Garmin 396 / GXM30 Issue

Has anyone experienced a problem with the GXM30 receiver/antenna? My 396
will stop receiving weather data (but audio is okay) after the antenna
heats up, especially when it is exposed to the heat of the sun. I called
Garmin and was told that there was a production problem with antennas in
the Oct/Nov 2005 timeframe, where thermal expansion would cause
intermittent contact inside the GXM30 and data services would stop, but
audio was unaffected.

Garmin is willing to fix my receiver for free under warranty, but they
are quoting a 7-10 working day turnaround. Not sure if this is
something that I could fix with a soldering iron or not, as I don't know
exactly what the problem is or what is required to fix it.



JKG

You don't happen to know where one can find the manufacture date for a
given unit, do you?

--Dan

Jonathan Goodish wrote:
Has anyone experienced a problem with the GXM30 receiver/antenna? My 396
will stop receiving weather data (but audio is okay) after the antenna
heats up, especially when it is exposed to the heat of the sun. I called
Garmin and was told that there was a production problem with antennas in
the Oct/Nov 2005 timeframe, where thermal expansion would cause
intermittent contact inside the GXM30 and data services would stop, but
audio was unaffected.

Garmin is willing to fix my receiver for free under warranty, but they
are quoting a 7-10 working day turnaround. Not sure if this is
something that I could fix with a soldering iron or not, as I don't know
exactly what the problem is or what is required to fix it.



JKG

In article . com,
"Dan" wrote:

You don't happen to know where one can find the manufacture date for a
given unit, do you?


No, but if you're worried about yours being affected, my suggestion
would be to fire it up on your car dash in the mid-afternoon sun, and
let it run for about an hour. If you receive weather for a couple
cycles and then it stops updating after a while, your unit is likely
affected.

I had an unrelated issue back in October and, at that time, Garmin told
me that they had made some minor modifications to the design of the
GXM30 since the initial production run. I suppose they could have
continued to make minor modifications since that time, so it's entirely
possible that those units affected by heat-related issue are rather
limited in the market. The Garmin rep with whom I spoke last week
seemed to feel that the heat-related failure wasn't widespread.

I still see the larger potential problem with the GXM30 as the
right-angle USB plug. It just seems that the plug is eventually going
to either break off, or break something in the GPS unit itself. It's
under stress after it's plugged in, and it's placed under even more
stress when you disconnect it, even if you're careful.



JKG

There must be some reason why they did it this way... I suppose one
could purchase a USB adaptor cable...


Jonathan Goodish wrote:
In article . com,
"Dan" wrote:

You don't happen to know where one can find the manufacture date for a
given unit, do you?


No, but if you're worried about yours being affected, my suggestion
would be to fire it up on your car dash in the mid-afternoon sun, and
let it run for about an hour. If you receive weather for a couple
cycles and then it stops updating after a while, your unit is likely
affected.

I had an unrelated issue back in October and, at that time, Garmin told
me that they had made some minor modifications to the design of the
GXM30 since the initial production run. I suppose they could have
continued to make minor modifications since that time, so it's entirely
possible that those units affected by heat-related issue are rather
limited in the market. The Garmin rep with whom I spoke last week
seemed to feel that the heat-related failure wasn't widespread.

I still see the larger potential problem with the GXM30 as the
right-angle USB plug. It just seems that the plug is eventually going
to either break off, or break something in the GPS unit itself. It's
under stress after it's plugged in, and it's placed under even more
stress when you disconnect it, even if you're careful.



JKG

"Jonathan Goodish" wrote:

Has anyone experienced a problem with the GXM30 receiver/antenna? My 396
will stop receiving weather data (but audio is okay) after the antenna
heats up, especially when it is exposed to the heat of the sun.

Mine does not, but I have it shaded under one of those soft, plastic
"slap-on" sun shields that AOPA used to give away.

Garmin should have had a recall for this problem: the've known about it a
long time.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

10 day turn around and for free sounds like a good deal. I sure wouldn't
mess with something the company will fix for FREE. Once you mess with it
then probably won't get the FREE repair offer.

--
Have a good day and stay out of the trees!
See ya on Sport Aircraft group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sport_Aircraft/


"Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message
...
Has anyone experienced a problem with the GXM30 receiver/antenna? My 396
will stop receiving weather data (but audio is okay) after the antenna
heats up, especially when it is exposed to the heat of the sun. I called
Garmin and was told that there was a production problem with antennas in
the Oct/Nov 2005 timeframe, where thermal expansion would cause
intermittent contact inside the GXM30 and data services would stop, but
audio was unaffected.

Garmin is willing to fix my receiver for free under warranty, but they
are quoting a 7-10 working day turnaround. Not sure if this is
something that I could fix with a soldering iron or not, as I don't know
exactly what the problem is or what is required to fix it.



