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Hi folks,
My Garmin seems to only last about 7 hours tops when using a hr monitor, cadence sensor and speed sensor. (810 edge).
I don't very often go longer than 7 hours but it is annoying when I do a big long ride when it dies and doesn't record the whole thing.
Are there any units with better battery life?
Can you connect an extra battery pack?
You can use an external battery with the right cable
Turn screen brightness down.
turn WiFi/bluetooth off.
Garmin claim 17 hours.
Jam bo have you even read my post?
I want it so I can see hr data etc, I stated when using these things.
Well aware if I don't use them it will last longer.
Did you even read mine? 😉
sensors are ANT+ and a small fraction of the power budget.
What jam bo said.
Also, do you want to see data as you ride, or after the fact? The battery save mode makes a big difference but means the screen is blank for most of the time, but the unit is still recording.
The edge 1030 will
I've had 13 hours out of an 820, but it's all in the settings (as Jambo said). 15% battery left at the end.
Screen illumination to zero. Screen is still on, but no backlight.
GPS only, no GLOSNAS
Wi-fi off
Bluetooth off.
All beeping off.
Guys I want 10 hours being able to see my hr cadence and speed.
"Did you even read mine? 😉
sensors are ANT+ and a small fraction of the power budget."
Just read this.. . Apologies I did read it however didn't realise there was a difference.
So if I turn Bluetooth off my sensors still work.
I'll try it cheers
I've had 23 out of my Fenix 3 before. In a 24 hour race!!
As above the edge 1030 has a garmin battery pack that will extend its life.
I'e always used an 800 for long rides. It will run with an external battery pack and I've got 32 hours out of it that way. The massive downside to this is riding in the wet. A few friends who ride with me (and me) have killed their garmins riding with external packs plugged in when it was wet. What works now is plugging it in at a cafe stop. In 30 minutes it gets a good chunk of charge that will keep you going. I know someone else who bout a water proof case thing, ugly and you can't press the button but the whole think is sealed in a clear dry bag.
Settings help. Turn off everything you are not using. Sound, blue tooth etc. Set the brightness at its lowest level or have it only come on when you touch it. Turn off navigation. Minimum number of info blocks on the screen.
More basic units from other brands have better battery life. But the figures are entirely fictional so it is hard to know what will run and what won't. I hear good things about the basic lezyne models. The old 500 was good as well?
Yup. Bluetooth is for smart notifications and download. Don’t need that during a ride
screen brightness is probably the biggest battery killer. On a bright day might make the screen tricky to see but will save a ton of battery.
I always take a battery pack for long rides.
If you need to see data for that long, there probably isn't a device that will last 10+ hours.
The battery needed would be too large and make the unit too expensive for the masses.
Maybe look into modifying the bracket the holds it on the bike and use something like the below.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-PowerCore-Ultra-High-Capacity-Portable/dp/B00M0EWED0
Might take a bit of digging around to find one that gives excessive power for 10+ hours if you intend to leave it in all the time, or could rig a switch to bring it in when the Garmin battery drops.
Don't know about the 500 but I've used the 510 on ITTs and had at least 18hrs out of it with HR and cadence sensors then just used a powerbank to recharge whilst I was kipping.
If you do use an external battery then check beforehand as some USB cables will put Garmin units into PC transfer mode and stop the current activity.
Etrex 30X or Etrex Touch 25/35?? You'll need to read up on the model specs tho
I've got the older Etrex 30 with 2xAA rechargeables (eneloop 1900 mAh) and that will do what you need
I don't have the 810, but on my Fenix the recording interval makes a difference to battery life. Is that an option here? You lose a small bit of accuracy in gps data but not noticeably on normal routes - only seen an issue if lots of direction changes.
Thanks. It's more for long sportives and endurance races I'm considering. I've only ever had it for once but it was on a 192 mile ride. But yesterday in training at dropped to 14% on a 6 hour outing.
I can't use external very easy, I use an out front mount and in order to get to the plug id have tp run it over 100% of its width off centre as the plug is on the same side of the base as the off centre bar clamp.
Basically the stems in the way and it's not easy to sort.
I need it out front too, I find it dangerous glancing if its any further back at speed and regularly.
The Etrex and Oregon units (outdoors rather that cycling) seem to last well and use standard AA batteries.
Some units have a battery saving mode which turns the screen off when the backlight turns off (the unit continues to record obviously). You need to touch the screen for it to turn back on.
