# recording a 24 hr ride



## gjcurrie (24 May 2020)

hi all
I am wondering how to record a 24 hr ride I use a wahoo element which has a battery runtime of 15 hrs[i think].
does anyone know if the elements runtime can be extended if a cache battery is connected while recording.


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## steveindenmark (28 May 2020)

I carry a small cache battery with me and plug it in when I stop for a coffee break. It does not take long to top the Wahoo Bolt up. There is no reason you cannot ride with it plugged in,. I will let you know the size of the battery when I get home. Its a bit bigger than a lipstick. You would not need anything bigger.


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## DCLane (28 May 2020)

I use a Garmin 200 over long rides - a small AA battery charger works fine when it's plugged in. Mine sits in a top tube bag which has food/money in.


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## Dogtrousers (28 May 2020)

I use a USB power pack to top up the charge when stopped. I'm assuming you will have rest/meal stops. I did experiment with a long usb cable from my rack bag to my bars but the rather old Garmin I was using at the time wouldn't play ball. And it looked a right mess.

I also have an older AA powered Garmin in my bag as a backup as these last for a looooong time.

Can't help on the Wahoo specifics I'm afraid.


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## ColinJ (28 May 2020)

My ancient Garmin Etrex (c 2006) will last more than 24 hours on one pair of AA batteries so I never need to change/charge batteries mid-ride. 

Sorry, I very rarely have to change batteries - I had a NiMH battery suddenly fail last year and had to find a shop selling Duracells. 

If I wanted to run my other Garmin (Edge 500) for 24 hours I would top up from my 1,000 mAH powerpack during stops.


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## wajc (29 May 2020)

gjcurrie said:


> hi all
> I am wondering how to record a 24 hr ride I use a wahoo element which has a battery runtime of 15 hrs[i think].
> does anyone know if the elements runtime can be extended if a cache battery is connected while recording.



The answer to that is yes it can.

Wahoo Elemnt Battery Help and Tips


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## Ajax Bay (23 Jul 2020)

ColinJ said:


> If I wanted to run my other Garmin (Edge 500) for 24 hours I would top up from my 1,000 mAH powerpack during stops.


Colin - I assume you use a specific lead for this so that the Garmin can keep running while being charged 'during stops'.
A USB “On The Go” (OTG) lead?
For rides longer than the 500's battery life - about 15 hours (this got me to Tinténiac) - I have previously tried to get some charge in at stops. But I stop the recording to do so. I'd like to keep it running so it shows the whole rides elapsed time.


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## ColinJ (23 Jul 2020)

Ajax Bay said:


> Colin - I assume you use a specific lead for this so that the Garmin can keep running while being charged 'during stops'.
> A USB “On The Go” (OTG) lead?
> For rides longer than the 500's battery life - about 15 hours (this got me to Tinténiac) - I have previously tried to get some charge in at stops. But I stop the recording to do so. I'd like to keep it running so it shows the whole rides elapsed time.


Oh, I had never thought about details like that! I had it run out of juice towards the end of a 200 km Cheshire forum ride. I wasn't bothered by the timing, but I would have liked to have logged the actual riding. I was thinking that I could have got enough power back into it at our cafe stops at which times I had it switched off anyway.


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## ianrauk (23 Jul 2020)

Garmin 500's you cant charge on the go. It was a right pain in the arse when doing long rides.


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## ColinJ (23 Jul 2020)

Apparently, @Ajax Bay is right and @ianrauk is wrong - read THIS!


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## wajc (23 Jul 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Presumably the 500 is one of those older Garmins that can't walk and chew gum at the same time, or in





ianrauk said:


> Garmin 500's you cant charge on the go. It was a right pain in the arse when doing long rides.



I have a Garmin 500 and can confirm that you can charge on the go using an OTG such as this and is exactly what I do

OTG mini USB cable

and generally you'll need a male to male USB as well to connect from the above lead to your powerbank.


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## ianrauk (23 Jul 2020)

ColinJ said:


> Apparently, @Ajax Bay is right and @ianrauk is wrong - read THIS!


Well you didn't know either. You live and learn and all that.


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## Ajax Bay (23 Jul 2020)

wajc said:


> I have a Garmin 500 and can confirm that you can charge on the go using an OTG such as this and is exactly what I do
> OTG mini USB cable
> and . . . you'll need a male to male USB as well to connect from the above lead to your powerbank.


