Author Topic: Garmin Edge 800 Qs (Read 20165 times)

wilkyboy · « **Reply #50 on:** 30 April, 2014, 05:38:43 pm »

I have an Edge 800, about a year old, OS maps which I personally love (but I haven't tried OSM or anything else).

Any old USB A to Mini plug should sync fine, unless it's specifically "charge-only": I use whatever's lying around. I DON'T use the one I use for charging on the bike, because I would forget to place it back in my Carradice and would end up charge-free after about 8 hours. I would just get one of the Lindy or StarTech cables from Amazon, as they are reliable and inexpensive.

I've used battery packs and long USB cables and I am currently using USB-charging from a dyno-light, which is so obvious and straightforward that I much prefer it; I have a short cable with an up-angled USB-Mini connector for this (the USB socket is upside down on the 800, so the cable drops downwards, which works for me). Avoid charging in the rain, though, as damp connectors will prevent all charging until it's completely dry, which might be next week some time.

I get about 8-10 hours battery life normally with it set to a data page showing speed, cadence, heart-rate, distance, clock, compass and not much else, plus I usually have a route loaded with turn-by-turn directions as well as custom cue points to keep me awake. I wouldn't be surprised that having ANT+ sensors connected drains the battery too, and I have two of those.

Because I can charge from the dynamo ad infinitum then at night I like to keep the brightness low and the backlight on, otherwise I find my pace drops inadvertently.

caerau · « **Reply #51 on:** 01 May, 2014, 10:49:02 am »

Quote from: wilkyboy on 30 April, 2014, 05:38:43 pm

Any old USB A to Mini plug should sync fine, unless it's specifically "charge-only": I use whatever's lying around.

Sadly that is not my experience and I know from a hundred other web conversations that I've seen that I'm not alone. An awful lot of the ones that claim to be data transfer cables simply don't do that when you get them.
Garmin themselves are aware of this and will only endorse their own cables to this end (although of course they would anyway)

One of the charge only (yet claiming to be a data transfer cable) ones I have will do fine for the bike as I don't care if that degrades - it doesnt transfer data when new!

Vince · « **Reply #52 on:** 01 May, 2014, 10:55:36 am »

Couple of recent threads on Ctrl-Alt-Delete relevant to this
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=81922.msg0
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=81340.msg1665687

caerau · « **Reply #53 on:** 01 May, 2014, 11:44:39 am »

Hmm, useful, thanks Vince

Feanor · « **Reply #54 on:** 01 May, 2014, 11:49:20 am »

Hmm, I've not found the Edge 800 sensitive to USB cables at all.
I just grab one at random from the bag-o-USB cables, and it's always just worked.
Certainly, between home and work, I've used probably a dozen separate cables on different occasions.

When you plug it in, the Garmin device will either boot up to be a GPS ( if it's connected to a dumb power source ), or will go into USB mass storage mode ( if it detects it's connected to something which responds to the data pins ).

Really not sure why yours is so sensitive to the cable.

caerau · « **Reply #55 on:** 01 May, 2014, 04:36:08 pm »

Hmm, well this is interesting.

I noted that my new cables were quite long, which correlates with the discussions linked to a few posts back.

By way of curiosity about power/amp requirements I just disconnected my new cable from the back of my powermac monitor (which has always worked fine in the past) and plugged it directly into the computer tower.

It now works just fine as a data transfer cable. Bing.

Now if only Wiggle hadn't already posted my new ones

Vince · « **Reply #56 on:** 01 May, 2014, 05:06:28 pm »

You may find that is related to the state of charge. I had similar problems with my Kindle. Plugged into the 4 way external USB port I couldn't get a data connection, but plugged into the tower port worked OK. However, if it was fully charged, plugging into the 4 way port was fine.
I concluded that if the combined drain of the four way port's internal gubbins + the Kindle's charging demand exceeded the USB power capability on the tower.
I've since plugged an external power source into the 4 way port and all is well.

wilkyboy · « **Reply #57 on:** 03 May, 2014, 01:31:23 am »

Quote from: Feanor on 01 May, 2014, 11:49:20 am

I just grab one at random from the bag-o-USB cables, and it's always just worked.

I'm much the same except that I did have a USB cable fail on a 600 last year and I had to borrow someone else's to charge with. I now carry two: one very short one for emergencies and one for charging the 800 on the bars.

Ray 6701 · « **Reply #58 on:** 08 May, 2014, 01:11:49 pm »

Currently trying to get osm on my gps following dc rainmakers blog

Downloading the relevant file is easy enough but I can't seem to install it.

Can't find the sd card to move/copy the file over to.

I have a removable disk H drive that wasn't their before though.

And it's also now saying memory full when I start it

Would have liked to get it sorted today.

Feanor · « **Reply #59 on:** 08 May, 2014, 01:47:24 pm »

The edge 800 will appear as 2 drives in windows explorer if there is a SD card in the slot.

One will usually be called 'Garmin Edge 800 (X:), but the SD card will just appear as 'Removable Disk (Y:)' unless you have given it a volume name.

If you click on 'Safely Remove Hardware' icon, you will see the option to 'Eject USB Mass Storage Device', with the relevant drives listed under it.

The Micro SD drive should have a Garmin folder in it.
Go into this, and delete the old map.img file first, before copying the new one in.
Otherwise, it may complain of insufficient space, depending on card size and map size.

Ray 6701 · « **Reply #60 on:** 08 May, 2014, 04:26:38 pm »

Sorted!

Thanks Feanor

Pete Mas · « **Reply #61 on:** 13 May, 2014, 12:09:02 pm »

I'm a newby to the Edge 800, having just purchased discounted one one recently after my 705 died just before Porkers 400k.

