Garmin LCD Issues.-

[Sea Rider]

Have a Garmin E-Trex GPS which LCD inside screen fogs badly in hot days while at use, no issue on non sunny days, should I tear it apart and dry the interior, place LCD screen under a lamp that produces very low heat, take it to service or just throw it away ?

Happy Boating

 

[kbd635]

Sea Rider,

You could try putting in a big Ziplock bag with some dry rice overnight. I've done that with a phone I forgot was in my pocket when I was launching a boat and it was perfectly good when I took it out of the rice. You might need to open it up, if it is a sealed unit though.
Good luck!
Kenny

 

[ondarvr]

Fairly normal issue, I've taken them apart (if they come apart, some don't) and fixed things plus dried them out. It works, but the fogging will return.

If you plan to throw it away, just drill a small hole in the bottom and bring it into a heated area for a while, it will dry out. I have a nitrogen bottle and can fill them to help prevent fogging in the future, then I just put a little glue over the hole. At least with hole I can easily re-dry them anytime it's needed.

 

[Sea Rider]

Thanks for the feedback,

If you remove the baterry cover will see tiny special screws, will need an appropriate screwdriver to remove them, not at hand at this moment. If the unit has not been submerged as for LCD to show moisture that's only seen when unit is on while boating on a sunny day, why keeps doing so ? On non sunny days no moisture whatsoever.

Dried a digital camera with a bedside lamp, the ones using small light bulb placed at a distance so as to lightly warm your hand, some hours later the camera was back to life. Will try same procedure at both E-Trex sides. Don't like throwing into the blue gadgets with small issues that still work that can save yoir skin while boating on a horrible foggy day. Will post results.

Happy Boating

 

[ondarvr]

The problem with sealed (waterproof electronics and such) is that they never are, water eventually finds it's way inside. On cold days the water stay's in a liquid form in the lower part of the unit, when it warms up in the sun it turns to vapor, then rises up and condenses on the inside of the LCD screen. So it's always in there, just in different locations.

Drilling the small hole allows the moisture to actually escape, at least until more finds its way inside.