Dismantling the Nüvi 3xx series.

 

While strolling across a Sheraton hotel's car park, I discovered that I was holding my Nüvi 310 upside-down, in its leather-look Garmin case. Gravity being what it is, the Nüvi slipped out of the case and connected perfectly with my left foot ...

It then did a 20ft trip along the ground - and ended up somewhat battered, but amazingly, still working. Since it is now cosmetically-challenged, I thought this was a good opportunity, to find out how the thing is held together.

I took some pictures of the innards, which can be found here

--
------------------------ Phil Hornby, Stockport, England ----------------------               http://GeePeeEx.com - Garmin POI Creation made easy           »      

My what a nice manicure...

wink

--
It is terrible to speak well and be wrong. -Sophocles snɥɔnıɥdoɐ aka ʎɹɐƃ

That was great

That was great, thanks! Now I know that I am going to screw up my GPSr when I try to take the battery out...lol.

--
Charley - Nuvi 350 - Bel STI Driver - Cobra 29 w/ wilson 1000 - AIM: asianfire -

A What?

Just where does one find a 'mobile phone opening tool?'

--
Tampa, FL - Garmin nüvi 660 (Software Ver 4.90), 2021.20 CN NA NT maps | Magellan Meridian Gold

What I want to know is...

...did you get it back together again so nice and easily? And more importantly, does it still work? I remember dismembering electronic gadgetry as a child. It was the latter half of the equation which challenged me.

--
Nuvi 350, GPS Map 76CX

At he mobile phone opening tool store....

Gary A wrote:

Just where does one find a 'mobile phone opening tool?'

wink

arrow http://www.huahongnet.com/mobile_phone_repair_tool.htm

arrow http://ucables.com/siemens-c98

--
It is terrible to speak well and be wrong. -Sophocles snɥɔnıɥdoɐ aka ʎɹɐƃ

.

Gary A wrote:

Just where does one find a 'mobile phone opening tool?'

China smile ... via Ebay!

arrow http://cgi.ebay.com/Repair-Opening-Tools-T5-T6-for-iPhone-Ce...

GC0110 wrote:

...did you get it back together again so nice and easily? And more importantly, does it still work?

...Eventually grin I reassembled it all and found I'd forgotten to put the Philips screw back through the PCB...so I had to take it all apart again! At that point both LCD ribbon cables came off. I found that reciting a few choice Anglo-Saxon phrases helped them go back on...

--
------------------------ Phil Hornby, Stockport, England ----------------------               http://GeePeeEx.com - Garmin POI Creation made easy           »      

Few choice words

Hornbyp wrote:
Gary A wrote:

Just where does one find a 'mobile phone opening tool?'

China smile ... via Ebay!

arrow http://cgi.ebay.com/Repair-Opening-Tools-T5-T6-for-iPhone-Ce...

GC0110 wrote:

...did you get it back together again so nice and easily? And more importantly, does it still work?

...Eventually grin I reassembled it all and found I'd forgotten to put the Philips screw back through the PCB...so I had to take it all apart again! At that point both LCD ribbon cables came off. I found that reciting a few choice Anglo-Saxon phrases helped them go back on...

I bet it wasnt geeesh, golly, darn. dadburn it. smile

--
Jerry...Jacksonville,Fl Nüvi1450,Nuvi650,Nuvi 2495 and Mapsource.

Great Pics

I never have the patients to take photos as I'm disassembling. I usually pay the price. smile

Thanks for sharing.

--
Computers are useless. They can only give you answers. - Pablo Picasso (Bob - Garmin c530, eTrex Vista HCx)

Thanks for the great info.

Thanks for the great info. Might come handy in the future.

--
nuvi 2460LMT

All units with this form factor...

Seems all units with this form factor (nuvi 3xx) have probably the same or similar way to take apart.

--
The only things you regret in life are the chances you never take.

Anglo-Saxon phrases

Being a retired Sailor, I bet I could help you with some NEW rich anglo-saxon phrases and other phrases.

--
Mark - Nuvi 265T NUVI 50LM

thanks

thanks for the pictures and info, although I hope I never have to dismantle my Nuvi.

Silly Me

bsp131 wrote:

thanks for the pictures and info, although I hope I never have to dismantle my Nuvi.

'At the moblie phone opening tool store,' of course, silly me, how did I not see that one coming. I led with my chin again. mrgreen

The most common reason I can think of to take a GPS apart is to replace the battery when it stops holding a charge, but how often does that happen?

--
Tampa, FL - Garmin nüvi 660 (Software Ver 4.90), 2021.20 CN NA NT maps | Magellan Meridian Gold

Did anyone fine a battery like this one?

I could not. So I guess it is going to be the guessing game if there is no way to find it on the market.

I know we can substitute with similar, even not the same size, but with similar parameters though.

--
The only things you regret in life are the chances you never take.

There's a tool for that?!!!

Most of my electronic gear have the tell tale signs of being pried apart with a flat bladed screwdriver. LOL

Guess I'll spring for the $1.98 (+ s & h ) and pick up a kit. My next problem is deciding what to take apart next. Won't be my NUVI, it's too new.

--
Larry ... Garmin Nuvi 650

dismantle

thanks for the pics

--

Close, but no cigar..

etzvetanov wrote:

Did anyone find a battery like this one - I could not.

