Seidio G2500 Powered Mount Problems

[VideoImpression]

Having owned the Garmin Car kit for about 9 months or so, I eyed the Seidio G2500 Powered Mount as being more flexible and quite possibly then a better option. I received it in the mail yesterday. However, I am quite upset and dismayed with my order for two reasons:

1) The amplified speaker in the G2500 now is supposed to work without having to plug in the headset connection on the iQue 3600. According to Seidio's web site page where the G2500 is advertised, "For the current version no audio cable is needed just simply slide your iQue into the cradle and it is ready." Well, folks, this ain't so--it will NOT work unless the audio cable is connected both to the G2500 and the IQue 3600!!

2) My iQue 3600 felt QUITE warm after in the G2500 cradle for about 20-25 minutes this morning! Is this normal? I do not recall it ever being this warm after charging in the cradle connected to my computer OR with the Garmin Car kit!! Can anyone comment on this observance??

My immediate thoughts (since the windshield pedestal solution is better than the Garmin beanbag mounting system and barring the problems I otherwise like the Seidio method) are to call Seidio and immediately demand they overnight a new unit (a "Current" model that does not require the audio cable connection--do I hear "bait and switch"? PLUS this potential overheating/overcharging issue!).

However, I wanted to bounce this off of all my fellow iQue 3600 users who have more experience with Seidio equipment and employees before I blow off possibly useless and unneeded steam against them. I plan to leave for vacation on Sunday, and REALLY wanted to use the G2500 for my trip, but even though I COULD use the audio connection (no big whoop, excepting that I paid for a NEW UNIT!!) I am leery about this heat that I feel may be the battery overcharging!

So, friends, all that I can say to you at this point is: HELP!!!!!!!!

Thanks in advance!!

[metradio]

I recently purchased a Seidio 2500 from Seidio Europe, on receipt I soon found out that it required the audio lead to operate correctly.. After sending them an email this was the reply I got:..

Dear Customer,

The G2500 mount that we shipped to you is the version we had in our Europe warehouse.

We have developed a new version of the Garmin iQUE 3600 G2500 mount but we don´t have here yet. The functionality of both version is the same.
If you want, we can exchange it once we receive the new version in our Europe warehouse. If the cradle that you received is working well and you want to keep it, you can keep it

Please, let us know what you prefer.

We are very sorry for the inconvenience.

Best regards,

SEIDIO-EUROPE

I replied that I would prefer the new version - they replied:

Dear Customer,

We don´t have the new version of Garmin iQUE in our Europe warehouse yet, but as soon as we receive it we will ship it to you.
It may take 1 or 2 weeks.

Best regards,

SEIDIO-EUROPE

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OK, so maybe that's what I will do--tell them to replace it when they get new ones in, if they don't already have them in stock to ship overnight ASAP!!

Now, about problem #2, regarding what appears to be a warmer than normal iQue when in the G2500 for a period of time??!!

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Hello??!!

I REALLY would appreciate any feedback anyone else can offer here regarding this problem before I call Seidio this morning, so if you have any experience with Seidio or its G2500 I really WOULD appreciate your posting ASAP!

Again, thanks in advance!!

[apersson850]

The only thing I can say, in this matter, is that I use the Garmin automotive cradle, and it hasn't caused me any problems so far.

[isoterra]

I wouldn't worry too much about the warmth. The heat is being dissipated from the voltage regulator inside the G2500 and is warming the iQue through the wall of the mount. While "cooler is better", I haven't been too worried about my unit. (Nothing is over-charging -- the Seidio puts out a regulated +5V just like it should.)

If I were you, I would get Seidio to send me the new unit when they get it in stock and just use the one you have until then. One less cable is one less cable...

FWIW, I have recently contacted Seidio about replacing the suction cup for my mount. It appears to have stretched to the point that "locking cam" that is supposed to pull on the cup to generate a useful vacuum no longer has any effect. It's been 36 hours now without a reply to my email. Not sure if that is a bad sign.

Overall I've been satisfied with the G2500. I was a little disappointed in the construction quality given the cost of the thing, but it still serves my needs better than the alternatives.

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Thank you, thank you, thank you all!! I am about to call Seidio, and will keep you posted on the results!!

[reinbeau]

Originally posted by VideoImpression
Now, about problem #2, regarding what appears to be a warmer than normal iQue when in the G2500 for a period of time??!! My iQue always feels warm after sitting in the charger for a period of time, both here in the office, where I use a Palm M500 series cradle, at home, where I use the Garmin cradle, or in the car, in the Garmin auto kit.

