My fourth garmin 72/76 dies am i crazy to buy another one

[TQA]

My fourth Garmin has died. I do have one that works intermittently usually crapping out after 10 minutes or so. Of the other three one is completely dead, one switches on finds a satellite or two then switches off and the last one works fine but does not respond to the buttons.

I am thinking seriously of buying yet another one a 72 but the reliability is worrying me. I use it in a holder by the wheel, so it does get splashed from time to time.

I have a file of 400+ waypoints I can upload into it but I guess I can do it manually on a different type if I can not upload them.

I am a familiar with the operation of the 72 - 76 but guess I can learn to use something similar.

I like the simplicity of the 72 and just use the heading option plus the SOG speed function.

So is there a similar simple GPS that might be more reliable than the Garmins or have I just been unlucky with my Garmins so far and go and buy another.

 

[stevebrassett]

You are probably unlucky. I have had mine for over 8 years with no problems (although it is not used a lot). It is waterproof, so keeping it by the wheel should be ok.

Can't really suggest any solutions, unless you can take them apart and make a good one out of the bits.

 

[garvellachs]

Garmin repair service is excellent in my experience and much cheaper than a new one.

 

[JumbleDuck]

My fourth Garmin has died. I do have one that works intermittently usually crapping out after 10 minutes or so. Of the other three one is completely dead, one switches on finds a satellite or two then switches off and the last one works fine but does not respond to the buttons.

All but the last sound as if they may be power problems. Have you tried running on external power or, if you normally run on external power, have you tried running on batteries? I'm wondering if something about the bracket you use or its position is allowing some damp into the battery compartment / power connector.

 

[Lodesman77]

My 76 has been going fine for seven years now, and they are generally considered pretty reliable units. One dodgy unit is a bit unlucky, two is unfortunate, three very unlikely. Four? I think you're doing something wrong...

 

[colvic987]

My fourth Garmin has died. I do have one that works intermittently usually crapping out after 10 minutes or so. Of the other three one is completely dead, one switches on finds a satellite or two then switches off and the last one works fine but does not respond to the buttons.

I am thinking seriously of buying yet another one a 72 but the reliability is worrying me. I use it in a holder by the wheel, so it does get splashed from time to time.

I have a file of 400+ waypoints I can upload into it but I guess I can do it manually on a different type if I can not upload them.

I am a familiar with the operation of the 72 - 76 but guess I can learn to use something similar.

I like the simplicity of the 72 and just use the heading option plus the SOG speed function.

So is there a similar simple GPS that might be more reliable than the Garmins or have I just been unlucky with my Garmins so far and go and buy another.

had my garmin76 since 2001, and apart from the first year where I forgot to keep the almanac up to date, by changing the batteries during the winter and rebooting so it gets its satellite fix during the winter months, when boat is out of the water, it has been fine for the last 12 years, and touch wood still going, I only use it as standby, but no faults, so I guess you either over uses it to the brink of destruction, or unlucky......

maybe you could upgrade to a 551 equivalent

 

[doug748]

"So is there a similar simple GPS that might be more reliable than the Garmins or have I just been unlucky with my Garmins so far and go and buy another. "


You may have just been very unlucky.

Like TQA, I have had a 76 for many years and it has been fine. Last year one of the power pins fell off, due to corrosion, it still worked fine on battery. I like the thing so much, I sent it in for repair; flat rate of about 50 quid.

I am trying to wean myself off it, as I have two proper chart plotters on board. The interface is so good that I keep coming back to it.

 

[TQA]

Thanks for all the positive responses. I might send back a job lot to Garmin but as I cruise the Caribbean from Trinidad to Antigua sending packages to the USA and receiving them in a different island can be an expensive, protracted and frustrating business even if they are clearly marked as repair items for yacht in transit.

I guess I will go ahead with another 72. I really like the simplicity of the interface and the display suits me as I am a dinosaur and still like paper charts. I use it as an aid for a course to steer plus the SOG is more useful out here due to strange and unreliable currents.

 

[TQA]

Thanks for all the positive responses. I do not see that I am doing anything wrong. I use the 12 volt supply lead and although I get some spray they are not salt encrusted by any means. They get a wipe down and are put away when I am not passage making.

I might send back a job lot to Garmin but as I cruise the Caribbean from Trinidad to Antigua sending packages to the USA and receiving them in a different island can be an expensive, protracted and frustrating business even if they are clearly marked as repair items for yacht in transit.

