Garmin warning

[Ray Rhode]

A friend just purchased a new Garmin GPSMAP 440SX. When he started to install it he found a note on page 53 of the owner's manual which states: "Compass Safe Distance: 95cm". The reason for this warning/restriction is that Garmin has used a magnetic latch to secure the door for the SD memory chip. You can't remove it because it is mounted inside the case and you would have to disassemble the unit to get to it.

He checked it out by placing the unit on the wheel guard and it drove the compass crazy. Since he also has a wheel pilot with a flux gate compass that will probably also be messed up.

How a leading manufacturer of GPS Chartplotters could use a magnet on a piece of equipment that will likely be mounted so that the helmsman can use it is beyond me. I went to two West Marine stores and checked all of the units they had on display and all of the 400 and 500 series chartplotters use the same magnetic latch.


Ray Rhode
S/V Journey
E35-III, #189

 

[rwthomas1]

All of the chartplotters that I can remember have similar warnings. My new Furuno states something like that as well. Can't remember the distance but I think its 3ft..... Its at the helm so no way its 3ft from the compass. I knew about it ahead of time since I downloaded the manual before I purchased. Garmins use of a magnet is unfortunate. My previous Raymarine had a warning and had no apparent effect on the compass so maybe the warnings, in some cases, are simply CYA on the companies part? RT

 

[Loren Beach]

Different Model / Different Market, maybe

No such distance warning on my Garmin 3005C. I just read over the manual and install instructions and verified that the card door in this unit locks in place by friction.
I then looked up the Garmin on-line manual for the 440SX and it sure enough has such a warning. From an admittedly quick skim of the manual it looks like a unit promoted for the smaller powerboat market, with a transom-mount transducer and minimal screen resolution.
My SWAG is that it was never designed for a sailboat market that might involve a mount on a wheel guard within, say, six inches of the steering compass.
(?)

Loren

 

[Chris Miller]

usually the compass for the wheel pilot is pretty far from everything in the cockpit.

 

[treilley]

The arm that my 3206 is mounted on is within an inch(GPS is within 6 inches) of the top of my compass with no ill effects. It has the door with the waterproof spring retainer.

 

[Sailsteve]

Reminds me of ....

When I bought my boat from the previous owner there were a pair of large stereo speakers mounted in the cockpit wall on either side of the wheel (and the binnacle mounted compass). They were each at least three feet away from the compass but still totally screwed up the reading. I removed the speakers, closed the holes and now the boat goes in the right direction when I point it there!

Moral:
Beware of magnets at sea, they attract the wrong crowd!

Steve
Ericson 36RH
Glory Days

 

[Loren Beach]

All,
I forwarded this thread to a techie in the marine electronics industry and he replied: "Thanks for forwarding that thread. Sure enough there is a magnet on the chart door of all the new Garmin chart plotters, 400, 500, 4000, and 5000 series. It really was a retarded idea putting a magnet there. We have no way to change it. Just have to be aware of it."

I wonder what on earth they were thinking at Garmin?


Loren

 

[Gary Peterson]

95 cm = 37.4 inches. WOW_____________
At least the magnetic influence distance is not linear.

 

[CaptDan]

All,


I wonder what on earth they were thinking at Garmin?


Loren

Whatever it was, it involved pointing too heavily away from one part of it.

Capt Dan G>E35II "Kunu"

 

[Bolo]

Thanks for the warning!

Ray - You saved me a lot of grief because I was getting ready to buy one of the 400 or 500 series chart plotters for my E32 and, yes, I was going to remove the old speed display pod and put the chart plotter in it's place. This would, of course, place it within 95CM (37.4 inches) of the compass. I got on the Garmin web site and downloaded a couple of their owner manuals for the 400 and 500 series and then did a PDF word search for "Compass Safe Distance" and, sure enough, it came up on each one.

To repeat something I read in one of the responses to your posting, WHAT WAS GARMIN THINKING!!:rolleyes_d: I can't imagine that they didn't think that these units would be used on a sailboat, close to the compass. The easy fix would be to remove the magnet and find some other way to secure the door. I'll be looking at other chart plotters now and checking to see if there are any restrictions in regards to the proximity of the compass. Thanks again!

