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A Different G5 Battery Issue

andoman

Well Known Member
Ive read all that I can ref the G5 Battery saga.
I have an issue that I haven't seen described before.
Its a new unit (not subject to recall) with current software and the most current battery version.
What follows is a brief description and the response from Garmin G3Expert support:
-On first install and power up it was at 80% and showed charging. almost immediately indicated 100%. Fully charged.
-upon removing buss power, it was back to 80%
-I discharged it down to 60%. Upon applying buss power, it indicated charging and at 70% it jumped to 100%. Removed buss power and it showed 70%.
-after a few cycles of this it will now stop charging and show 100% charged when at only 60% charge.
-The system reports the battery health as 100% battery life available.
-I downloaded a data log file from one of my discharge/charge cycles and sent it to G3Expert support at Garmin.
Their Response: "This is a software issue and we hope to have it resolved in the next G5 software update. I don't know yet when that will be."

Sooo... not a unit issue (where it all started), not a battery issue (where it ended up), now a software issue...

Anyone else seen this "software" issue? I'm suspicious since this didn't immediately rear its ugly head in the community when the new software version was released last January.
In other words: I feel my issue is being conveniently dismissed by Garmin...
 
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G5

I have a G5 that IS subject to the recall. I have had absolutely NO issues with it. Reading about the ongoing issues, I am hesitant to swap it out for a new one.

Anyone else in this situation?
 
G5 recall

Since the G5 involves an experimental version Garmin will send you a new one then you can swap out and return using the same packaging. They will charge you a deposit on your CC but gets refunded when you send your defective unit back. Yes, having the same battery indicator charge issue.
 
Yes

Yes, I have the RMA and am ready to swap it out...my concern is that I swap out the one I have, which has exhibited NO problems, and replace it with a new one that MAY have problems...
 
Andoman,

Any update on this? We have the exact same issue with our new units from Garmin from the recall?
Our avionics shop is even scratching their heads….
 
I replied to your PM. Thanks for sharing your experience.
A copy of my reply follows:

No resolution.
It has stopped charging and shows full at battery percentages anywhere from 60-90%. It has never indicated 100% charged.
I seems the software is unable to accurately see the battery voltage as it takes a charge; unable to consistently determine when to stop charging.
Knowing what little I do about batteries I’m guessing that the variation is affected by temperature.
I’ve been spending a lot of time programming the G3X. So I have lots of time running on battery power, or a power supply, as well as testing my system’s backup batteries.
If I had just been flying the plane and only been on the G5’s backup battery for a few seconds at shutdown it wouldn’t have been as obvious.
 
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G5 battery issue

I have a recently fixed G5 (From the recall earlier in the year) That does not seem to be charging. I power off the units a couple seconds after shut-down, so it was not on battery power that long. After it got down to 90% decided to leave it go through the 45 second shut-down and after 9 or 10 flights down to 80%. Thought maybe the new software update (9.12) might fix it but no joy. Have not called Garmin as yet. Maybe G3 Expert will pipe in.
 
After being told it was a software issue I got an unexpected email from G3X support yesterday. It I was told that the issue should have been fixed with the 8.00 software update and to send in my battery for warranty exchange.
dmattmul: Does it show charging when on buss power but it’s not actually charging?
Or is it showing 100% charged but as soon as buss power is removed then it jumps down to something significantly lower than 100%?
This is the behavior I’m seeing.
I’ll report back when I get my new battery.
 
Battery indication

It's posted on the Garmin sight by serial number.

Attached are the relevant pics. When I turn it on via the main power bus it shows low 80"s but within 15 secs shows the battery is 100%. When I turn off the indication goes back to low 80's immediately. This sure "feels" like a software issue but who knows?

I'm guessing Garmin software engineers are a little busy right now. I e-mailed Gamin last night and to date not heard anything.
 

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Yep, that's the exact phenomenon that I've experienced. The percentage that it jumps to 100% varies from 60-80%
Again, I've been programming the G3X and testing the backup battery functions on my G3X, G5, and SDS systems. So I've been watching the G5 issue play out at many different charge levels during the discharge and charge cycles.
 
Battery swap

Just received an e-mail from Garmin. They want to perform a warranty swap. I give Garmin credit they are trying to resolve the issue.
 
Replacement battery

The replacement battery Garmin sent does now appear to be charging when the bus is energized. A little surprised the battery that was sent to me had 15% charge left and dated July 2022. It did charge after install to 35%. The previous replaced battery would not take a charge at all. Time will tell.
 
Received my new battery yesterday. I, too was surprised at the low state of charge: 10%. It was also manufactured last summer.
Mine also appears to be working normally. Or, at least, working differently in a good way.
-It now reliably charges up to 98% before indicating 100%. When pulling buss power it reliably shows the same 98% as it starts to discharge.
-The remaining power in hours and mins. counts down at a more consistent pace. The old battery would count down rapidly for the first several mins. It started out showing 5+ hours then after 5 mins. showed about 2+30 hours.
-It seems to take longer to charge and it appears to count up constantly over the charge cycle.
I'm optimistic!
 
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