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RLT-510 will not illuminate without and active head unit connection

Much to my surprise, if a paired cyclometer isn't available (like a dead battery) there is apparently no way to get the RLT-510 to function as a simple dumb taillight. That seems like it would be an easy software fix for Garmin. Maybe triple tap the button or something to enable "independent" mode.

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0 aweatherall over 5 years ago

It should operate as a light without a paired head unit.

Just manually switch it on and scroll through the available light patterns using the on/off button.

0 bbrannon over 5 years ago in reply to aweatherall

Have you actually tried this. See if you can get it to stay on for 20 minutes in any light mode without being connected to a head unit and then please reply with how you accomplished it.

0 aweatherall over 5 years ago in reply to bbrannon

I've done it by just switching it on manually. The RTL is designed to run without a connection to head unit. It is a safety feature so that light stays on even if the head unit were to die during a night ride.

0 cheracogoff over 5 years ago in reply to bbrannon

I have tried this when I forgot my Edge and it works as aweatherall states. The ride was about two hours and the Varia stayed on the flashing mode.

0 bbrannon over 5 years ago in reply to cheracogoff

I was unable to get my light to stay on yesterday in solid or flashing mode when I forgot to bring my Edge. My buddy who was riding with me also has a radar and 1030. I wonder if the issue was that it was trying to pair and then stopped because it couldn't connect.

0 bbrannon over 5 years ago in reply to bbrannon

I'll have to try again with no other available head unit around

0 aweatherall over 5 years ago in reply to bbrannon

What software build is on the RTL?

+1 bbrannon over 5 years ago

Software is 3.7. Express says it is up to date.. After revisiting this several times I now have it working. I ended up resetting the RTL. On my Edge 1000 I previously had the RTL set to turn when the activity started. I'm not certain that that should matter but after resetting the RTL it I went into settings on my Edge 1000 and changed the RTL to turn on when the device is turned on. Now, with no Edge device turned on, when I turn the light on and tap/cycle once through the light options it will now stay on in both solid and flashing. For whatever reason it would not do that before. Glad it works.