want. You can use a Garmin PNG and a smart phone with the right app and a real GPS receiver to do all that.

[airguitar]

Thank you. Last post - I got a Garmin wearable with GPS 2-3 years ago ( so, have a genuine GPS receiver ). If I have to use this for navigation coupled with a mobile application with cached maps - what are my options / what maps can I purchase and use in India ?

Separately, the issue with this wearable ( Vivoactive Music 3 ) is that it seems I cannot import GPX files/waypoints etc and then navigate to it ( it lets me navigate to only points that I have saved using the wearable's GPS ). Is a handheld the only way to go if I wish to import GPX files as well as needing realtime altitude display ?

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by airguitar

I got a Garmin wearable with GPS 2-3 years ago ( so, have a genuine GPS receiver ). If I have to use this for navigation coupled with a mobile application with cached maps - what are my options / what maps can I purchase and use in India ?

Separately, the issue with this wearable ( Vivoactive Music 3 ) is that it seems I cannot import GPX files/waypoints etc and then navigate to it ( it lets me navigate to only points that I have saved using the wearable's GPS ). Is a handheld the only way to go if I wish to import GPX files as well as needing realtime altitude display ?

I took a glance at the specifications of Vivoactive Music 3. It is loaded to the gills with features and sensors - GPS, barometric altimeter and SPo2 to name a few. Your watch will tell you with better precision as it has true GPS receiver as well as a barometric altimeter sensor built-in.
You can ask their help in loading OpenStreet Maps. There used to be a Windows App for Garmin that allowed you to change your map, import/export GPX and help in route planning. You will have to look for help in Garmin centric forum.

[airguitar]

Originally Posted by Prowler

I took a glance at the specifications of Vivoactive Music 3. It is loaded to the gills with features and sensors - GPS, barometric altimeter and SPo2 to name a few. Your watch will tell you with better precision as it has true GPS receiver as well as a barometric altimeter sensor built-in.
You can ask their help in loading OpenStreet Maps. There used to be a Windows App for Garmin that allowed you to change your map, import/export GPX and help in route planning. You will have to look for help in Garmin centric forum.

The vivoactive does support barometric alti, but I would guess that a GPS elevation would be better for bad weather days as opposed to barometric and barometric woudl be better in canopies etc. Vivoactive does seem to support custom maps uploading ( Google earth pro or OSM ). And, Yes, I have reached out to the Garmin forums for validation.

Thank you so much for the answers.