How I repaired my Garmin: electronics for dummies

ugo.santalucia
ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,242
edited November 2017 in Workshop
OK, so yesterday my Garmin died... first did not want to connect to a computer, then it won't even switch on anymore. For a 6 years old unit, that should be the end, right?

Wrong... armed with determination, I went to Maplin and got a set of mini tools (7.99), this.

https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/30-piece-pre ... -set-a55qx

including the crucial Torx T5, that unlocks the 4 bolts that allow you to open the device. Once open, you can flip the screen and reveal the mother board. I understand zero about electronics and inside all did seem well
garmin2.jpg

I flicked the black plastic retainer to remove the screen, then I refitted the screen and magically the device decided to work again. Somehow the contact must have been lost. In flipping the retainer back, I managed to remove it and it proved impossible to re-fit, probably just as well, as clearly it is the culprit, not doing a good enough job in keeping the contacts together.
So I re-fitted the screws that hold the mother board in place in such a way that they hold the screen contacts in place too, closed everything and ta dah... it all works like new. Went for a 100 km ride and all is well.
garmin3.jpg

Moral: don't give up on your broken GPS... go to Maplin instead!
left the forum March 2023

Comments

  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    Good work fella; well done.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    sadly, the 520 is not held together by screws...... it has a Garmin force field impervious to such tactics.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,242
    JGSI wrote:
    sadly, the 520 is not held together by screws...... it has a Garmin force field impervious to such tactics.

    Desperate times... there has to be a way to open it
    left the forum March 2023
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Nice work, for the future quite a lot of wet weather cycling electronic can be fixed by opening them up do nothing then closing them, lights in particular, most of the moon range suffer from this, my guess would also be poor contact points
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    I'd echo that, don't give up and put it in a cupboard. My garmin died a while back, not sure at the time of the cause, contacts? Battery?.. So for the sake of £14 of eBay a new battery and kit to open it worth a try. Armed with YouTube and a cup of tea and an hour to spare, totally dismantled (why they don't make a slot in rechargeable battery is beyond me!)
    Now working like new, echoing Ugo.. don't give up, give it a go!
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • step83
    step83 Posts: 4,170
    JGSI wrote:
    sadly, the 520 is not held together by screws...... it has a Garmin force field impervious to such tactics.

    I don't have one to play with but, I would imagine its similar to modern phones its all snap fit. No idea where to start on stripping one down.
    Titanium Px Spitfire
    Easty commuter
    Tripster AT
  • mugensi
    mugensi Posts: 559
    You turned down a perfectly good opportunity to buy something new for your bike....shame on you.

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