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Re: [RC] gps charger solution - Keith Kibler

April
Yes April you are right, the difference between our two scenarios is that you are using a Garmin 301 which apparently has a usb port. The 201 has different hookup.
All in all, our solutions are the same I think Dont you love it when a plan comes together?
Keith wrote:


This is a good solution, but I have an other solution for the Garmin USB-charged units.

You can use any USB battery extender. Basically, it's a box that hold 4 AA batteries and the other end is a USB "port." You can plug your normal mini USB cable into this and charge almost anything. I use one to charge my Forerunner 305 and have used it on my Foreunner 301 as well, and my blackberry. So just about anything will work.

I also have a 12 volt USB converter. It plugs into the cigarette lighter in my truck and then I can plug my USB cable into that and get it to charge this way, too. I've done that quite a lot, too.

Go to eBay and do a search on "shuffle battery extender". You can find these for about $10-$12 shipped. They're marketed for the Apple IPOD Shuffle and are white. They work great. Make sure they can plug a USB cable (or an IPOD Shuffle) directly into them.

I use mine at my camp and make sure it's in my vet check bag for away checks.

Keith may be referring to a Forerunner 201, though, and that one is charged using a Serial port, not a USB port and requires a bit more to do.

April
Nashville, TN
http://www.tracetribute.com
http://endurancerider.blogspot.com


On 11/27/06, *Keith Kibler* < kwkibler@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:kwkibler@xxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:

      If you own a garmin rechargable unit and would like to charge it on
    the fly while camping or at a ridecamp without electricity I have
    found
    the solution to that issue.
    Get a Energizer brand instant  charger for you phone. They cost  like
    19.95 or so.  They  allow you to use 2 AA batteries  to charge your
    phone. The cable between the charger and the  phone is detachable.
        Take the charger (which is a small pod thing about half the
    size of
    your palm)  along with the  garmin unit and  its plug in  charger  pad
    to radio shack. They do not sell the energizer by the way,  They
    have a
    chord and  both the ends  to fit the  energizer instant charger
    and the
    docking  pad for the garmin. the cord and the two ends will cost you
    about $ 14. The charger and the gps for my phone, which is a RZR are
    both 5 volts and within 150 miliamps of each other.
      It works. So, for about $ 35 I have an instant portable charger
    for my
    phone and my garmin gps.
    Sweet.
    Keith

    do not forget to take your phone to the place you get the instant
    charger to make sure it is the right one, it lists which charger works
    with which phone and the cord of it hangs out the back of the
    package to
    make sure it fits, I got mine at Home Depot, but Walmart has them
    too I
    think.
    Then take the whole shooting match to Radio Shack and have the thing
    hooked up before you leave the store, the instant charger blinks
    with a
    blue light when it is working and the garmin screen comes on to say
    "charging". make sure that the person helping you checks the voltage,
    polarity of the connections and the miliamperage.
    Failure to do these three things could result in frying stuff you dont
    want fried.




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