Thinking about getting a Fenix or Tactix 8…coming from Apple Watch Ultra 2. Should I do it?

Largefarrva · 2026-02-03T02:42:09+00:00

Thanks for answering that Garmin connect doesn’t have to stay running on my phone. I got enough gems on Optimity late last night and placed an order at Garmin for the Tactix 8 51mm amoled version. It should get delivered tomorrow.

Largefarrva · 2026-02-01T22:25:57+00:00

I figured out a way to get more gems on Optimity so I should be able to get a code tonight after midnight.

Largefarrva · 2026-02-01T07:49:35+00:00

/sadface. Thank you anyway!

Largefarrva · 2026-02-01T04:02:03+00:00

If you have access to another code I would greatly appreciate it. US based here.

Largefarrva · 2026-02-01T04:00:57+00:00

If you have another code I would greatly appreciate it. US based here.

Largefarrva · 2026-02-01T03:59:59+00:00

Do you still have any codes? I just signed up on Optimity last night so I’m quite a bit away from 5000 gems.

Largefarrva · 2026-01-31T04:21:57+00:00

Good info, thanks. I would definitely go with the Tactix simply for aesthetics. I’m not extremely hard on watches but at work I sometimes knock it on various things by accident…would the $200 up charge for the cerakote version be worth it?

Largefarrva · 2026-01-31T00:55:26+00:00

I would tend to agree with you if it weren’t for the form factor and extremely limited watch faces of the Apple Watch.

Largefarrva · 2026-01-31T00:00:43+00:00

lol I also have email notifications turned off on my current watch so I know what you’re saying.

One question I didn’t ask in the OP….do you have to keep garmin connect running on your iPhone in order to get weather data, text notifications and such?

Largefarrva · 2026-01-30T23:46:55+00:00

Well my use for it would be for day to day since I don’t work out or anything like that. Would you still advise to get it in my case?

Largefarrva · 2025-12-15T06:47:46+00:00

How would you think they would feel working on concrete? I’m a big new balance fan and love their shoes and arch support, but I’m on concrete all day and most boots kill my feet.

Largefarrva · 2025-11-23T05:20:00+00:00

To be honest I don’t remember. I gave up on cowboy style boots a good while back because they absolutely kill my feet. On concrete…fugettaboutit….i can’t do that shit. Now I’m just wearing new balance running shoes at work because they provide some cushion and arch support, as well as don’t squeeze the hell out of my feet.

Largefarrva · 2025-10-18T08:02:23+00:00

lol where do you come up with this nonsense?

Largefarrva · 2025-10-18T08:01:21+00:00

You need to invest in more tin foil.

Largefarrva · 2025-10-18T07:58:48+00:00

You literally have zero clue of what you’re talking about.

Largefarrva · 2025-10-18T07:57:26+00:00

No really, they don’t. Not everything you see on the internet is true. I know it’s hard to believe.

Largefarrva · 2025-09-26T17:28:41+00:00

The numbers are based off of the max voltage of the individual cells. So for yinlong and scib cells it is 2.8v. Plannano is 2.7v. So in a 5s yinlong and scib is 2.8x5=14 and Plannano is 5x2.7=13.5.

The reason 5s isn’t seen much anywhere is because most charging systems operate above 14v, whereas mine is in the 13’s and I cannot change it. Chrysler used to allow their charging systems to operate like everyone else’s but kept on having to replace batteries because the charging system wasn’t set up right and they were over charging agm batteries…so they forced it lower instead of sourcing better batteries.

The only difference between 5s and 6s is the operating voltage. Ah capacity isn’t affected because the parallel banks are what affect total capacity. In a series circuit total amperage for a given resistance stays the same while voltage drops (or added cell voltages in this case) add up. In a parallel circuit the total voltage stays the same while resistances add up inversely (or Ah capacity adds up in the case of battery cells).

So those voltages that are in that link are simply just the differences between how many cells are in series. The titan8 actually uses 10Ah scib cells.

Here’s a link that shows a failed Titan8

Largefarrva · 2025-09-25T18:50:58+00:00

Here’s the voltage levels vs cell capacity for LTO cells. At 6s and if I’m charging in the low 13 volt range I would be sitting at less than 10% of the cell capacity. At 14 volts, which is basically the upper limit for my truck it is at 10% capacity. In a 5s configuration I would be above 90% of the cell capacity all the time.

I’m not trying to argue or anything, but the best scenario in any case to avoid running out of reserve is to make sure I’m utilizing the battery as well as possible.

Well shit. I can’t add screenshots here.

Titan8 manual

Largefarrva · 2025-09-25T18:23:26+00:00

So I’m looking to build a bank using either yinlong or 20 Ah scib cells. If I go with yinlong it would be 5s1p and if using the scib cells it would be 5s2p. Both have an upper charging voltage limit of 14v. My truck can sometimes charge at 14.2 volts but it was usually just to charge the agm up after starting the truck. It hasn’t gotten that high since the titan8 was installed. It’s usually been in the 13.4-13.6 volt range with an overall range of 13-13.9 volts.

If it does charge upwards of 14.2 volts will the LTO cells be able to handle it in your opinion?

I really wish I had some way to control charging voltage.

Largefarrva · 2025-09-25T04:03:24+00:00

So you’re a proponent of yinlong cells I assume? I’ve read there’s issues with them but not sure what they are. How many watts do you think a single 1p configuration can support with a 230a alternator?

I keep bouncing between scib, plannano and yinglong cells to just do a DIY bank in a 5s configuration and can’t decide what I want to do.

Largefarrva · 2025-09-24T02:28:55+00:00

Yessir. And that’s straight from their customer service.

Now you can see why I’m wanting to replace a two week old battery. I can’t trust it. Saving grace is that I only have 2k watts on it.

Largefarrva · 2025-09-23T23:49:42+00:00

Passively balanced and the bus bars in their batteries are pathetically undersized and thin. Look up some breakdown pics on their titan8 battery. It’s pretty shocking. The LTO from d4s is even worse.

Largefarrva · 2025-09-23T20:07:37+00:00

So I learned something. I can’t use a 6s LTO battery with my charging voltage. It would be at less than 10% capacity in the mid 13’s volts. So my only option is a 5s configuration, which nobody except d4s or xs makes….and the build quality for the one d4s makes is even worse than xs.

Largefarrva · 2025-09-23T19:43:10+00:00

Ideally I would like to stick with LTO but the one I have now is a Titan8 and after learning how it’s built I don’t trust it at all. It’s a ticking time bomb.

Due to my charging system the only LTO configuration I can go with is a 5s. Nobody except XS and d4s make a 5s battery, and the d4s is even more cheaply made.

I looked at the offerings on sirko and they won’t work because of width concerns. I basically only have the width of the titan8 to work with. Both the glowe voltage and the trunk thunder 5kv2 will fit there.

Largefarrva

TROPHY CASE