Hi! We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
But as we’re losing ad-revenue from this then why not make a donation towards website running costs?. Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!
Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:56 pm Post subject:
What you have seen from the Lithium batteries is about right, when they approach the end of their usefulness the voltage simply drops off the edge very quickly. This triggers the low Batt alarm and turns the device off, these cells are great for longevity but very difficult to monitor while in use.
For the backlight issue I would leave it set to 70% or lower as it can be seen most of the time at this setting, if you need to see it in very bright light use the backlight Boost button just above the power on/ off switch to go to full illumination for a brief period (enough to read the map and get your position though).
As for battery capacity testing, with Lithium’s it is very difficult to predict other than you knowing how the device consumes the power with your user settings etc. I would expect 10 hours from the Lithium’s with the backlight on 100%, power save off etc - i.e. a worst case condition - Mike
I dunno if anyone else is having this problem, although the manual does say to remove batteries when not using the unit, because the GPS part still uses a small amount of power, but I have now gone through 9 batteries in the last few days, and I've barely used the unit. The last three of which I did not use at all! I decided to give it a test, putting 3 new Duracell's in. I just turned it on occasionally (not to use) and just after a couple of days, the batteries were dead!
PloddinPedro. Re: Garmin Smart Record - I use an Edge 305 and you simply select in options. I know someone with a Gecko, and there is similar options there. I don't have experience of any other Garmin units. But you're right about being OK for walkers, since obviously walkers go slower than cyclists. It would be nice to have the option though. _________________ www.olivercoatsphotography.co.uk
Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 11:53 pm Post subject: ACTIVE 10
HI
I am a keen walker and mountan biker, and am looking at buying the active 10, It's what the market's been waiting for. They seem to be doing an exellent job. As its a brand new product its bound to have its teething problems. Is this another one, I hope not. apparently the lithium rechargeable battery pack comes with its own battery cover built on, so when you use it, you just remove the original and clip the pack on. Therefor you wont be able to use it with the cycle mount as I dont think the pack has the cycle mount clip on. I hope I'm proved wrong.
S.
Joined: Mar 19, 2007 Posts: 310 Location: Plymouth
Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:03 am Post subject: Re: ACTIVE 10
mudhopper wrote:
HI
I am a keen walker and mountan biker, and am looking at buying the active 10, It's what the market's been waiting for. They seem to be doing an exellent job. As its a brand new product its bound to have its teething problems. Is this another one, I hope not. apparently the lithium rechargeable battery pack comes with its own battery cover built on, so when you use it, you just remove the original and clip the pack on. Therefor you wont be able to use it with the cycle mount as I dont think the pack has the cycle mount clip on. I hope I'm proved wrong.
S.
The description in the Satmap shop says that it fits inside the standard AA back....and as the bike mount back is effectively exactly the same on the inside as the standard AA back I imagine you/we/it will be fine. _________________ I like mapping, I like mapping, I like mapping and I like to map!
Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:08 am Post subject: Re: ACTIVE 10
mudhopper wrote:
HI
I am a keen walker and mountan biker, and am looking at buying the active 10, It's what the market's been waiting for. They seem to be doing an exellent job. As its a brand new product its bound to have its teething problems. Is this another one, I hope not. apparently the lithium rechargeable battery pack comes with its own battery cover built on, so when you use it, you just remove the original and clip the pack on. Therefor you wont be able to use it with the cycle mount as I dont think the pack has the cycle m S.
That would be a shame as for biking I prefer to have the screen on the whole time as I nearly came off last sunday trying to find the power switch whilst wearing gloves
Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:17 pm Post subject:
The best I have had from batteries is the Energizer Lithiums (as supplied with the product) they will give ten hours plus even with the device on 100% backlight and no power save in use.
This is not how you would use the device in real life though, use the power save and reducing the backlight can have a significant effect on the current being drawn from the cells.
As this device switches current consumption constantly I had to take ten readings per second and average the results over a 60 second period to obtain the figures quoted (easy with PC based measurement devices).
Even in bright sunlight I only used the device at 50% backlight when out walking and find this is great, there is always the boost button if you need it (a nice touch), you can work out durations based on the current consumption.
The early figures of 50 Hours have been down sized I think to a more realistic 25 to 30 hours using the rechargable pack, but durations from any battery will depend on how the end user decides to set up their device.