JKG

In article ESwug.1844$Gv.386@fed1read09, "Gilan"
wrote:

10 day turn around and for free sounds like a good deal. I sure wouldn't
mess with something the company will fix for FREE. Once you mess with it
then probably won't get the FREE repair offer.


Well the "free" fix is part of their 1 year warranty, though it isn't
really free, as I have to ship it to them. Since the warranty is almost
up on my unit, there would be little risk in opening the case and
voiding the warranty.

According to the manual, the maximum operating temperature of the GXM30
is 185F, though it doesn't say what happens after that. I suppose that
it is possible that the unit could exceed that temperature after sitting
in the sun on the dash of the car for 20-30 minutes, but I suspect that
it is unlikely in my case.

I'll have to send the unit back and see what I receive in return, and if
the "repaired" unit tolerates the heat any better.



JKG

I would still rather have a "known good & tested" fix instead of a
homebrew job that may or may not solve the problem. Next time it
happens, solder away! $20 is easier to spend now than $2500 in a few
months after the fix craps out and renders the unit much less
functional/useless.

Just my $.02 worth,

Chris

Jonathan Goodish wrote:
In article ESwug.1844$Gv.386@fed1read09, "Gilan"
wrote:

10 day turn around and for free sounds like a good deal. I sure wouldn't
mess with something the company will fix for FREE. Once you mess with it
then probably won't get the FREE repair offer.


Well the "free" fix is part of their 1 year warranty, though it isn't
really free, as I have to ship it to them. Since the warranty is almost
up on my unit, there would be little risk in opening the case and
voiding the warranty.

According to the manual, the maximum operating temperature of the GXM30
is 185F, though it doesn't say what happens after that. I suppose that
it is possible that the unit could exceed that temperature after sitting
in the sun on the dash of the car for 20-30 minutes, but I suspect that
it is unlikely in my case.

I'll have to send the unit back and see what I receive in return, and if
the "repaired" unit tolerates the heat any better.



JKG

Can't solder if I can't identify the problem. For all I know, it could
be a bad component that they have since eliminated from production, and
they could end up replacing the guts of my GXM30. I sent it to them
today, and they promised to turn it around quickly, so we'll see ...



JKG


In article ews.net,
"Chris G." wrote:

I would still rather have a "known good & tested" fix instead of a
homebrew job that may or may not solve the problem. Next time it
happens, solder away! $20 is easier to spend now than $2500 in a few
months after the fix craps out and renders the unit much less
functional/useless.

Just my $.02 worth,

Chris

Jonathan Goodish wrote:
In article ESwug.1844$Gv.386@fed1read09, "Gilan"
wrote:

10 day turn around and for free sounds like a good deal. I sure wouldn't
mess with something the company will fix for FREE. Once you mess with it
then probably won't get the FREE repair offer.


Well the "free" fix is part of their 1 year warranty, though it isn't
really free, as I have to ship it to them. Since the warranty is almost
up on my unit, there would be little risk in opening the case and
voiding the warranty.

According to the manual, the maximum operating temperature of the GXM30
is 185F, though it doesn't say what happens after that. I suppose that
it is possible that the unit could exceed that temperature after sitting
in the sun on the dash of the car for 20-30 minutes, but I suspect that
it is unlikely in my case.

I'll have to send the unit back and see what I receive in return, and if
the "repaired" unit tolerates the heat any better.



JKG

Good luck! I hope it works out well for you! :-)

Chris


Jonathan Goodish wrote:
Can't solder if I can't identify the problem. For all I know, it could
be a bad component that they have since eliminated from production, and
they could end up replacing the guts of my GXM30. I sent it to them
today, and they promised to turn it around quickly, so we'll see ...



JKG


In article ews.net,
"Chris G." wrote:

I would still rather have a "known good & tested" fix instead of a
homebrew job that may or may not solve the problem. Next time it
happens, solder away! $20 is easier to spend now than $2500 in a few
months after the fix craps out and renders the unit much less
functional/useless.

Just my $.02 worth,

Chris

Jonathan Goodish wrote:
In article ESwug.1844$Gv.386@fed1read09, "Gilan"
wrote:

10 day turn around and for free sounds like a good deal. I sure wouldn't
mess with something the company will fix for FREE. Once you mess with it
then probably won't get the FREE repair offer.

Well the "free" fix is part of their 1 year warranty, though it isn't
really free, as I have to ship it to them. Since the warranty is almost
up on my unit, there would be little risk in opening the case and
voiding the warranty.

According to the manual, the maximum operating temperature of the GXM30
is 185F, though it doesn't say what happens after that. I suppose that
it is possible that the unit could exceed that temperature after sitting
in the sun on the dash of the car for 20-30 minutes, but I suspect that
it is unlikely in my case.

I'll have to send the unit back and see what I receive in return, and if
the "repaired" unit tolerates the heat any better.



JKG