RunningAHEAD - Topic: Is my 1-month old Garmin 305 Dead???

OnceADCV

posted: 6/8/2008 at 1:40 PM

Did a 20 miler this AM.Garmin worked fine. After about 5 minutes post run, took off the watch put it on the cradle which is was attached to the 120v adapter and turned off the garmin. Came back 30 minutes later and the screen is blank and I can't turn on the Garmin. And I though Polar was a piece of junk!. It seems all of these running watch companies put out shody equipment.... I dont really want to lose my data from my 20 miler either.....

Run To Win

#2867

posted: 6/8/2008 at 2:54 PM

I had a similar problem a few months after getting mine. You probably just need to do a hard reset on it to get it to boot back up. Press the mode button and the lap/reset button for a few seconds. It should start back up, you won't lose any data or anything. It's listed in the manual to do this, but it isn't very obvious to find since they don't advertise this little bug.

Run to Win
25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

OnceADCV

posted: 6/8/2008 at 3:09 PM

I've tried it an have gotten nothing. So this is what I've done. Blank screen nothing. In dock, hooked into USB port of laptop. Press mode and reset/lap buttons for a few seconds. Nothing... Oh well... I seem to have back luck with these things...

Run To Win

#2867

posted: 6/8/2008 at 4:41 PM

Don't know what else to say. The first time it happened to me it took me 3 or 4 tries to figure out how to get teh buttons depressed together and make it do a reset, but it's worked every time I've needed to do it since (twice total.)

Run to Win
25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

JakeKnight

posted: 6/8/2008 at 8:58 PM

Quote from OnceADCV on 6/8/2008 at 1:40 PM:

Did a 20 miler this AM.Garmin worked fine. After about 5 minutes post run, took off the watch put it on the cradle which is was attached to the 120v adapter and turned off the garmin. Came back 30 minutes later and the screen is blank and I can't turn on the Garmin. And I though Polar was a piece of junk!. It seems all of these running watch companies put out shody equipment.... I dont really want to lose my data from my 20 miler either.....

I have to ask the obvious stupid question: are you sure the battery isn't completely flat? Because if you went for a 20 miler and then maybe your adapter wasn't connected ... well, you might want to check the obvious before you take a sledgehammer to it. You wouldn't be the first person to call the repair guy only to have him bill you to hit the on switch. Out of curiosity, why do you ever turn it off if its in the cradle?

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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OnceADCV

posted: 6/8/2008 at 10:08 PM

Quote from JakeKnight on 6/8/2008 at 8:58 PM:

I have to ask the obvious stupid question: are you sure the battery isn't completely flat? Because if you went for a 20 miler and then maybe your adapter wasn't connected ... well, you might want to check the obvious before you take a sledgehammer to it. You wouldn't be the first person to call the repair guy only to have him bill you to hit the on switch. Out of curiosity, why do you ever turn it off if its in the cradle?

I charged it the night before and ran for about 2:48 so you'd think there would be plenty of juice left. I also put right on the dock/cradle after I was done. So it was charging.... Why should the watch be on when charging on the cradle. Its just sapping energy and using the battery. The product should be made so that there isn't any difficulty turning it on or off? Looking on line there is a known problem with it not being able to turn it on after charging the watch. USually the lap/reset and mode button does the trick. Its not working on mine. So I'll call Garmin. I'm sure either the battery is dead and it cant charge or its just locked off. Oh well, back to the Polar and thinking the data for my 20 miler is off. At least I glanced down and saw my time +/- 10 seconds. Maybe it was the heat...

JakeKnight

posted: 6/8/2008 at 10:45 PM

(shrug) The only time I ever had a problem with the Garmin was when I put on the charger and left it ... and the next day it was dead. Not because anything was wrong ... but because the cradle had somehow disconnected from the USB port. In fact, I seem to have some problem with my USB port. Or maybe Garmin does. My point in asking was: if you either had a problem at the USB port, or with your converter (where do you live anyway?), and the cradle wasn't actually charging ... well, that might explain your problem. Ask a mechanic how many times someone has called them for help ... because they'd run out of a gas. Cool

It happens. I've never turned mine off. Never had a problem, except that one time with the charger not connected. I'm sure some electrical engineer will come along to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think leaving it on the charger is sucking a lot of juice once the battery is charged, if any at all.