I found the next size up - apparently intended for the Nüvi 6xx series. At least one supplier reckons it fits the 3xx as well.

arrow http://www.batteryship.com/htmlos/htmlos.cgi/batteryship/cat...

arrow http://cgi.ebay.com/BATTERY-f-Garmin-Nuvi-300-310-310T-350-3...

arrow http://www.gpsforless.co.uk/product_details.php?id=11272

--
------------------------ Phil Hornby, Stockport, England ----------------------               http://GeePeeEx.com - Garmin POI Creation made easy           »      

Radioshack http://www.radiosh

Radioshack
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=297027...

$29.99, there are cheaper ones (~$20) for the Nuvi 3x0 from other vendors that I've seen, just don't have time to search again right now.

Close, but no cigar..

Thanks Phil,

BTW I'm fan of Queen too wink

--
The only things you regret in life are the chances you never take.

Radioshack http://www.radiosh...

Now that's a surprise...

I actually checked a few months ago on the phone and they said they don't know and they don't have such a thing... At the time I just asked for "battery for Garmin nuvi 350", but I did not know the designation.

--
The only things you regret in life are the chances you never take.

Disassembly

That is great documentation. I was not looking forward to sending my unit to Garmin for a battery replacement and now I don't have to. I am constantly amazed at what is available on the internet. How did we ever do without it?

Should be added to FAQ's

Phil,
Very nice tutorial, great job documenting with your photos. Most Nuvi's probably come apart just like what you have shown.

Miss POI, If you would Please take note of this fine well done tutorial and place it with the other FAQ's.
Phil does such a good job with his plain, simple and easy to follow documentation. and this one needs to be framed.

Bob

--
Using Android Based GPS.The above post and my sig reflects my own opinions, expressed for the purpose of informing or inspiring, not commanding. Naturally, you are free to reject or embrace whatever you read.

Yes Sir

dog_poop wrote:

Phil,
Very nice tutorial, great job documenting with your photos. Most Nuvi's probably come apart just like what you have shown.

Miss POI, If you would Please take note of this fine well done tutorial and place it with the other FAQ's.
Phil does such a good job with his plain, simple and easy to follow documentation. and this one needs to be framed.

Bob

I will make it happen;)

Miss POI

fine print

miss poi wrote:
dog_poop wrote:

Phil,
Very nice tutorial, great job documenting with your photos. Most Nuvi's probably come apart just like what you have shown.

Miss POI, If you would Please take note of this fine well done tutorial and place it with the other FAQ's.
Phil does such a good job with his plain, simple and easy to follow documentation. and this one needs to be framed.

Bob

I will make it happen;)

Miss POI

Some users can even seem to master sending POIs to their unit let alone disassembling a unit and getting it to work again, In the victim society that we live I advice you put a BIG disclaimer.

--
Garmin 38 - Magellan Gold - Garmin Yellow eTrex - Nuvi 260 - Nuvi 2460LMT - Google Nexus 7 - Toyota Entune NAV

Agree

I agree with the above post. There seem to be quite a few people on this site who are not capable of taking care of themselves. If you put a "How To Disassemble Your Garmin" thread on the FAQs, you are just asking for trouble.

Anyone technically proficient enough to disassemble their Garmin should be able to locate the thread through a simple search.

P.S. - if you are going to include the thread in the FAQs, at least put a warning that disassembling your Garmin will void the warranty.

but...

The thread's entitled "Dismantling the Nüvi 3xx series".

No mention of re-assembling it afterwards. I leave that as an exercise for the student. wink

--
------------------------ Phil Hornby, Stockport, England ----------------------               http://GeePeeEx.com - Garmin POI Creation made easy           »      

...

aophiuchus wrote:

At the mobile phone opening tool store....

Great, one just opened up down the street from me last week!
And I was trying to figure out what they sold in there too.

Bill

Left over parts count?

Hornbyp wrote:

The thread's entitled "Dismantling the Nüvi 3xx series".

No mention of re-assembling it afterwards. I leave that as an exercise for the student. wink

grin I didn't see a left over parts count...

--
JRoz -- DriveSmart 55 & Traffic

parts...

One of my favourite sayings, is

"If you take something apart often enough, eventually you'll have enough pieces left over to make a whole new one" smile

--
------------------------ Phil Hornby, Stockport, England ----------------------               http://GeePeeEx.com - Garmin POI Creation made easy           »      

Sounds to me as...

Hornbyp wrote:

One of my favourite sayings, is

"If you take something apart often enough, eventually you'll have enough pieces left over to make a whole new one" smile

... the saying "If you have an infinite number of type writers and an infinite number of chimps eventually one of them is bound to write a Shakespearean sonnet".

--
The only things you regret in life are the chances you never take.

Battery Source

etzvetanov wrote:

I could not. So I guess it is going to be the guessing game if there is no way to find it on the market.

I know we can substitute with similar, even not the same size, but with similar parameters though.

You might also contact these folks. They seem to have all kinds of odd batteries:

http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp

--
GPSMAP 76CSx - nüvi 760 - nüvi 200 - GPSMAP 78S

you're great!!!

thanks for the pics!

One word . . .

One word . . . "BRILLIANT"
Thank you !