Getting the Most Out of Solar Charging With an Approach G20 Solar

To achieve the best solar charge with an Approach® G20 Solar golf handheld, ensure you are following the tips below.

Tips for Achieving the Best Solar Charge

• Have the screen facing toward direct sun.

• Avoid excessive heat, which can prevent charging.

• Avoid covering the solar panel.

   

There are some items that are out of your control, but will affect the solar charging. Some have minor effects, while others have a greater effect. Below is a list of what may affect solar charging.¹

The Following Can Affect Solar Charging

• Position of the sun, including time of day and current season.²

• Weather, including clouds, rain, and other weather patterns that may block or obscure the sun.

• Exceeding solar charging temperature thresholds, from -20°C to 60°C (from -4°F to 140°F).

• Charging with light sources other than the sun.³

• Whether the Approach G20 Solar is powered on or off.⁴

Can I Use a Screen Protector with an Approach G20 Solar?

Garmin does not recommend the use of any kind of screen protector as it can reduce the solar intensity received by the Approach G20 Solar.

If damage occurs to the screen while using a third-party protector, the device will not be covered under Garmin's Warranty.

Checking the Status of Solar Charging

There are a few ways of checking the status of solar charging.

Status Icons

A solar intensity status icon and percentage will be displayed in the top left of the screen.

With a high enough battery level and solar gain, the device can sustain itself. If so, the battery icon in the top right of the screen will display an infinity symbol.

Viewing Solar Details

Select Solar to view a simple graph for solar intensity over the past 6 hours and the minutes of battery gain achieved through solar charging for the current day.

¹ The list of what affects solar charging is not an all-encompassing list. Anything that may limit the sunlight from reaching the solar panel on the Approach G20 Solar will affect solar charging.

² The farther away from the equator you are, the more seasons will affect charging. 

³ While you can use non-natural light, such as from fluorescent lights, to charge your Approach G20 Solar, solar charging is optimized for the spectrum of sunlight.

⁴ Solar charging can take place while the Approach G20 Solar is powered off, and can yield greater charge from the same solar intensity than when the Approach G20 Solar is powered on.