BATTERY DRAIN (Average Alkaline Values with Backlight Off) 17 Dec. 2001 (Add Vista, GPSmap 76, G-V, and Meridian) 22 Mar. 2002 (Add GPSmap 76S) 9 Oct. 2003 (Add SporTrak Color) [NOTE]: Divide battery-drain measurements into 1800mah for battery-life estimate. Tests were made in the NORMAL mode. Internally Powered with Fresh Alkaline Batteries ------------------------------------ (Test Mode) Antenna Connected# Model Version Sim Searching #Garmin GA26, GA27, GA26C or GA27C ------------------------------------------------------------------- UNITS WITH FOUR AA BATTERIES G-II+ 2.04 28ma 81ma NA 118ma G-12XL 3.02 32ma 128ma 141ma NA G-12XL 3.51 30ma 76ma 89ma 102ma G-12XL 4.00 15ma 88ma 101ma NA G-12 3.50 32ma 75ma @ @ G-12 4.54 NA 83ma @ @ G-III+ 2.01 34ma 82ma 95ma 105ma G-V 2.01 58ma 90ma (175ma with backlight max) UNITS WITH TWO AA BATTERIES eMap 2.04 60ma 120ma 130ma NA Legend 2.30 50ma 120ma NA NA Vista 2.16 50ma 165ma* NA NA *120ma with compass off GPSmap 76 2.04 62ma 120ma 130ma NA GPSmap 76S 1.06 100ma 175ma* 185ma NA *125ma with compass off UNITS WITH SIX AA BATTERIES Street Pilot 1.00 105ma 120ma 133ma NA * Searching ° On Garmin models, the lower the battery voltage, the higher the current drain. [MAGELLANS with two batteries] M-315 1.03 NA 145ma @ @ M-330M 2.03 NA 145ma @ @ Meridian GOLD 2.09 NA 145ma @ @ SporTrak Color 4.06 NA 120ma* @ @ *160ma with backlight on full @Has no external powered antenna capability Tests were made with the units in the search or simulator modes. Sim=Simulator Mode NA=Not Available for testing [LOWRANCE] EEx2 3.00 110ma 110ma @ @ 6.00 EEx2 3.00 Power-Save mode=40ma to 110ma in three-second cycles GM100 1.20 180ma 180ma @ @ 6.00 GM100 1.20 Power-Save mode=84ma to 180ma in three-second cycles @Has no external powered antenna capability BACK LIGHTS: Garmin G-12with full battery gauge: Light ON Low Add 4ma Light ON Med Add 9ma Light ON Max Add 16ma Garmin G-III: Light ON Low Add 16ma Light ON Med Add 32ma Light ON Max Add 64ma Street Pilot with full battery gauge: Light ON normal: Add 120ma Light ON max: Add 210ma Eagle Expedition II with full battery gauge: Light ON max: Add 80ma GM100 with full battery gauge: Light ON max: Add 60ma The above submitted by Ron Henderson, Jose Camara, and Jeff Thieleke ------------------------- Pierre Morin did some interesting measurements of the current consumption of his Garmin GPS12 indicating that with low battery voltages, turning on the backlighr REDUCES the current! VOLTAGE BACKLIGHT BACKLIGHT BACKLIGHT BACKLIGHT OFF LOW MEDIUM BRIGHT 4.3v 129ma 110ma 119ma 121ma 5.0v 114ma 93ma 100ma 107ma 6.0v 86ma 86ma 90ma 93ma -------------------------------------- Dave Martindale, using a regulated 5 vdc power supply, made the following antenna current measurements: Garmin GA-26 12.7 ma @6vdc Garmin GA-27C 10.0 ma @3vdc Trimble hardmount 18.6 ma old Lowe 22.0 ma new Lowe 22.8 ma Trimble mini OEM 29.0 ma Tri-M Mighty Mouse 12.1 ma Please send corrections and additions to: Jack@FinalApproach.net