Unfortunately it crashed before the final stage. Luckily I had done the ride before and the route-sheet got me around.
1) I'm worried this might happen again (Brimstone 600 approaching), so what's the best way to avoid a repeat? Lap/reset after every control? I use an external power supply and normally leave the unit switched on at controls.

2) If it does crash on a ride, how do I get it going again , without loosing all the all the other pre-loaded sections yet to ride?

3)Currently it is still dead....switches itself off after 'loading maps' appears. I may phone Garmin support, or just re-set as per online instructions I can find. Any tips?

4) On the 705, I used to have to switch-off autoroute in order to follow tcx/gpx around pre-loaded routes. Do I need to do similar on the 800? If so, how?

caerau · « **Reply #62 on:** 13 May, 2014, 12:32:48 pm »

Sounds like a hard reset is required right enough. Can't remember how to do this but Google is your friend - good luck - hope this works

caerau · « **Reply #63 on:** 13 May, 2014, 12:35:51 pm »

Don't try and record a ride as long as 400k as one track log - this is notorious for crashing the edge800.

Just stop, reset and then start again halfway. It's quite easy to stitch the tracks together after the ride if you are so inclined

(I have read that recent firmware updates have removed the problem with recording rides of 400k but I don't care to risk it frankly)

Feanor · « **Reply #64 on:** 13 May, 2014, 12:39:12 pm »

Sounds like the 400k bug.
This hit me on the BCM 2012.

The thing will crash with a White Screen of Death when the tracklog gets to somewhere between 350-400k.
It's a bit random, and does not always do it.
Some people have recorded longer tracks without it crashing.

I no longer let it even try.
At about 200k, I will:
-STOP the timer,
-Press-and-hold to reset ( This will store the 'Current Activity' in the Activities folder ).
-START the timer again. ( This will start a fresh 'Current Activity' )
I then splice the fit files back together in post-processing.
I try to do this as close to 200k or 250k as possible, to make the calculation of my actual distance as easy as possible.
( It's easy to add 200 or 250 to the displayed distance. )

Regarding getting the thing back up and running following the crash:
As you have found, the thing crashes before you can get to the point where you can press-and-hold to reset the timer.
What worked for me ( during a fettle-fest at the Aberhafesp control ):
-Remove the SD card with the maps.
-Boot it up.
-You may get complaints about routes not being able to find a suitable mapset.
-At this point, the boot is halted and you *can* press-and-hold to reset.
-Power it off, re-insert the card, power it back up.

Pete Mas · « **Reply #65 on:** 13 May, 2014, 12:58:08 pm »

Thanks guys for the prompt replies.

Pete Mas · « **Reply #66 on:** 13 May, 2014, 01:11:21 pm »

Just wondering about my question 4, though?...do I need to switch off autoroute in settings (plus do anything else) before following a loaded circular route? If so, how do I do that?

Also, what is the best intermediary software to use with the 800? eg Ride with gpx? I used Bikeroutetoaster previously with 705.
Do you prefer to upload GPX or TCX?

Feanor · « **Reply #67 on:** 13 May, 2014, 02:33:38 pm »

The edge units seem to work OK with circular routes, but I simply avoid them anyway by creating an outbound route and a return route.

I'd advise turning re-calculate OFF, otherwise the thing goes into a time-consuming recalculate frenzy if you depart from the route eg to visit a village shop or whatever.

Some people prefer 'Direct routing' ( ie it points in a straight line to the next route point ), but I prefer 'On-road' navigation.
Your choice, really.

Regarding software: A Track from a website is fine, but I always construct Routes on mapsource / basecamp using the same maps I have loaded on the GPS unit.

Ruth · « **Reply #68 on:** 19 May, 2014, 10:36:19 am »

How do you use the Dashboard to tot up all your rides, say, since the beginning of the year?

Feanor · « **Reply #69 on:** 19 May, 2014, 10:41:39 am »

If you are still using the classic Garmin Connect ( not the new 'Modern' one ), then:

Analyse tab > Reports
'Report on' drop-down to select the report period.

Ruth · « **Reply #70 on:** 19 May, 2014, 11:11:54 am »

Got it!

Thanks Feanor

Ray 6701 · « **Reply #71 on:** 21 May, 2014, 12:43:33 pm »

Did my 1st DIY using the gps on Sunday with no issues so thanks everyone on here for your help

Quick question: How much extra time would a 3000mAh TeckNet® POWER BANK give me

I'm looking for something to give me an extra 15ish hours to easily cover a (long) 400k.

Feanor · « **Reply #72 on:** 21 May, 2014, 01:50:36 pm »

Here's my findings:

Internal battery, recording tracklog, not navigating, displaying only distance / speed page: 14 hours.

Internal battery, navigating + recording tracklog, switching between map display and trip computer page: 10 hours.

Internal battery + 5700mAh external battery, navigating + recording, permanently on map display, backlight always-on for perhaps 8 hours of darkness: 24+hours. At the end of a 24-hour 400k ride, the external battery had 1 out of 4 lights remaining on, but the Internal battery was 100%, so still 10+ hours remaining.

In short, with the internal battery it's good for a 200.
I'd say that 3000mAh along with the internal battery would easily see you round a 400.

Ray 6701 · « **Reply #73 on:** 04 June, 2014, 02:13:03 pm »

Is it safe to use a tecknet charger when it's hosing it down with rain

As it's likely to be on Saturdays 400k

caerau · « **Reply #74 on:** 04 June, 2014, 05:51:55 pm »

I have - the connectors tend to rust though - be prepared to have to buy a new USB cable if you don't have a spare.

I haven't personally tried this, but someone around here once posted that they got around a 600 by just charging from their tecknet during 20 minute stops at controls..

Author Topic: Garmin Edge 800 Qs (Read 20165 times)

Ruth

Ruth