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OK, friends, here is what has transpired:

I spoke with a very nice Customer Service Rep at Seidio (Margaret), who looked into it and admitted that I SHOULD have been sent the newer G2500 mount that DOES NOT require the audio cable to pass audio to the self powered amplified speaker. Given my choice of a $5 credit or the correct, newer mount, I chose the latter because I am concerned that any connection that constantly is pulled on will wear quicker. They will expedite (e.g. today ship ASAP another mount via Priority Mail, expected in 3-4 days, hopefully in time for my vacation commencing on Independence Day). Furthermore, I do not have to send back the mount currently in my possession UNTIL I am in receipt of the new one and have checked it out! Excellent Customer Service, if you ask me!!

On the other hand, she confirmed that they are aware of the heat generated when the iQue is in their mount, and she reported to me that they consider this normal and have had no iQue 3600 fatalities or problems caused by the heat generated!

Thanks again to all who have participated in this dialog, and if anyone else has anything to say about it I am all ears!!!

[Last Mrk]

I have a Seidio and a Garmin auto/nav, one in each car. When Seidio upgraded so a separate cable is not necessary, I e-mailed them about upgrading. It had only been a couple weeks so I thought I might get a break.

They gave me a price of $18.95 plus my old one in exchange & I pay shipping both ways. I decided it wasn't worth the added expense.

The Seidio is a nice unit and the sound actually is a bit better than the Garmin IMHO. The warminig of the unit is about the same in each while charging.

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Well, friends, believe it or not my Seidio G2500 Mount DEFINITELY is defective, and it IS causing my 1Que 3600 to overheat!! Coming home from work this afternoon, the 3600 not only felt extremely hot to the touch (especially on the backside), but shut itself off after about 20 minutes in the G2500 cradle. I needed a soft reset to revive it, put it back into the G2500 cradle and lo and behold within a minute it shut off again and needed yet ANOTHER soft reset to turn it on--AND IT WAS HOTTER THAN EVER, NOT JUST WARM, FOLKS!! I already have E-mailed Seidio about this, and as stated before a new ("no need to plug in an audio cord" model) should be on its way as I write this!! How do I know something is fishy here? Because my 3600 has been chargin in the cradle next to my computer for the last 15 minutes and just feels lukewarm!! I trust that the G2500 has not done any damage to my 3600, for as I originally thought it appears that it WAS overcharging!! If not, why the EXCESSIVE heat on back and why the spontaneous shutdowns (which RARELY happens!!)??!!

[ssing]

According to this article, heat can permanently damage the Li-Ion battery in your IQue.

See figure1 in the article below:

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

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After now having my iQue in the desktop charger (connected to my PC) for about 4 hours, it remains fully charged yet cool to the touch! The Seidio G2500 DEFINITELY was heating it up excessively, and those of you whose iQues exhibit any excessive warmth when in any type of cradle, well...look out!!

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To further corroborate these findings, I let the battery discharge to about 10%, wherein the requestor box suggested I charge up my iQue. Four hours later (and from a idscharged battery, I might add), my iQue STILL is room temperature AND YES, it has and is accepting a charge!! So whose units, then, are getting overly warm when charging? Has Garmin been notified??

[isoterra]

In my case the warmth is quite clearly coming from power circuit in the G2500. It is not being generated inside the iQue itself. The iQue doesn't warm up in the stock cradle because the power converter is plugged into the wall socket, and isn't smacked up against the PDA.

I suppose one could argue that the internal heating could be a design oversight on the part of Seidio. Maybe I'll cut some slots in the back of the G2500 so the heat has somewhere else to go... Fortunately, I haven't had any serious heating problems yet. I've certainly never had my iQue shut off while in the mount! It does sound like you got a bum unit -- I hope the new version works!

To follow-up on the aside in my first post: I called Seidio this afternoon about the suction cup problem and they said they would just mail me a new one. Very nice!

[Bad_moJoe]

I also received a old version of the G2500 and I am waiting for a response from Seidio, also I have noticed that my iQue gets alot warmer when charging in my G2500 almost too warm to touch.
I therfore refuse to power it through the G2500 until I try the
new version. I can't believe this can be good for the battery and
or the regulation circuits in the Q, and considering the battery is
non removable this is a major concern. If this is not addressed /
resolved soon by Seido it will be time for Flame day at PDA street.

I hope you reading this David Chang.

[VideoImpression]

While I finally received a G2500 that works properly, I thought that I would E-Mail Seidio with a followup to inquire about my defective units. Their blanket response was disheartening, seeing that they were so accomodating up front to correct any problems. They told me that they could not find anything wrong with either of the units in which the first one overheated and the second one did not have any linear volume control overhead. It appears that while they were anxious and DID correct all problems, they now appear to not to want to have much to do with me anymore, as I responded to their claims that the defective units were fine with a reply to remind them of my experiences. This reply remains unanswered! I DO prefer the G2500 mount to anything else out there, though, now that I have a working model!!