One thing to note though is the current drawn with the device off, if you leave batteries in the unit when it is not in use it WILL flatten them, there is information about this supplied with the active 10 but don't waste a good set of costly batteries by leaving them in between weekend walks - Mike
Joined: Mar 19, 2007 Posts: 310 Location: Plymouth
Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:39 pm Post subject:
mikealder wrote:
The best I have had from batteries is the Energizer Lithiums (as supplied with the product) they will give ten hours plus even with the device on 100% backlight and no power save in use.
This is not how you would use the device in real life though, use the power save and reducing the backlight can have a significant effect on the current being drawn from the cells.
That's a great insight Mike...presumably you were stationary when this research was done...I wonder what effect moving and therefore the accessing of the card to scroll a 1.3GB map file would have on the figures....and I read somewhere that certain databox functions affect the battery life too.
What exactly is the function of Powersave Mode....I used it once and it just seemed to turn the unit off after a choosable time period...not very useful imo. _________________ I like mapping, I like mapping, I like mapping and I like to map!
Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:20 pm Post subject:
robs1972 wrote:
That's a great insight Mike...presumably you were stationary when this research was done...I wonder what effect moving and therefore the accessing of the card to scroll a 1.3GB map file would have on the figures....and I read somewhere that certain databox functions affect the battery life too.
I was indeed stationary while taking these measurements, but I will rig some other measurment kit up for the weekend and see what it does when mobile, probably use my CF DMM fitted in the ipaq to take some readings/ recordings as that is more portable than a PXI rack!
The measurments were taken with a full GPS signal available and the SD card map was installed and selected to produce a "worst case" interestingly when the GPS signal was turned off (re-rad employed) the current consumption was slightly higher for each of the backlight settings.
robs1972 wrote:
What exactly is the function of Powersave Mode....I used it once and it just seemed to turn the unit off after a choosable time period...not very useful imo.
I probably named the function incorrectly, by Power save I mean the timer function that turns off the screen but leaves the device running, a simple press of the power button and the screen lights up, fully de-powering the device while out is not a good idea - Mike
Joined: Mar 21, 2007 Posts: 261 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:44 pm Post subject:
mikealder wrote:
The best I have had from batteries is the Energizer Lithiums (as supplied with the product) they will give ten hours plus even with the device on 100% backlight and no power save in use.
This is not how you would use the device in real life though, use the power save and reducing the backlight can have a significant effect on the current being drawn from the cells.
As this device switches current consumption constantly I had to take ten readings per second and average the results over a 60 second period to obtain the figures quoted (easy with PC based measurement devices).
Even in bright sunlight I only used the device at 50% backlight when out walking and find this is great, there is always the boost button if you need it (a nice touch), you can work out durations based on the current consumption.
The early figures of 50 Hours have been down sized I think to a more realistic 25 to 30 hours using the rechargable pack, but durations from any battery will depend on how the end user decides to set up their device.
One thing to note though is the current drawn with the device off, if you leave batteries in the unit when it is not in use it WILL flatten them, there is information about this supplied with the active 10 but don't waste a good set of costly batteries by leaving them in between weekend walks - Mike
Mike - Do you know what the device is doing when "Off" but still drawing 32mA? Could it be that the GPS receiver is still tracking, but the Pocket PC part of the A10 is off? I ask because I noticed that the manual states that once you've achieved a good fix, you can switch it off and on for the rest of the day, and get a "near-instantaneous" reacqusition. I was very dubious of this claim, but it seemed to hold true on the first test I did of my new A10 on a walk yesterday. I too fell for the "leaving the batteries in when it's off" gaff, and so my first set of rechargeables only lasted about 4 hours (plus an overnight period when it was switched off). I eventually went for "turn the screen off after 30 seconds" and backlight 70% and this seemed to work quite well, conserving battery power but the touch of a button brought the screen back to life instantly, without having to wait for the painfully slow reboot/SD card scan involved in switching it off and on all day.
Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:02 pm Post subject:
I am not too sure why there is a current draw when the device is off, it could be supplying the GPS but I have no way of telling at the moment as I lent the unit to a workmate earlier today to try out. I will be able to test a few more "ideas" once I get it back in the morning. Thinking about this though if you switch it fully off it takes a while to re-acquire a fix so I doubt it is fully powering the GPS just keeping the data stored in memory alive. The screen off function is the best bet though while walking as I didn't need to switch it on too often while out and this really does conserve power.
