[Closed] Edge 530....wonky total elevation on rides

Changeable/bad weather at the time?

The barometer based Garmin’s can really go wild or useless in poor weather. I just correct in Strava.

In stable weather mine is reasonable though

Yeah in the wet (moderate/heavy rain) my 510 elevation data is completely useless.

Do you run it with a silicone cover? If so check the altimeter port isn’t blocked. Actually even if you don’t still check it isn’t blocked

Shame it doesn’t work so well in bad weather!  Daft question but where is the altimeter port please

!?

Two small holes on the underside of the 530.

I think it's located behind the usb cover on the 530/830. The two holes on the back are speaker apparently.

Thanks found 2 holes on the underside although they both appear to be clear

Noticed that my 830 completely flattened a recent ride in the pouring rain.

Was wondering the same thing.

Now I know!

Begs the question, why not use GPS altitude?

My Lezyne is exactly the same, barometers seem a total gimmick in GPS computers.

Rain, fog, frost, mud, any kind of moisture that gets on the sensor can make it go funny. Although if it's the hole just below the charging port on my 830, that's a more sensible location than under the front on the previous 510 I had. Does seem slightly more reliable for elevation, but still not perfect all the time.

I think it’s located behind the usb cover on the 530/830. The two holes on the back are speaker apparently.

good to know, I just assumed it was in the same location as previous models

GPS is even less accurate than barometers. If riding well surveyed trails and roads then Strava correction can be accurate (it uses survey info rather than GPS), but if you're on trails that have not been so well surveyed they can be wild out too. A ride in the alps a few years ago with a mate who had his Garmin head unit and I was on Strava on my phone I recored 2000ft more ascent than the Garmin head unit. There was no way my reading was correct and the Garmin was under reading. We were riding some very obscure small roads in the alps so probably not surveyed very well.

Best to just stick with your head unit I find...strava always over-reads. Of course if there is an issue with the Garmin then that's a problem.

Yep. I have a 530 and rain sends the elevation haywire.

I've cleaned/cleared everything but it's still the same. Just seems to be an issue with the model. Pretty poor for a unit supposedly designed for mtbing.

Are those having issues with elevation in the wet on their 530s running them in cases?

I run mine in the Garmin silicone case and am wondering if that is adding to the problems...

GPS is even less accurate than barometers.

Yup. The Edge explore doesn't have a barometer - you can be riding up a steep hill and the total ascent won't move because the elevation isn't on the base map. Seems to correct well enough when I upload it though so I'm not too bothered.

How does Strava correct the elevation info? If I sync my Garmin ride to Strava does it auto adjust the elevation based on strata base map data? Or does it keep the Garmin info?
I guess I could just compare my garmin to my strava 🙂

GPS derived elevation data, i.e. that displayed on the unit, requires at least four satellites to be visible and for them to be reasonably spread out across the sky. The data isn't updated from a base map, it's derived directly from the GPS signals. I've two units, one under reads, one over reads elevation.

Many (most?) Garmin units can calibrate the barometer if you are at a known altitude though TBH I've never bothered.

Strava have a base map with elevation data. Activities aren't auto-adjusted, you have to click on the "Elevation?" link below the elevation gain figure then click "Correct Elevation" your activity is then "laid on that map" and adjusted. I'll get elevation inaccuracies or even failure to record with my 530 when it's raining, it's not in a case. Upload to Strava and click on the button and it is corrected (this will be for a ride I've done several times so I've a good idea of the elevation gain and it's not just a different number).

I start reasonably high (in a ride) drop down to town and wait for meet up the gain altitude.
Problem seems worse if there is temp changes, especially temp inversions.

This is a general barometric altimeter issue not a Garmin issue. I had the same issue with my Sunto watch. If the weather changed dramatically during a hill walk I have to reset the elevation at a known point. It is then fine. You can do that with your Garmin go to Elevation then set elevation. You have to know the correct elevation though. Fine if you are hillwalking with a map not so easy on the bike with no maps.

I usually just use Strava to correct elevations.

It's even worse with wrist based barometers. Pretty much useless all the time.

I bought an Edge 520 Plus in the Christmas sales as it was going for a decent clearout price. Pretty underwhelmed by it in that it's a backwards step compared to my 7 year old Edge 500 and pretty useless at tracking elevation and always 20-25% under reports total climbing!

I'm just living with having to resort to the Strava Elevation recalibration function for every ride, it's kind of my regular upload routine now just to click on Strava to recalibrate elevation. Daft really but I just can't be bothered to send the GPS back.

Well at least I know not to upgrade my 520+ to the 530, as it sounds like it has exactly the same problem.

Used to be fine, apart from in consistent rain (like my old 800) it'd stop recording altitude gain.

Then it would stop recording altitude gain within an hour of the ride start, or only record about 50% of the total after a certain point.

Worse when it's wet but still happens on dry rides.

Need to get round to contacting Garmin CS, they have been very diligent in the past and there's probably some elaborate recalibration technique they'll make me do - which may or may not help.

Anyway, I tend to mainly just use Strava on my phone now, I'm so cheesed off with it.