Garmin EDGE 520 Battery replacement

[SCD]

Hi there,

Lately the battery life of my Edge 520 started to decrease. I probably get about 4-6h at the moment before the low battery warning pops up. So I hopped onto the RSA website of Garmin to inquire for help. "Can the internal battery be replaced and what is the cost for this?". The SA website then sent me to the US site for the service request. The response was that my unit is out of warranty ( I know that) and that the 'repair' would be about 99US$. This does not feel reasonable.
Did anybody go through a battery replacement before?

 

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by SCD

[scotty]

I would hand it into local Garmin, a replacement unit for 820 is around R2500 so i expect a 520 to be less. 

[Donovan Le Cok]

Yes, they wont replace the battery but the whole unit. Contact Garmin and they will send you the details of what you need to do. info@garmin.co.za 

You have to courier the unit to them and they then quote to replace it with a new one. I think it was around R2k for an out of warranty device.

[Stockman]

Yes, they wont replace the battery but the whole unit. Contact Garmin and they will send you the details of what you need to do. info@garmin.co.za 

 

You have to courier the unit to them and they then quote to replace it with a new one. I think it was around R2k for an out of warranty device.

Yip, my 810 became an 820 for a sum of around R2k.

[Opc_danny]

And yet overseas they replace the battery, if you do some goooooogling you can actually get the replacement battery and correct tool to disassemble it.

[InSearchofUP]

Hi there,

Lately the battery life of my Edge 520 started to decrease. I probably get about 4-6h at the moment before the low battery warning pops up. So I hopped onto the RSA website of Garmin to inquire for help. "Can the internal battery be replaced and what is the cost for this?". The SA website then sent me to the US site for the service request. The response was that my unit is out of warranty ( I know that) and that the 'repair' would be about 99US$. This does not feel reasonable.

Did anybody go through a battery replacement before?

 

 

 

I found a local supplier for the same battery as in my edge 520 and ended up changing the battery myself. A bit of a risky job but ended up costing me R190 for the new battery. Battery life is now a lot better but not great. The tricky part is removing the screen without cracking it.

Here's the battery name: Cameron Sino GPS, Navigator Battery CS-GME500SL for GARMIN 010-01626-02

Edited November 18, 2019 by InSearchofUP

[Skubarra]

Interesting business model that Garmin SA has re problems with units, never bother with fixing units (not even the battery) - always replace old unit with a newer model at cost price.

[lechatnoir]

Interesting business model that Garmin SA has re problems with units, never bother with fixing units (not even the battery) - always replace old unit with a newer model at cost price.

 

yeah, and throw the old one in the sea... but on a serious note, it gives a clue to their production costs... can't be too high

[scotty]

Interesting business model that Garmin SA has re problems with units, never bother with fixing units (not even the battery) - always replace old unit with a newer model at cost price.

Replacements will likely be refurbished. I suspect that units handed in as faulty are shipped back overseas and repaired there. 

[IceCreamMan]

yeah, and throw the old one in the sea... but on a serious note, it gives a clue to their production costs... can't be too high

exactly, their per unit actual production only costs are very low relative to their selling price. Its the R&D that's expensive I suspect.

 

Hence the Garmin replacement/warranty/exchange program is so pleasant for us consumers.

[100Tours]

Replacements will likely be refurbished. I suspect that units handed in as faulty are shipped back overseas and repaired there. 

 

I have always thought that we're just on the receiving end of the rest of the world's refurbished devices. I'm not sure ours get sent anywhere, but I'm not complaining.

[Skubarra]

exactly, their per unit actual production only costs are very low relative to their selling price. Its the R&D that's expensive I suspect.

 

Hence the Garmin replacement/warranty/exchange program is so pleasant for us consumers.

 

Once you are out of the original unit's warranty period it's not so pleasant anymore as the replacement unit is only guaranteed for 90 days

 

My old Garmin 500 had to be replaced after 5 years (only thing wrong was a worn out button) -ok fine I get an upgrade to a 520. 6 months later the backlight failed I had to replace it at "cost" again. If the unit breaks again in the next few months I'm starting to lose serious money on my gps purchases (relatively speaking) - and it's not as if the 520 is a unit that inspires a lot of trust in it's reliability

 

I really hope the 530 turns out to be more reliable.

[Pure Savage]

I would hand it into local Garmin, a replacement unit for 820 is around R2500 so i expect a 520 to be less. 

Just paid R1750

[scotty]

I have always thought that we're just on the receiving end of the rest of the world's refurbished devices. I'm not sure ours get sent anywhere, but I'm not complaining.

I've had two refurbished 820's and both have had mapping for UK and other European countries. I think all that they do when they arrive here is load SA maps with 90 days warranty.

Edited November 18, 2019 by scotty

[scotty]

Just paid R1750

Is that for the 820 ? I paid R2401.00 Sept 2018 and when unit gave issues again in July this year I had to pay R2500. 

Edited November 18, 2019 by scotty

[BigDL]

Presumably what Garmin are giving you as a replacement is a refurbished unit. Thus the shorter warranty on it. A very common business model that works really well to the benefit of the consumer and the manufacturer. Shop the broken/worn out unit to a production line style facility where bulk refurbs can be done.