EDGE830: Elevation drift and inaccuracy

Ok, so ... today I tested the downgrade 8.10 firmware on my Edge 830 and....:

1. Elevation reading was bad,... as bad as with 8.20 firmware. So I assume my problem is related to either a problem in the barometric sensor or a clogged/obstructed barometric port/reading. 
2. Sensor drop-out did not happen ... almost. 2 hours into the ride, I had only once a full sensor dropout (HR monitor ANT+, Powermeter (on BLE) and light ANT+). I heard the all-familiar round of beeps as all sensors where reconnecting after the dropout. 

I consider the sensor drop-out problem less severe in this firmware (in 8.20 it happens more often, I think).

So downgrade was not a solution, but I will keep 8.10 a little longer and see. 

massarob

It seems rolling back to firmware 8.10 solved your problem on elevation issues? Wish I had the same luck,... but I don't. few more activities later on 8.10, my elevation readings are awful. 

..... downgrade was not a solution.... after some test on the weekend the the elevation drift still inaccuracy.

I think I'll call Garmin assistance and feel what they tell me. With the elevation data that records is a useless tool. It is good only as a speedometer

ikerarri: not perfect (~ +/- 50m error over 1000m) but way better than before with 8.00 or 8.20

Ok, so I got a solution finally,…at least worked today. On today’s ride the elevation readings were correct. How did I get to solve it?

Here is the story. I wanted to test if the barometric sensor was functioning or not. So I got myself one of those vacuum food storage box/containers. The type of food box you can create vacuum by pumping the air out of the box.

I put the Edge 830 in the vacuum food box, with the USB port open, active in the elevation/altitude screen, closed the box. The reading was quite accurate at 15m above sea level (we live by the coast). And then started to pump air out, reduce the pressure in the box, create vacuum…. My aim was to see if the pressure variations were sensed by the barometer sensor. And they were: altitude reading went up, lower pressure=higher altitude. I followed till altitud/elevation reading was 8500+ meters, even 9.000m … I climbed the Everest XD. And then I released vacuum, opened de box.

Happy to see the barometric sensor responding to pressure variation, I cycled a couple of times this 0-vacuum-0 pressure cycle, quickly.  Restarted the Edge 830, went for a bike ride and the elevation readings were good this time.

I assume that the pressure cycling helped the barometric sensor free of “something” that could be affecting its readings.  

Will see if this is just a temporary lucky fix or permanent one. Will report  

P.D.: In any case, I do not know if doing this causes any damage to the device or sensor... I assume it doesn't because you can climb the everest with the Edge 830, right? Anyhow, proceed with care and at your own risk.

ikerarri said:

is just a temporary lucky fix or permanent one. Will report

any news? :)

I got my edge 830 replaced by Garmin and immediately re-installed the 8.20 firmware. The problems are gone so I think the issues we are all experiencing are due to some kind of hardware malfunction, probably related to the barometric sensors (or anything that measures the slope and elevation gain). Maybe this has to do with bad waterproofing of the 830 ...

Yep!

I am keeping firmware 8.10 (better elevation calculation and fewer sensor dropouts) and the barometer seems to be working better. Although, under rain, the elevation readings are not reliable. 

I recommend the fix. Or, ar least, to give it a try