But there is a flat rate repair charge of $99 plus shipping and new ones are about $200 so I guess I will go ahead with another 72. I really like the simplicity of the interface and the display suits me as I am a dinosaur and still like paper charts. I use it as an aid for a course to steer plus the SOG is more useful out here due to strange and unreliable currents.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Thanks for all the positive responses. I do not see that I am doing anything wrong. I use the 12 volt supply lead and although I get some spray they are not salt encrusted by any means.

I wonder if your supply could be dirty and causing problems. Anything else in the circuit which might do that? A fridge compressor, for example? Have you tried running any of the problematic ones on batteries to see if that makes a difference?

 

[elton]

I too would suspect the power supply. My 72 has had a hard life of 6 years and never missed a beat. It's been dropped in ways that would destroy any phone, and drowned more often than any rat.

 

[Amulet]

And another - I have three GPS72's - yes there is a good reason. Apart from bending one of the data pins and getting it mended for a few quid by Garmin, they have been perfect. Is your 72 one of the new ones with USB? Mine are oldstyle.

 

[TQA]

And another - I have three GPS72's - yes there is a good reason. Apart from bending one of the data pins and getting it mended for a few quid by Garmin, they have been perfect. Is your 72 one of the new ones with USB? Mine are oldstyle.

Both my 72s are old style and came with the boat. The 76s and 76map are more recent. All the failures are different but I guess the power supply is worthy of some attention. I always run them from a 12 volt lead.

Does anyone know if the Garmin lead cigarette lead has a built in surge suppressor?

If not can I suppose I can add a surge suppressor, is there a recommended one?

 

[[3889]]

Garmin repair service is excellent in my experience and much cheaper than a new one.

That was my experience until recently. My 5 year old GPSMAP 550 died inexplicably and Garmin would have nothing to do with it, stating it was no longer supported. I offered to pay the difference in the original rrp between the 550 and the still-supported 551 (identical apart from an nmea output), plus the £150 replacement fee but nothing doing. In the past I had a 7 y.o. etrex replaced foc without fuss but it seems those halcyon days are over.
They also told me they do not attempt to repair supported products but simply send out a replacement for a fixed fee.

 

[bluerm166]

I have a Garmin 12,a 72 and a 72H.All have been run off 12v on the boat as well as off batteries and all seem remarkably waterproof considering the nature of the seal.I would say that the 72H is remarkably more sensitive than the 72 which in comparison seems slow witted.If not your supply voltage then perhaps your location/climate is the clue.

 

[TQA]

Well I guess I must be doing something wrong but the failure mode is not consistent. From left to right.

1 Totally dead. It shut down on passage and nothing I did raised a beep or anything on screen.

2 Still works but usually goes to a blank display with a black vertical line after a few minutes. Does not respond to power off button, but unplugging and plugging in will restart it.

3 On connection it powers up without use of the on button and finds satellites and displays a position. Does not respond to any button input.

4 On power up it finds a satellite or two then shuts down.

5 Yup I am crazy I bought number 5 today. So far so good!

 

[Amulet]

Well I guess I must be doing something wrong but the failure mode is not consistent. From left to right.

1 Totally dead. It shut down on passage and nothing I did raised a beep or anything on screen.

2 Still works but usually goes to a blank display with a black vertical line after a few minutes. Does not respond to power off button, but unplugging and plugging in will restart it.

3 On connection it powers up without use of the on button and finds satellites and displays a position. Does not respond to any button input.

4 On power up it finds a satellite or two then shuts down.

5 Yup I am crazy I bought number 5 today. So far so good!

Amazing - unfortunately you are far from civilization. I'd say send them to Garmin and ask about it. While I've heard some severe criticism of them on the forums, I have experienced great helpfulness. My brother once sent them a GPS 12 that had given up long after expiry of warranty, and they simply replaced it free of charge.

I once sent them a geeky question about how they click from waypoint to waypoint in route following and got a clear explanation back from a proper geek.

 

[TQA]

Amazing - unfortunately you are far from civilization. I'd say send them to Garmin and ask about it. While I've heard some severe criticism of them on the forums, I have experienced great helpfulness. My brother once sent them a GPS 12 that had given up long after expiry of warranty, and they simply replaced it free of charge.

I once sent them a geeky question about how they click from waypoint to waypoint in route following and got a clear explanation back from a proper geek.

A new 72h on Fleabay is $140 with free shipping

Garmin charge a flat rate of $99 plus shipping two ways.