Before last year's Easter Arrow I procured a OTG miniUSB cable and the male/male connector - duct-taping the two items together. It's not sensible to try to have this running while riding along, even in the dry, as you will do your miniUSB socket in the 500 no good at all, even if it stays plugged in. I tried to use this lead and a powerbank at a stop (having tested it successfully in the calm of the kitchen beforehand), and it will do the business (without stopping the recording of the ride) but the slightest wiggle and it says 'power lost' and then switches off. Meanwhile you're inside eating and drinking oblivious to the non-charging outside: the Garmin is not getting charged AND it's switched itself off: so the rest of the ride offers arithmetical exertion (274 plus . . .).


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## wajc (23 Jul 2020)

Ajax Bay said:


> Before last year's Easter Arrow I procured a OTG miniUSB cable and the male/male connector - duct-taping the two items together. It's not sensible to try to have this running while riding along, even in the dry, as you will do your miniUSB socket in the 500 no good at all, even if it stays plugged in. I tried to use this lead and a powerbank at a stop (having tested it successfully in the calm of the kitchen beforehand), and it will do the business (without stopping the recording of the ride) but the slightest wiggle and it says 'power lost' and then switches off. Meanwhile you're inside eating and drinking oblivious to the non-charging outside: the Garmin is not getting charged AND it's switched itself off: so the rest of the ride offers arithmetical exertion (274 plus . . .).



Agreed, my experiences are comparable to yours. I tend to use the OTG charging whilst moving on the bike only as a last resort (basically when I don't want to stop riding) because of the potential stress on the 500 socket. 

However when I have done this and the 'EXT power lost' message has appeared, for example when going over a bump, my 500 keeps on recording - it does not switch off. I just give the lead a bit of a wiggle and the little square reappears on the display to show that I'm on external power and charging again. This can happen numerous times with no issue.

Once I've got enough charge back into it to get me to the ride end or next stop I'll remove the lead. Charging even if intermittent doesn't take too long as it's a fairly small battery in the Garmin (700mA).


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## ColinJ (23 Jul 2020)

I was given a used Edge 500 by my cousin when he bought himself a Wahoo. I found that several of my cables were loose in its USB socket and I would have to wiggle them about to get them to connect. As @Ajax Bay suggests above, it probably isn't a good idea to rely on having a cable connected while riding.


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## mjr (23 Jul 2020)

I was fairly sure that a USB OTG cable was about connecting using a tablet's mini USB socket as if it was a full size one (so irrelevant on this like Garmin computers that don't control USB devices) and nothing to do with charging but several of you seem to be saying it is so I'm doubting myself now!


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## wajc (24 Jul 2020)

mjr said:


> I was fairly sure that a USB OTG cable was about connecting using a tablet's mini USB socket as if it was a full size one (so irrelevant on this like Garmin computers that don't control USB devices) and nothing to do with charging but several of you seem to be saying it is so I'm doubting myself now!



If you want to charge a Garmin 500 then you definitely need an OTG USB cable if you want to charge and record at the same time. 

Plugging in a standard USB cable and connecting to a power bank when the Garmin 500 is recording results in the Garmin 500 entering charge mode only. Remove the cable and it powers off.

I've seen this topic discussed several times on various websites and forums and this particular 'feature' does seem to be restricted to the Garmin 500. I've heard many people offerring the 'useful' info that a standard cable works with their Garmin - which might be a 530/800/830 or whatever other version they have.


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Jul 2020)

Get an eTrex then don’t worry about battery life for trifling short rides such as 24 hours.🤪


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## ColinJ (24 Jul 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> Get an eTrex then don’t worry about battery life for trifling short rides such as 24 hours.🤪


I've got one, and I agree!

I use the Etrex for navigation, and my Edge 500 as a glorified bike computer.


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## Phaeton (24 Jul 2020)

wajc said:


> OTG USB cable


It's this forum wonderful, I have been involved in computers 35 years & never heard of one of those before, I should add I've just Googled it & I'm none the wiser


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## Ajax Bay (24 Jul 2020)

wajc said:


> If you want to charge a Garmin 500 then you definitely need an OTG USB cable if you want to charge and record at the same time.
> Plugging in a standard USB cable and connecting to a power bank when the Garmin 500 is recording results in the Garmin 500 entering charge mode only. Remove the cable and it powers off.


Authoritive statement ^^^
An OTG mini-USB cable and a male/male connector - duct-taping the two items together:





In retrospect I would have got a slightly longer cable (this one is 10cm).


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