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Thread: Pharos 360 dead?

  1. 06-17-2009, 03:15 AM #1
    SpinOut123
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    Pharos 360 dead?

    Does anyone know the lifespan on these pucks? It's the one that came with MS Streets & Trips 2006.

    Do they "completely" die or just don't grab as many satilites as when new? For about 1 1/2 hours today it would only see 2 birds. I have it inside (under the plastic molding) the rear strut brace of my 350Z and it doesn't have tint. It's on the top side so the only thing between it and they sky is the plastic molding and the glass. It's been working pretty good for the last 2 years but it seems to be taking longer and longer to get lock if it even does at all. It's plugged straight in the the motherboard too.

    If it is dead I'd like to get somethink like the BU-353 but it seems much larger than the Pharos 360 which barely fits as it is.

    Thanks guys
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  2. 06-17-2009, 05:08 AM #2
    2k1Toaster
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    Usually death is due to the internal battery. PITA to replace, might as well replace the whole puck.

    I used the Pharos-360 (from M$ S&T as well) at first and mine did the same thing and eventually died. I figure less than $50 for a new one is better than my time to open the thing up and replace the battery.

    The BU-353 is the size of an Oreo cookie at maximum and then does some weird funky slopes on it so it isnt cylindrical. It is bigger but not by much if I remember correctly. It is magnetic based though so it is really easy to stick somewhere. I am sure you can find room. There is always some trim piece with a cavity if you look hard enough.
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  3. 06-17-2009, 02:33 PM #3
    SpinOut123
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    Thanks for the reply 2k1toaster. I had a feeling it was probably going out. Did you get another Pharos 360 or did you get the BU 353? I read a post somewhere that said if you buy a Pharos 360 it will probably be used so it's not a good idea.
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  4. 06-17-2009, 03:26 PM #4
    2k1Toaster
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    I bought a BU-353. I am actually on my 2nd one right now.

    And they dont make the pharos-360 anymore so you might not neccessarily get a used one, but it will have been sitting on a shelf for 2 years which would be enough to drain the internal battery for sure.
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  5. 06-18-2009, 10:29 AM #5
    Marvin Hlavac
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    The additional benefit you gain by going with BU-353 by GlobalSat instead of GPS-360 by Pharos is a slightly better performance. BU-353 has a larger antenna, which results in a bit better sensitivity to weak signals from GPS satellites.
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  6. 06-18-2009, 01:18 PM #6
    SpinOut123
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    Thanks for the info Marvin. I took my Pharos 360 out of the car yesterday and tryied it with my laptop in the yard. Yup, it's dead so I bought a BU-353 yesterday so hopefully it will be here today.
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  7. 06-24-2009, 02:53 PM #7
    SpinOut123
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    I got my BU-353 in the other day. And yup, it is the size of an oreo cookie. Luckily it still fit in the same spot as my pharos but it was pretty tight! But man, you guys were right! This is much better then my pharos. I had to run all kinds of USB extensions to get my pharos far enough away from the house to work and this one worked inside side the house with the twist tie still on the cable. And it had lock way faster than my pharos.
    Thanks again for the help!
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