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Montana 700i/750i AAA Battery Pack???

natecollins
over 2 years ago

Is there no AAA battery pack for the 700i?  I see the 700 pack readily available however it clearly states that it is NOT compatible with the 700i/750i units.  These units are over a year old and it seems to be quite an oversight that there's no reference to a AAA battery pack for them. 

There's also a dearth of other useful accessories such as a belt clip or carabiner or case or stand-alone battery pack charger.

Does Garmin expect the aftermarket to fill the gaps?

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    You will never see a (working) AAA battery pack for the 7x0i. As I understand it, the iR modem needs more power (peak power, at least) than a AAA pack can provide. Has to be a Li-Ion pack. It's not a matter of "Garmin doesn't want to", it's a matter of "it won't work."

    With regard to belt clip or 'biner, I am pretty sure that Garmin views this device as an automotive device. Yeah, I know - not much use for iR in my car. Still, the size, weight, and availability of the car mount (and motorcycle mount and rugged mount) all point in that direction. The device lacks the spine necessary for standard Garmin belt attachments. There is a hole for a lanyard, but that's about it. This may have something to do with the rear-mounted battery. Probably don't want the weight of this boat anchor supported by the battery contacts.

    There are a variety of third-party cases for the Montana 7x0i. There is one from GizmoVest. I have not used the one for the 7x0i, but I have had really good luck with GizmoVest cases for other units.

    I am not aware of any charging sleds for the Li-Ion pack. AFAIK, the battery can only be charged in the unit. This is not to say that they don't exist - just that I don't know of any.