Hi,

I have seen it mentioned a few times on here, but not seen a solution. Can anybody recommend a way of charging my Garmin 500 while using it? I know people have talked about hacking USB cables but I am a simple man and have no skills with electronics 🙂

How have other people done this?

Thanks.

Just found this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gomadic-Portable-Battery-Pack-Garmin/dp/B0041L0NG0/ref=aag_m_pw_dp?ie=UTF8&m=A3PSKEB89MZ5CS

But the comment (from today interestingly) suggests it doesn’t work. Damn. 🙁

they charge without turning off from “dumb” usb from the wall adaptor

or at least the 205 , 200 and forerunner 305 do.

soon as they go into a computer they go into “charging” mode.

cant see why the battery doesnt work – would be strange for garmin to have locked this feature down – unless they sell their own specific over priced kit to do the hack !

they charge without turning off from “dumb” usb from the wall adaptor

or at least the 205 , 200 and forerunner 305 do.

The 500 doesn’t 🙁 As soon as you connect it to a wall charger or a PC they switch off and charge. I believe you can hack a USB cable to prevent this but I don’t know about that. Wondered if there was something I could buy.

Im at a bit of a loss as to why this would be usefull? ive got a 500 and a 800 and the batt last for ages? 😕

600km audaxes.

was quite common to run 205s off back up USB batteries.

Google power monkey – works on 800 for long rides its ideal just charge up plug and go also quite robust and fits nicely in my frame bag

Well always learning 😀

Yeah I’ve got a couple of 350km+ rides coming up and I think it will be touch and go if the unit will last long enough. They quote 18 hrs but I reckon it will be pretty low by 12.

I don’t think a powermonkey will do it because I believe it will switch it to ‘charging’ mode when I connect. I will test this though.

EDIT – Actually there are some indications that it does work, my apologies. I will try tonight as I have a normal Powermonkey (not Garmin branded) in a drawer somewhere.

A friend of mine who knows his stuff rigged up a cable/adaptor setup to charge his 500 while riding.

Here’s what he found
http://www.tokyocycle.com/bbs/threads/garmin-edge-500.1649/page-3#post-18119

And the adaptor itself
http://www.tokyocycle.com/bbs/threads/garmin-edge-500.1649/page-3#post-18123

I have a 200 and 800 and both will navigate and charge at the same time from an external battery pack, although never actually needed to on a ride.
The battery pack I have is a Veho Pebble and works straight out of the box with the standard cables provided.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Veho-Pebble-portable-battery-pack-charger-iPod-iPhone-/120560444989?pt=UK_CE_MP3Access_RL&hash=item1c11f6663d

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=58839

surely on 10 second recording and all backlighting set to zero or minimum would see you through? They seem to last for days. On sat night I rode home for an hour 10 mins,left it running by mistake through the night and 16 hours later I was on my return trip. I still had about 40% left. Mind you, maybe it doesn’t use much just sitting stationary with the timer still running as you sleep :O/

What trail_rat said, I have one and it works a treat on my edge 500 and edge 800 🙂