This probably isn't any good for you if you want to constantly monitor readings rather than keep an eye on them occasionally but it should save a lot of power.
Cold weather will seriously impact on the battery life as well.
Fenix does what you want.
Plus it's better as it's on your wrist, rather than the bike 😉
Thanks for the alternative suggestions. As I say I want to constantly monitor hr and cadence data (road bike).
I've got the 1000 and found that using the map affects battery life a lot. Best to stay on a data only screen and flip to map when you need it. Backlight off as others have said. The remote helps with this as you don't need to lift your hands to flip screeens
You can get USB leads that have the connector at right-angles which lets you use an external battery when the unit is on a mount. There's right-angle up and right-angle down options to suit the socket on the unit.
Around the 200mile mark (10 hours) it gets a bit unstable too. I tend to plot road routes in segments of 100 miles and save the same. You can stitch them back together afterwards. 1000 is good for 440miles though as it is more stable.
Got a link to them? Mine's an 810 so it's not a modern micro usb, it's like the old camera adaptors. Small like a micro USB but a tiny bit deeper for a similar width. Not sure what they are called?
a lot of the top tube fuel bag thingies have a port (waterproof hole) for running the usb wire from a battery pack to the Garmin so you’ve got a place for snacks and a battery pack.
There's a link in my post!
Looking at the Garmin on-line manual, the 810 has a mini-B socket (which is a standard connection) that is parallel to the screen not at right angles so you shouldn't need a special cable.
Anyone got a link to these power leads?
Look like a good idea, although could you use it with an Oregon as it takes AA batteries?
Some [url= http://www.gpsrchive.com/Oregon%206xx/Power%20Sources.html ]useful tips here[/url] regarding maximising battery life (it's aimed at the Orgeon but should translate).
Cold weather can make a difference, certainly.
My 13 hours was at 4C to 14C over the ride.
ANT+ Cadence sensor, ANT+ HR on all the time, data screen (9 fields) always showing, sometimes flicking to the map.
Whitestone... the new forum seems to have masked that. I've found it but it just appears as standard text on my screen.
Ta.
Still won't fit with the out front mount though 🙁
@Teetosugars - link in my post above!
The links in this thread work fine for me (Chrome on Mac)
I've an Oregon and use a right-angle cable with it in its mount. I've rechargeable batteries in the Oregon with a couple of pieces of old toothpaste tube over the nipple in the battery chamber so that the device thinks it's one of the overpriced Garmin power pack.
Here's a link to one that works with an Oregon, it's an up angle mini-B USB cable << LINK!!!
More Oregon/general energy tips
Lezyne Super GPS does something like 12+ hours per full charge, I'd struggle to remember when I last charged mine up... Not helped by me not doing many outdoor non-commute rides where i would use it over the last six weeks!
It used less than 5% yesterday afternoon (can't remember exact starting charge, but 65% now), while turned on for ~70mins and recording with a 1sec frequency for ~50mins with the backlight turned on.
With all the firmware and feature updates since buying for £100 from PBK last summer, I'm so glad I didn't spend at least twice as much on a Wahoo or Garmin.
Was just wondering the same thing, as I'm planning some long rides over the summer, and have an ageing Garmin 800. Looks like the stock battery is 1100mAh, so even a single decent 18650 external battery (I've got some Torchy 3400mAh cells) should be plenty.
Garmin Foretrex 601, claims 48 hours on 2 AAA batteries. It should work with HR/cadence sensors.
Just scanned through that and though Leffe called it out, not sure if it was picked up.
Don't run the Garmin on the map screen as it gobbles the battery.
Bluetooth off, screen backlight off, beeps off.
The connector is mini USB. If it's dry, recharge from a battery brick as you ride. If wet, DON'T DO THIS. Water will get into the Garmin and may kill it. Recharge at cafe stops etc.
Cheers Whitestone.. your original link can’t be seen when viewing in an iPad.
This new forum layout really is shite.
@Teetosugars - just checked on my iPad - the formatting for links is too subtle IMO, unlike on the desktop where they are underlined they appear as very slightly emboldened text. They do work when you click on them, they just aren't very obvious.
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; background-color: #eeeeee;">Around the 200mile mark (10 hours) </span>
You can do 200 miles in 10 hours? Blimey! Took me over 15.
Can't really help on the Garmin front but the battery on the Wahoo Bolt is hugely impressive, I've had 12+ hours (with juice left in the tank) with speed/heart rate/cadence sensors plus turn by turn mapping all on.