Re: GPSMAP 60Cx VERY power hungry - your experiences? Depends on screen mode???

FWIW .. 60C and 60Cx are pretty identical except for SiRF Star III receiver/processor. Former is rated at 30 hrs on a set of batteries and the latter at 18. So a substantial amount of power is going into the better receiver/processor of the 60C(S)x models.

I have the 60Cx now, use NiMH 2300 Ma-H batteries and just carry a spare set and some backup alkalines.

No complaints: You get what you pay for, and the better RX/Proc is worth it to me.

Phil

Domagoj Malovic wrote:
Hi,

in the mean time, I managed to test the unit with the other pair of SANYO 2500 batteries with the same MAHA charger. I let the unit work concealed in my car, and I got a little over 20 hrs. I left the unit in the map screen mode, but it was not navigating, no beeps, and not redrawing the screen. Out of those 20 hours, I used the unit for 3 hours actively, a short 1hr car trip and a 2 hour bike ride. That power consumption is acceptable, but why this is so erratic I don't know. My guess is that for some reason the batteries never recharged fully the first time I observed very short batt. time. I will test them again soon and confirm.

But the question still remains. When you are stationary, the map screen probably does not need to use the processor to redraw anything. It draws the screen and looks for a position change. No position changes - no screen redraw. It would also be nice to know if moving increases the power drain? In my oppinion apart from the screen being drawn, there should be no differences, as the reciever always reads the sattelite informaton, not knowing if you are moving or not. It does not cost more power to process different data, plus the data changes anyway as the SV's traverse the sky.

If anyone else has some test results, please post here so we can learn how to best utilize the device. It might just be that if your device is ONLY used to record a track without the need for the user to look at the screen map - it might be better to switch the unit to a screen that is always the same, like the menu screen, and save some processor power, prolonging the batt. time.

Hope we come to the bottom of this inspite of all the variables!

Domi


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