Garmin on the fritz ...

[sneuman]

My Garmin 546s chartplotter has decided to start acting up. It will summarily lose power at intermittent intervals (sometimes as little as a minute) but then start right back up again. However, it only seems to happen when I'm underway.

So, it would seem to be a power issue -- but no breakers trip or fuses are blown and, like I said, it always starts right back up, which to me doesn't indicate a lose connection, or else there would be times that it wouldn't power back up.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. BTW, I am in the Caribbean, so simply returning it to Garmin is not the easiest option.

[paulajayne]

Only underway - either power drop or loss due to a loose connection (movement related).


Check all connections first.

[Fog Bank]

This says loose connection to me.

[River Cruiser]

I would agree with the others, I have a SH cp590 wired thru a switch it will start back up if I shutdown using the switch without using the power button.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[hellosailor]

I'd try drumming/thumping on it with my fingers for a few minutes, to see if something internal is perhaps not making a good connection. In that case, if it is the usual watertight welded case, it has to go back for service. If you can open it up, then perhaps use a magnifier and look for a simple hairline bad solder joint, probably near the power leads.

[sneuman]

Thanks. I checked all the connections and, as I suspected, that's not it.

[paulajayne]

Loosing power underway indicates that is movement related and either a trapped wire, a loose connection or a soldered joint failing.

Start with the basics and trace power wire all the way back. Connect a multimeter at the plug end set to volts DC, wiggle and pull the wire at each connection whilst monitoring the voltage.

If you can plug the unit into a known good source (another boat) and test.

HTH

[zeehag]

i have garmin also--had no backlight--learned via buying new unit ( ebay is great) with new cord, that the cord was problem, so now i have 2 garmin heads and 1 functional power cord. try that. worked well for me.

[barnakiel]

Sounds movement related. Disconnect from the bank, plug into a local source. Go into Martinique St Lucia channel see what happens.

b.