Garmin Instinct Solar Low Battery
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Garmin Instinct Solar Low Battery

Byrichard

Yesterday just as I was telling the Garmin Instinct to start tracking I noticed that I had 20 or less percent of battery left so I considered turning around, to swap to another device. I didn’t, and I just went for a 12km walk. During the walk I was more focused on keeping the watch face facing into the sun, to keep the sun powering the watch and it worked.


I really expected the watch to die. I had about 20 percent battery and that is what is used during a usual walk. I think that the strong sun, as well as me actively trying to keep my wrist facing into the sun helped give the watch enough power not to die.


First time


Usually I always keep my devices charged. As soon as I see them dip to 30 percent I usually charge them. In this case though, I didn’t, so I really depended on the sun to keep the device powered, and it worked.


The Alternate Plan


The alternative that I considered was to take off the watch, strap it to the back and have it count steps, rather than track the activity with the GPS and more. I know that in this mode the battery can last for weeks, when the sun is shining, as it is doing at the moment. With Solar watches, in theory, you never need to charge, them, especially if you use them as a step counter and nothing else.


Just Enough Power


I believe that the watch, with the sun we had yesterday, generates just enough power to keep itself running whilst tracking, with little left over, if anything for actual charging. It went from eight hours down to three hours but I suspect it would have died, if the weather had been overcast and if I had not kept the watch facing the sun.


I don’t recommend letting the battery get so low, I just carried out an experiment, since the opportunity presented itself. I was also tracking with the Apple watch on the other wrist so I would not have lost the track. It would just have taken more effort to keep things up to date.


And Finally


I need to get back to doing more interesting things. I’m walking around in circles, so although I track everything I do, it isn’t interesting to look at on a map, because these are walks I do regularly.

A Solar Powered Watch in Spain
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A Solar Powered Watch in Spain

Byrichard

A solar powered watch in Spain


If you were a solar powered watch would you prefer sunny Switzerland or sunny Spain? Luckily my watch has now tried both. The watch likes that you walk with your watch wrist facing the sun and the wrist without a watch to be on the shady side.


I know this is not an ordinary thing to think about but it is key to having a watch charge as you wear it. So are your sleeves. If your sleeves cover the watch then it will not charge either. There is even a sleeve mode for these watches. It tries to save power.


I tried strapping the watch to my bag but like a baby trying to sit up it falls flat on it’s face and does not charge. If you want to strap it to a bag find a way to keep it solar panel side up.


In the end I just held it in my hand on the sunny side, and tried to keep it facing the sun. I think that I managed to preserve the charge, but not to generate more power than I used.


The weather is still not summer weather. It is December weather in the north. On a summer day keeping the watch in the sun would be easy. I still managed to get 100 percent from the panel even just for short bursts at a time. I will keep playing and see how best to use it.