Another Forerunner question

In article <[email hidden]>, Boris Repschinski

Quoted message said:

Just a question from Europe here: Is the charging unit for the forerunner from Garmin adaptable to
240 Volt currency? or just the american 110?

garmin.com only mentions the 110, US version as a replacement part. Their online store only ships to
the continental US, but you might email them at [email hidden] or write them at:

Garmin (Europe) Ltd. Unit 5, The Quadrangle Abbey Park Industrial Estate Romsey, SO51 9DL, U.K.

--
David Thompson

Re: Another Forerunner question

They are crappy vehicles, unsafe at any speed.

Thing though is, in the US the gadget is about half as expensive as it is in Europe, even when I
factor in duties etc. Online retailers here sell it for about 285 US$. So there is the reason for
the question. I might get a friend to bring it for me when he comes later this year for a visit.

BR

David Thompson schrieb:

Quoted message said:

In article said:

Just a question from Europe here: Is the charging unit for the forerunner from Garmin adaptable to
240 Volt currency? or just the american 110?

garmin.com only mentions the 110, US version as a replacement part. Their online store only ships
to the continental US, but you might email them at [email hidden] or write them at:

Garmin (Europe) Ltd. Unit 5, The Quadrangle Abbey Park Industrial Estate Romsey, SO51 9DL, U.K.

Boris Repschinski <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Just a question from Europe here: Is the charging unit for the forerunner from Garmin adaptable to
240 Volt currency? or just the american 110?

Thanks in advance for the information

BR

I live in Australia and imported the Forerunner. Our power supply here is also 240V. As far as I am
aware the Forerunner is only available with a charger/plugpack requiring 110V.

I bought a stepdown-transformer locally. This cost about US$38 (AUS$50). Available from most
electronics stores. It converts the local 240V to the required 110V or so. Works fine! The
Forerunner plugpack just plugs straight into the transformer.

Another option would be to replace the Forerunner plugpack, which has 5V DC output, with another
locally made plug pack designed for use with 240V, but also putting out 5V DC. However I figured
this might get messy and would require cutting up the Forerunner cable that goes to the cradle etc.
Wouldn't save much money either, compared to using a transformer.

As with you, I worked out the Forerunner would be much cheaper if I imported it. However, it isn't
even sold here (yet) - but when it is, I'm sure it will be quite expensive, like other Garmin
products here.

Hope the above helps!

Cheers, Nicholas

Thanks, Nicholas, for your detailed answer. So will try the stepdown transformer, otherwise play
around a bit with soldering sth myself.

Wish I could run a bit in Australia right now -- here it is so darn cold now 🙂 But we have some
nice alternatives here too: Run up a mountain in the snow and then ski down, gives you a good
workout too.

Boris

Nicholas schrieb:

Quoted message said:

I live in Australia and imported the Forerunner. Our power supply here is also 240V. As far as I
am aware the Forerunner is only available with a charger/plugpack requiring 110V.

I bought a stepdown-transformer locally. This cost about US$38 (AUS$50). Available from most
electronics stores. It converts the local 240V to the required 110V or so. Works fine! The
Forerunner plugpack just plugs straight into the transformer.

Another option would be to replace the Forerunner plugpack, which has 5V DC output, with another
locally made plug pack designed for use with 240V, but also putting out 5V DC. However I figured
this might get messy and would require cutting up the Forerunner cable that goes to the cradle
etc. Wouldn't save much money either, compared to using a transformer.

As with you, I worked out the Forerunner would be much cheaper if I imported it. However, it isn't
even sold here (yet) - but when it is, I'm sure it will be quite expensive, like other Garmin
products here.

Hope the above helps!

Cheers, Nicholas