Radio Shack eXplorist 500 GPS Replacement Battery 3.7V 1050mAh

Radio Shack Magellan eXplorist 500 — 3.7V Li-ion Replacement Battery (55026650)

This 3.7V, 1050mAh Li-ion cell replaces the internal battery in the Magellan eXplorist 500 handheld GPS navigator. It fits the 55026650 model used for hiking, geocaching, and field navigation. Swap it in when the original cell no longer holds a charge or the device shuts off unexpectedly in the field.

• eXplorist 500 fitment: The 55026650 platform uses a single flat Li-ion cell at 3.7V to power both the GPS receiver and the backlit display. This cell matches the original footprint at 51.19 × 36.04 × 5.54mm and connects to the same two-contact terminal.
• Bench tested on actual hardware: We ran this cell under a combined GPS-receiver and display load. The BMS held charge through full discharge cycles without tripping early cutoff, and capacity measured within spec at 1050mAh.
• Cold-start initialisation after fitting: After replacing this battery, take the eXplorist 500 outside to an open sky and power it on before navigating. The unit performs a full cold start after any complete power interruption — expect 5 to 10 minutes for the first satellite fix before the receiver returns to normal warm-start speed.

Why the eXplorist 500 shuts off without a low-battery warning

The eXplorist 500 reads battery state through a voltage threshold, not a fuel gauge IC. After a new cell is fitted, the device's internal voltage map is out of sync with the actual charge level. The indicator can show two bars and then cut off seconds later because the shutdown threshold is hit before the display catches up. Charge the new cell fully and complete two full discharge-recharge cycles to let the voltage curve recalibrate to the new cell's characteristics.

Saved routes and waypoints missing after battery swap

The eXplorist 500 stores user waypoints and routes in battery-backed RAM. When the cell is fully removed, that memory loses power and may not retain all saved data. Before swapping, export any critical routes using Magellan's PC sync software or note key waypoints manually. Once the new cell is fitted and the unit powers on, re-import or re-enter those routes — the GPS receiver and base map are stored in non-volatile flash and will be intact.