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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cgerber

posted: 6/9/2008 at 12:07 AM
modified: 6/9/2008 at 12:08 AM

I've been through three units now, with the symptoms you describe... going belly up during a long run. Call Garmin...they'll replace it for you (assuming it's still under warranty). Their watches are total crap, IMHO. Covering the contacts on the back with a piece of electrical tape has since solved my problems (my 2nd Garmin burned a 1/4" deep hole in my arm during a 50 mile desert run, which prompted the tape on the next unit). Been doing the tape thing for 8 months now with no problems. May want to give it a try. Best of luck, - Chris

Gopher Snail

posted: 6/9/2008 at 12:08 AM

Quote from Run To Win on 6/8/2008 at 2:54 PM:

Press the mode button and the lap/reset button for a few seconds.

You need to press MODE - LAP/RESET - and POWER ON at the same time. Not just mode - reset. Other quirks: Try pressing ENTER - POWER ON at the same time. You'll get some technical test screens. Enjoy.

Gopher Snail

posted: 6/9/2008 at 12:19 AM

Electrical Engineer here. I've charged my Garmin before, only to find it dead hours later. Its usually been the result of corrosion on the COMMON electrode on the back of my Garmin. I'll use a pencil eraser to scrub off the corrosion, and put it back on the charger and it charges up. The common is the electrode on the left, as you look at the back of the device with the serial number oriented up. The middle two are the communication signals, and the one on the right is +5v. Basically what happens is the two middle pins are connected, but the +5 and/or common are not. Your PC thinks the Garmin is communication and charging, but really its only communicating. And the battery drains dead. Press Enter and Power on simultaneously. The battery voltage will be listed in the lower right corner. If it is 3.6 or less, the battery is pretty much dead. A fully charged battery will be 4.1v.

Ennay

A Saucy Wench

posted: 6/9/2008 at 10:31 AM

Quote from JakeKnight on 6/8/2008 at 8:58 PM:

Out of curiosity, why do you ever turn it off if its in the cradle?

Maybe the 305 model is different, but I turn off my 301 when I am in the house otherwise the infernal "WEAK GPS SIGNAL" beep will drive me bonkers. And I find that if I turn off GPS, the only way to regain the signal is to turn the watch off and on again anyway. Garmin will replace. They are at least good about that. Man the more I hear about all the problems people have with their 305's the more I am happy to stick with my old watch.

I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

OnceADCV

posted: 6/9/2008 at 10:47 AM

I called Garmin. Did all there different combinations of button presses. Nothing. Luckily I bought during the REI sale and they shipped a new out to me right away (its actually shipping tomorrow) and I just send it back. Just irritated that I lost my data for my 20 miler yesterday and had to use my Polar RS800 this am (and trust me that is ten times worse than the Garmin!)

OnceADCV

posted: 6/10/2008 at 11:40 AM

Quote from OnceADCV on 6/9/2008 at 10:47 AM:

I called Garmin. Did all there different combinations of button presses. Nothing. Luckily I bought during the REI sale and they shipped a new out to me right away (its actually shipping tomorrow) and I just send it back. Just irritated that I lost my data for my 20 miler yesterday and had to use my Polar RS800 this am (and trust me that is ten times worse than the Garmin!)

Talk about service. My wife called and my new Garmin (at least I am assuming that is what is in the box she says is labelled REI) is at my house already. Called yesterday @ 10am. Wow.

mgerwn

Hold the Mayo

posted: 12/13/2008 at 8:11 AM
modified: 12/13/2008 at 8:12 AM

WOW! Once again, RunningAhead to the rescue. Got a new computer and set it up yesterday, and went to install my 305 this morning. Well, long story short, I accidentally hit the power strip switch mid-install. After cursing loudly, then starting back up, the 305 was dead, would not charge, and would not come on. This thread saved me! For me, it was MODE-LAP together for a few seconds, then release them and hit the power button. Toook a few tries (thanks for mentioning that part Blaine Smile

), but it worked! Thanks again. Since I can't send a donation to all of you, eric; gets the reward - Eric; you'll see my Paypal after the eagle flies on Friday!!!!! This site is feeee-nominal! MTA: JK, did you see that? I used the search function! Big grin

"You're Not Winning"

Connecticut Runners' Forum on RunningAhead

Teresadfp

One day at a time

posted: 3/16/2009 at 12:15 PM

RA's the best. The same thing just happened to my Garmin. I drove up to Freeport to deliver a packag and I planned to run up there for a change. Tried to turn the Garmin on and it was dead, dead, dead! Mode-lap, then power did the trick. Gopher Ryan, thanks for mentioning that the electrodes might need cleaning. I did that, also. Now my Garmin is charging away, so I can go on my run in a little while. Whew!

Is my 1-month old Garmin 305 Dead??? (Read 3347 times)