Garmin Edge 25 as battery sensor

B

blue_serotta

New Member
Region
USA
Hi. I have a very old Edge which is very tiny that I'm trying to use as primarily a dedicated e-bike battery % display in parallel with my workhorse Wahoo. During setup, I have had intermittent issues with using my Wahoo and e-bike data fields and would like to just use Wahoo as the same device (no e-bike data fields) for all my bikes in the same fashion, only using the little Edge as an external, dedicated battery gauge. It seems the Garmin computer e-bike update downloads meant to accommodate e-bike data do not include the Edge 25 and I can't download any newer Edge's software. These patches are supposed to display and pick up the Ant+ data from the Turbo Creo Comp SL evo. In Mission Control, I've tried "fake channel" on and off and tried to place the little Edge 25 everywhere on the bike to see if the Turbo Creo "sensor" would be picked up, but all I get on the Edge is a message saying the sensor must be awake -- to work.
 
If all you need is battery level display, free version of ebike field from the garmin app store will do it. Worked fine when I had an edge 25 with my vado sl.
 
Thank you. I tried that but the Edge 25 is the smallest, and oldest model. It’s simplicity and size is what makes it desirable. Unfortunately, the ebike field doesn’t work with the Edge 25.
 
if it doesn’t support the eBike field it should still work by connecting it to the creo as a cadence or heart rate sensor, with fake channel turned on for whichever one you choose. I accidentally did this on mine, was very confusing that my power reading was stuck at 98, worked with several ANT+ devices that I tried.

I don’t know the garmin 25, but when you try to pair it to an ANT+ sensor with the creo turned on (I’d pedal a bit too) does anything show up at all? do you have other ANT+ devices like a heart rate monitor to verify the function of the garmin? a quick look suggests that the 25 definitely supports cadence and heart rate, but the creo fake channel cadence output may not fit into the “speed and cadence” profile that the garmin wants. try heart rate.
 
@mschwett: While the OP might detect some sensors of his Creo with Edge 25, his exclusive goal is to display the LEV Battery % field, and that is not supported by Edge 25.
I'm more interested what issues the OP experiences with his Wahoo (what model?) as I use a Wahoo ELEMNT Roam on my two Specialized e-bikes and experience no trouble.
 
Stefan Mikes said:
@mschwett: While the OP might detect some sensors of his Creo with Edge 25, his exclusive goal is to display the LEV Battery % field, and that is not supported by Edge 25.
I'm more interested what issues the OP experiences with his Wahoo (what model?) as I use a Wahoo ELEMNT Roam on my two Specialized e-bikes and experience no trouble.
Click to expand...
yea, but if his goal is to display the battery %, the fake channel will do exactly that. that’s what it’s designed to do, display the battery percentage on a computer which doesn’t support the e-bike field. it worked well for that purpose on the two ANT+ devices i tried it on.
 
mschwett said:
yea, but if his goal is to display the battery %, the fake channel will do exactly that. that’s what it’s designed to do, display the battery percentage on a computer which doesn’t support the e-bike field. it worked well for that purpose on the two ANT+ devices i tried it on.
Click to expand...
Thank you for enlightenment!
 
Well,I just gotta say thanks to the contributors. I spent a long time on this, then had to take a giant pause. Maybe any of you have never had to look under a microscope, but most of you prob have had to look for car keys like me! In both cases, sometimes you can just stare and stare and uncover everything over and over again wondering, "where is it?" Well, I did not do a thing but perhaps it takes a while for all the firmware (e-bike/wahoo/Garmin) and software (apps) to sync up but this morning I tried it again, setting M/C fake channel for cadence after turning off/on iPhone 8 with my Garmin Edge in hand, adding sensor and it asked if I wanted to add the cadence. I quickly responded in the positive. The Garmin Edge 25 doesn't confirm you've successfully added Cadence, it just asks if you want another sensor! It then asks you to be "near the sensor" and then complains (like a 1000 times before) saying the sensor must be awake to add.