It certainly is very good at killing batteries though, after my first decent walk with the device I stupidly left the Lithiums (second set - and they are not cheap) in the unit, a few days later and they were dead!
From what I have been told the issue of the device not seeing the memory card on boot up is resolved with the V1,03 software - I have yet to try this though, my unit was running V1,00 when I tried the current tests.
Going out walking with the ipaq fitted with a CF DMM connected to a current clamp monitoring how I use the active 10 should be good fun though - its a while since I have tried something like this - I just hope the weather is dry then I can give Ingleborough a try (again) with the full kit in tow - Mike
so a figure of 13 or 14 hours battery life in the real world with real conditions using the most power freindly settings with the best batteries. its a bit of a comedown from the 50hours that were advertised. im not ssaying it was the only feature that influenced my purchase but it was one of them. the only other gps i am familiar with is the forerunner 301 which has an inbuilt rechargeable battery which lasts for about 12 hours max. ive never been running for 12 hours so battery has never been a problem, but with the a10 i intend to do some serious trekking. most of my back pack will be taken up by duracell. maybe i should buy some shares.
i think the version update must be available only through the satmap office at the mo. the person who refers to it above says they got it on an sd card direct from the company. i think when the website works for real then we can expect many updates. new technology is bound to have its downfalls so i think we should be patient and give the company a chance. i really want this product to succeed. that way we will get the best out of it. the more it works, the more they will wnat to develop it.maybe
Joined: Mar 19, 2007 Posts: 310 Location: Plymouth
Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:41 pm Post subject:
chrissyboy2241 wrote:
so a figure of 13 or 14 hours battery life in the real world with real conditions using the most power freindly settings with the best batteries. its a bit of a comedown from the 50hours that were advertised.
I was quoted 25 hours from 2500 mAh rechargeables when I asked them several months ago....I took this with a pinch of salt and didn't expect that the screen would be on all the time and felt that if you could get that kind of life from 3 recargables there would be very little need for a Li-ion battery option that they were also talking about. _________________ I like mapping, I like mapping, I like mapping and I like to map!
Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:10 pm Post subject:
Why the big hang up with the need for an online route planner, yes I agree it would be handy but not on my list of "Must Have" - for example I planned today’s walk on the active 10 in around 15 mins on the device, an 11 mile circular hike from Clapham involving Ingleborough summit, within the 15 mins were the naming of ten POI on the device, it just takes a little practice.
The device worked superbly throughout the trip, what I did appreciate was the 1:25K scale map when I tried to find the decent point from the summit, in the cloud with 20 to 30 yard visibility is not good with a gale blowing that was wet combined with an icy blast. The 50K was decent, but zooming right in to the map showed up the detail making finding the correct path quite easy, you had to be within 20 yards to see it at this point due to the weather and conditions.
My big problem with this walk was the iPAQ-4700 which was supposed to data log the battery performance/ usage, it worked but only for short durations - I need to re-think this method for next weekend and put the iPAQ and batteries, current clamp plus power pack for the iPAQ in the rucksack - longer cables needed I think, you want to try hiding that lot in your trouser pockets without being noticed:
When I get the iPAQ power sorted out (The DMM pulls quite a bit from the battery) - the rest should be easy, someone e-mailed me wanting to know how to test battery power while away from the lab so now you have the answer - Mike
Joined: Mar 21, 2007 Posts: 261 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 6:01 pm Post subject: Anyone have the LiIon power pack?
I'm thinking of getting the LiIon power pack for my Active 10, but I'm put-off by my experience of the constant battery drain when using AA batteries with the unit switched off. Currently, I'm taking the AAs out whenever it's not in use.
Does the LiIon battery pack suffer from the same issue, and if it does, how easy is it to remove when the unit's in storage?
Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:38 pm Post subject:
This is a known issue that you are told about when you open the box, I simply remove a cell when I don't need to use the unit - only once have I forgotten and flattened a new(ish) set of Lithium cells - Mike
Posted: Today Post subject: Pocket GPS Advertising
We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?. Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!
Hi! We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
But as we’re losing ad-revenue from this then why not make a donation towards website running costs?. Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Log in for private messages
Log in
- Mike
