Transponder Garmin GTX 320 and encoder ak350 woes

[c170b53]

Just wondering whether anyone has tangled with these two. Its a new installation and the mode a works but ATC can't see my altitude ( c mode).
I'm not sure as to whether pin 6 from the 320 has to go to pin 13 or are they both just grounded to enable mode C. Two bad that installations are not like new aircraft designs ( plug and play). Any thoughts as to where a common mistake other than a mixed wire?

[punkin170b]

If this is a new installation, Garmin should upgrade your solid-state board in your 320 to the 320A for free. The 320 (including mine) had that issue. My 320A has been flawless for 5 years since the upgrade (knock on wood). Give Garmin a call and ask them. Their customer service was excellent for me anyway...

[c170b53]

An update and a lesson learned. Well it took awhile to figure out what is amiss with my system. I thought I may have a intermittant contact, so I rewired the installation only to find out I had not cured a thing. I took off at dusk to check my work and was pleased to see the unit operate as it should until about 20 mins into the flight when the unit's lights failed in mode"C". When I selected mode "A" the unit restored itself (lights on unit and radar identified). As soon as I selected mode "C" the lights quit and as far as the ground radar was concerned I was in stealth mode. I was lucky that I flew in low light which aided my in identifying the problem down to the transponder itself. I disconnected the encoder on the ground to ensure it was not the cause of the failure and when selecting mode "C" the transponder died again. Here's the lesson I learned, I bought the unit from Aircraft Spruce, when I contacted them about warranty they said although the unit is new its past its warranty date from the time of purchase, so tough luck. How many home builders and restorers have been caught in that one? (It always takes twice as long as you think its going to take for projects). The good news, I contacted Garmin via the web and they are willing to repair the unit due to the number of hours on the box. I've wanted a number of Garmin products so its great to know that they stand behind and support their products where as some supply companies work on volume.

[N2255D]

I must agree on Garmins customer service. The few times I've needed it they have been great. I'll buy Garmin again just for their service.

[GAHorn]

The only time I've ever called on their customer service their person tried to blow smoke up my skirt. I complained about the battery compartment in their GPS 196. It takes 4 AA batteries, and the #1 position has only a flat-spring at each end, while the other 3 positions have a flat-spring at one end and a coil-spring at the other. The #1 position does not hold the battery securely and vibration/tubulence will cause the battery to lose contact momentarily and the unit will shut down.
I had called them to suggest they use the exact same coil-spring in #1 position as they do in the other three... since the coil-spring holds those batteries nice and tight. (I had to deliberately spread the flat-springs in posiiton #1 to increase pressure on the battery terminals.)
Their customer support person, a guy with a Brooklyn accent which wasn't very convincing anyway, tried to tell me that the rechargeable AA batteries I was using (Ever-Readys and Ray-O-Vacs) were a different dimension in length than both the standard Alkaline and the rechargeables that Garmin would sell me, and that was the reason my batteries were losing contact in the #1 slot. He also tried to tell me that by increasing the tension by slightly spreading the flat-springs in order to more tightly hold the #1 battery, was hazardous (but had no explanation why that was so.)

[c170b53]

My first contact with Garmin over the phone with my issue was not successful as well. I then sent an email to their engineering department, just stating the facts and they responded in a very positive manner.