This time I ignored the Edge 25 complaints, backed out of the menu to Ride, set it to inside ride and rolled about 10 feet (GPS off). I looked at the Edge 25 and it registered 0 for other values but registered "100" for cadence which I assume means 100 percent of battery. This would be correct because i just finished charging it o/n. If this works, it is perfect as the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt is still behaving wonky, especially in the Battery % department. Hopefully now I have a quick, convenient and accurate way of reading my battery left % at all times.

The battery % on the Bolt faithfully keeps reading "n/a" as do several other values on the Bolt. The Bolt has done this each time I've "forgot" the e-bike and re-established it. Each ride it starts working then about mid-ride it stops. Grrr. I hope this all works. Thanks in hopeful advance!
 
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Perhaps you own Bolt v1? Because Roam connects to Specialized ebikes as to a single big sensor and no issues with Vado or a Vado SL.

Good your 25 gives you Cadence, Power and Battery %. I hope the latter is not the Garmin Battery %...
 
Great point on the Garmin Battery % Ha-ha!!! I hope not. It appeared to be a screen of sensors and it read 100 next to Cadence. I'll find out. Oh, and yes, it is Bolt v.1. Wahoo anything isn't cheap and this little issue is the only "issue" with the Bolt that aggravates me, but not so much that I want or need another one. E-bikes don't really go far (yet) in my book (my book would read far as over 100 miles of plenty of hills over 10-15%) which is beyond my Turbo Creo Comp evo sl. I love this fix if it works as it keeps electronics out of wherever they go to rot :^) when they can be re-purposed with the help of smart people in this thread!
 
E-bike Battery % is one of the LEV parameters that are not accessible to you. Ever considered a Specialized TCD? A hundred bucks or so.
 
yes. . I've considered getting a TCD. I'm desperate in trying to re-purpose my little Edge 25 just because of its size on the handlebars--I hate the idea of bulk things on my bars. I can tolerate the Wahoo. Heck, I can even store the Edge 25 in a pocket and read it easily. Several of my friends told me their new-ish TCD batteries are dying already, but in reality, I just don't need all those other fields on the TCD when I have a million stats from M/C and the Wahoo already. I just need battery left %. I'll report back after a real ride (30-ish miles).
 
blue_serotta said:
plus, IMHO the TCD is crude for its few purposes, in comparison to a newer Wahoo or Garmin
Click to expand...
Newer Wahoo or Garmin do not cost one hundred bucks... TCD is very small and can be carried in the pocket, too. Compared to display of so many e-bikes, the capabilities are great.
Not that I want to convince you.
 
as far as reading 100 standing still, yes....but does it work while riding, and keep working.....the proof will be in the proverbial pudding! Thanks!
yes. the new ones do not cost $100. yes, of course. But I don't want to waste $$ on just one value. I don't need all the other stuff on the TCD. Now, if someone GAVE me a TCD for almost nothing, I would not complain. Thanks to all contributors. I will update if the little Edge 25 can be repurposed successfully.
 
blue_serotta said:
yes. . I've considered getting a TCD. I'm desperate in trying to re-purpose my little Edge 25 just because of its size on the handlebars--I hate the idea of bulk things on my bars. I can tolerate the Wahoo. Heck, I can even store the Edge 25 in a pocket and read it easily. Several of my friends told me their new-ish TCD batteries are dying already, but in reality, I just don't need all those other fields on the TCD when I have a million stats from M/C and the Wahoo already. I just need battery left %. I'll report back after a real ride (30-ish miles).
Click to expand...
I have had to replace the battery a few times now. But I can't recall if I've had real coin cell batteries or metal slugs (phony coins for using in laundries and parking meters). Lately, I'm starting to buy NAME BRAND coin cells because, well, I find the knockoffs don't seem all that good.
 
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