WHAT THE ??? Compass

B

bentblade

Joined
Feb 29, 2008
Messages
136
:eek: I was putting my PSK back int its altoid tin today and when I put the button compass back in the needle did a 180 degree turn. HMMM?
To make a long story short the batteries in my Princetan tec led light http://www.rei.com/product/659995 were effecting my compass.
I checked to see if a AA battery would have any effect and it did, only stronger. The needle was attracted to the + end of the batteries.
I had noticed earlier that when I opened my desk drawer the needle would move but thought it was because I had bumped the desk. What it really was were the batteries in my 2 D cell mag light that the needle was following when I open and closed the drawer.
I have never heard this mentioned when discussing storing a compass in an metal container PSK with other items. I have also seen compasses and lights on key rings and neck chains.
Does anyone know if the batteries have any permanent effect on the compass. My compass is supposedly calibrated for the area I live in. Now I wonder if that has changed.
If nothing esle I shure would think twice when using my compass within close proxcimity of anthing battery opperated.
The little LED had to be within about an inch but my Mag light was 2 ft. from the compass and the needle was effecteced.
 
I had a silva compass that was hanging by it's cord near my stereo when I was a kid. It got all messed up, but luckily the warranty covered it. Now I keep it well away from all metal and magnetic fields.
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
I had a silva compass that was hanging by it's cord near my stereo when I was a kid. It got all messed up, but luckily the warranty covered it. Now I keep it well away from all metal and magnetic fields.
Click to expand...

I can see not putting a compass near any major electronic device, but I see compasses in PSKs with lights all the time and never thought anything about it.
 
anytime you get a compass near metal is moves all weird. magnets will mess up a compass permanently....
 
I've never had any issues with compasses going haywire. For those that have, does it just change polarity or does it do something else?

Doc
 
On my watch I have one of the Suunto Clippers. A couple of weeks back I had laid it next to my keyboard at work like normal, but this time I noticed something odd. My Motorola Q with headset was also near by. I went to move my watch and the compass moved. Turns out it was the ear piece of the headset that was causing the compass to rotate away from it. (i.e. south magentic pole was attracted to it.) If I move the phone near it it attracts the north magnetic pole.

You really need to be careful with any compass around metal or electronics.
 
Everything electrical puts out a magnetic field, and all speakers and motors no mater how small have magnets in them. I was in a friends car this summer and looked at my silva compass on my matchcase it was giving a really weird reading ( 180 plus degrees off). It was because of an electronic device in the car. No permanent damage was done.
 
It is definitely possible to reverse the polarity of a compass (North needle pointing South). I have done it by moving a magnet back and forth over the top (when I was a kid and knew no better). Changed it back again the same way.

I don't think just sitting next to a magnet or ferrous metal would do it, it has to be in a moving or fluctuating magnetic field. Something like Rat's stereo, or more likely the speakers. If your compass is in a PSK next to something mildly magnetic you'd probably be OK. However, if your PSK is in your bag alongside something more strongly magnetic and they are able to jostle next to each other as you walk along, then who knows. I've got to believe the risk is very low, since you basically never hear anyone reporting such a thing happening while out in the field. What does happen I'm sure is people getting the wrong bearings from their compass because it is influenced by nearby magnetic objects while they're holding it.

Incidentally, those FRS radios popular with hunters these days have pretty strong magnets in their speakers. I keep my compass far away from those (and always carry a spare or two).
 
BarberFobic1992 said:
what about watches with built in compasses, will they be inaccurate?
Click to expand...

Good question. Do you mean the compasses that are on the band or internal.
Are the internal compasses really compasses or a computer program.

If you are talking about the compasses that come on the bands with some watches my question would be are they intended to be functional or cosmetic? Probably cosmetic.

Are the watches they come on self winding, electric or the old manual wind?

If you are talking about the ones that you put on the band yourself being effected by your watch? Don't know at this point. It may be a case of buyer beware. Should we have read the instrctions? Maybe there was a disclaimer on the package. I bet that the vast majority of the people that buy the ones you put on the band yourself never read the package, if they even come in a package.

HECK WE ALL KNOW HOW A COMPASS WORKS RIGHT?
RIIIIIIIGHT!

The more I read this forum the more I find out what I don't know.
 
bentblade said:
Good question. Do you mean the compasses that are on the band or internal.
Are the internal compasses really compasses or a computer program.

If you are talking about the compasses that come on the bands with some watches my question would be are they intended to be functional or cosmetic? Probably cosmetic.

Are the watches they come on self winding, electric or the old manual wind?

If you are talking about the ones that you put on the band yourself being effected by your watch? Don't know at this point. It may be a case of buyer beware. Should we have read the instrctions? Maybe there was a disclaimer on the package. I bet that the vast majority of the people that buy the ones you put on the band yourself never read the package, if they even come in a package.

HECK WE ALL KNOW HOW A COMPASS WORKS RIGHT?
RIIIIIIIGHT!

The more I read this forum the more I find out what I don't know.
Click to expand...

I will say this for the Suunto Clipper and the watch I wear. There is no problems with it. (Timex something. I forget. Around $25 at Brigade Quartermasters.) As for reading instructions..we are men..when do we ever read instructions??!! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top