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- Nov 4, 2018
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I can't say, although the brightness is adjustable on both of my units. The390 is approaching 3 years old and the 396 is less than a year old.
Hard wire kit for my Garmin GPS
- Thread starter peterz
- Start date
Doubtful; less sure about my eyes.
The older ones with a CFL light source get a lot dimmer with age - that's one of the reasons I retired my trusty StreetPilot 2820, it was too hard to see. The newer Garmins (i.e. my Zumo 595) don't have an issue with direct sunlight and the LEDs should be good for a long time.
iflyvfr
Eric
Here is the wiring kit I used to hardwire my Garmin 3597 to my bike. Check the plug type. Sure, in bright sunshine the screen can be a little hard to read, but that's not the norm. I also purchased a clip-on hood for it that helped...for a while...until one day it blew off on the highway With a small amount of work I also made my Garmin water resistant and haven't had any trouble with it yet in rain. And if I do...no biggie...these things are very cheap now. I just don't feel comfortable shelling out the big bucks for a Zumo. It's not worth it for my budget.
With a small amount of work I also made my Garmin water resistant and haven't had any trouble with it yet in rain. And if I do...no biggie...these things are very cheap now. I just don't feel comfortable shelling out the big bucks for a Zumo. It's not worth it for my budget.
They do lose some brightness in time but it's really not the screen but a small resistor that changes value.
I can sure agree with you there. I've spent some serious bux on Garmin GPS gear only to find out that I had to buy a new map about every 3 to 5 years in order for it to keep working. I went to Magellan long ago and personally I think it's better unit.Here is the wiring kit I used to hardwire my Garmin 3597 to my bike. Check the plug type. Sure, in bright sunshine the screen can be a little hard to read, but that's not the norm. I also purchased a clip-on hood for it that helped...for a while...until one day it blew off on the highway
If you get a Garmin LM or LMT model, you can update the maps four times a year free.
Here is the wiring kit I used to hardwire my Garmin 3597 to my bike. Check the plug type. Sure, in bright sunshine the screen can be a little hard to read, but that's not the norm. I also purchased a clip-on hood for it that helped...for a while...until one day it blew off on the highway
My waterproofing when needed consists of a smallish ziploc style baggie I pull over the top.
It doesn't allow me to use the touch screen but I can see fine and it stays dry. I have an older Magellan car unit that still works fine.
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I "waterproofed" my Garmin Drive 5 and it worked well in moderate rain. In long heavy rain, it quit. I dried it out, added more "waterproofing" and it worked well until I got in some long heavy rain again. It's now in a dehydrator at home, trying to get it back to life. It works, but the screen is a little wonky. We'll see how it works after a day or two in the dehydrator.
Shuey
Site Supporter
Mine haven't, but . . . they're only 10 years old.
Shuey
PS: Regarding sun wash out, it's only a minor problem for me when the sun is behind me. However, since I don't ride while constantly looking at the GPS, a simple move of my head puts the GPS in shade and easy to see.