 

[Ray Rhode]

A further update on my friends experience with his Garmin. He has found that in choppy water the yawing of the boat causes the unit to re-draw the screen. During this re-draw, which takes a second or two, only the base map is displayed. The problem is that in rough conditions this happens repeatedly.

There may be a way to dampen the update rate and stop this but he has not found it.

Ray

 

[Bolo]

Garmin Tech Support reply

Ray - Wow! Sounds like the Garmin units have more problems then expected. I sent an email to the Garmin Tech support about the magnet problem you brought to our attention and confirmed in the instruction manual that I downloaded for the 400 and 500 series units. Here is their reply:

Thank you for contacting Garmin International. I would be happy to help
you with this today. The magnet that is built inside the unit is so that
not moisture builds up into the SD card slot. This is not something that
can be removed at this point in time we have no design changes in place
to remove the magnet. The unit must be mounted 95cm away if you want to
get an accurate reading out of your compass. I thank you for your
interest in Garmin and good luck with your shopping.

With Best Regards,

Michael B
Product Support Specialist
Marine Team
Garmin International

I've now dropped Garmin off my list of small chart plotters for my E32-III to be used at the helm. However I did find what seems to be a promising chart plotter. It's a "Humminbird 755c".

http://store.humminbird.com/humminb...tplotters/755c-chartplotter/prod406940-1.html

I've downloaded the instruction manual and have not found any sort of compass proximity warning as with the Garmin. Also I like the offset design of the case because I plan to remove the "speed meter" pod, on the starboard side of the binnacle, and place the chart plotter there in it's place. The offset should give me enough room for the throttle clearance between the unit and the compass.

I don't know anything about the "Humminbird" units (reliability, and such) and it seems that they mostly manufacture fish finder units that also include GPS. Be interested to hear from anyone who has one or knows more about them.

 

[Loren Beach]

Opinion: Poor product design, outsourced overseas support, and Garmin is not alone.

(This kinda reminds me of the time I tried to get some help from the TurboTax folks a few years ago and got zero help from some guy in India who spoke only ESL.)

There are several competitors, however... and it is axiomatic in the fast-changing world of electronics that last year's company on the outs may be next year's hottest-new-product producer.

For whatever little it is worth, the USA support for Furuno is based in Camas, WA, about 20 miles from my house, and they were extremely helpful to me when I was installing my radar. (Helpful both on the phone, and several emails back 'n' forth.)

Loren

 

[treilley]

Loren, Garmin may have outsourced their email support but their phone support is right here in the US. I have had lousy support via email but when I call, they go out of their way to help me. And you can understand them!

Some other oops by Garmin:

- No Current data east of the Damariscotta river in Maine. Including Penobscott Bay which has very strong currents.
- Latest revision of Mapsource breaks spot soundings. Not so bad because you just have to reload the previous version except that Garmin does not provide any other versions on their download site. The tech I spoke to very sheepishly referred me to gpsinfo.com.

I still love my 3206 and think it is a great product from a great company.

 

[Loren Beach]

Some other oops by Garmin:
- No Current data east of the Damariscotta river in Maine. Including Penobscott Bay which has very strong currents.
- Latest revision of Mapsource breaks spot soundings. Not so bad because you just have to reload the previous version except that Garmin does not provide any other versions on their download site. The tech I spoke to very sheepishly referred me to gpsinfo.com.
I still love my 3206 and think it is a great product from a great company.

Glad to hear of your good experiences.
I like our 3005c also. Now, if I could only figure out how to use all the bells and whistles!
Note that our particular chart plotter series has the non-magnet chip door.

Other interesting trivia: while Garmin is currently pushing mainly their newer touch-screen units, magnetic interference and all, in the USA, the Brits are getting full-page deals on a package deal of the 3005c and their radar antenna, at a reasonable price (if you are buying it in the UK, however!). Big ads in the new issue of Practical Boat Owner and Yachting Monthly...

Loren

 

[Loren Beach]

Bob,
Note that this other Hummingbird model has the higher rez display, same as my Garmin 3005c.
That extra sharpness is really great on a rough day with spray and rain and sea-state "distractions."
http://store.humminbird.com/humminb...rs/785c2i-chartplotter-nvb/prod406920-1V.html

Loren