Blaze battery will not charge

[dmason508]

Hi,

I just got the blaze, tried to update the firmware, but it said it will not udpate since the battery is low....which is strange because I had the Blaze plugged in the whole time, but I guess it is not charging. On the screen it simply says fibit.com/setup.

I have the Blaze in the charging compartment, cover closed, and the contacts touching...but I never see the charging battery icon.

I figured it may be charging anyways, so I left it for a few hours, and tried to update again, but no luck. The battery is still too low. I also tried the same outllet on my comptuer with the Charge HR cord, and it charged fine, so it is not that.

@EmersonFitbit, I see you replied to some other battery issues. Any ideas?

[Rich_Laue]

Yes there is no battery icon unti your setup.

[Gokeypa]

Hi, I see that you had or are having some issues with your new Fitbit blaze.

I just bought one today March 10, 2016. I have been having the exact same issues that you have been or are experiencing.

Here is the solution that worked for me.

I have windows 10, and an android. When first connecting the blaze to the pc for the setup process the blaze sees that the PC has Bluetooth enabled. "I say this as a fact only because that all new windows 10 PC's ship with this enabled."

First turn the Bluetooth off from your android. Then go to settings on your PC and disconnect the Blaze from your Bluetooth. It will try and connect again but, just deny it, and continue to the updates for the blaze. The blaze should update normally now. If you wish, I think you can now allow the pc to connect to the blaze via Bluetooth. I have not tested this part yet.

After you are done you can turn your Bluetooth back on in the android, it should now work normally.

Good luck.

[danizzle]

I just got my Blaze today and I have it plugged to my laptop to charge it. I've had it plugged for about an hour now and the battery is still appearing as empty on the dashboard (I'm not able to complete the setup because the battery is too low). Should I contact customer service for a replacement? 😕

[EmersonFitbit]

Please do, @danizzle, and let us know what you hear. Here's the link.

I'd also recommend trying these tips beforehand, to ensure you've troubleshooted the issue appropriately. Let us know how it goes!

[danizzle]

@EmersonFitbit,

I tried restarting and left it plugged but it's still appearing as empty. Tried plugging into different USB ports but same result. I even tried holding the charge dock to make sure the tracker is in contact with the charger but same result. Very disappointed since I was looking forward to start using this today 😞

[danizzle]

I was finally able to start the setup process for my Blaze.

I was trying to use both PC app and Android fitbit app to get my blaze working but the app told me that my Blaze did not have enough battery to install the latest firmware.

I've contacted chat support twice to get assistance. For me, restarting Blaze didn't resolve the issue. I've done that multiple times. Then I tried not doing anything for about 15 - 30 min to let Blaze get charged. Then I would use the PC app to try to install the update. The app would tell me that the battery was empty. Repeated this multiple times and battery always appeared empty. This didn't change after leaving it plugged uninterrupted for over an hour, while I was gone for lunch.

Chat support told me to try installing the firmware update using my phone. Unfortunately my phone was stuck doing its own system update so I waited. After it was all done, I launched the fitbit app on my phone and was surprised to see that the charge on my Blaze was now full! I was able to initiate the firmware update and now it works! YAY!

I had Blaze connected to a laptop through the charging dock for about total of 5 hours before it was recogninzed as full. Also one thing the chat support agent told me was not to let my phone screen turn off during the update. I have xperia z5 and apparently when the phone screen turns off, it interrupts the syncing.

[Bica]

I am having all the same problems everyone else reports. Tried charging with computer, with adapter, etc. I see what everyone else did to make it work but I don't want to go through all of that. The product should work without all the gymnastics.   It's going back. 

[Rich_Laue]

@danizzle why would it take 5 hours.

My thoughts.

• It might not have , I say this because with a new Blaze you won't know if it is charged until the computer or app tells you it is.
• It really might have taken 5 hours, there might be a problem with the usb port, try a different port or go to 5 Below and by a wall charger. They are rated at 500 mAh the same as a pc port should be.
• Pc ports may not always give full power. It would depend on it's own power supply, the pc configuration, what else is happening. It could be that the pc is simply underpowered for the setup.

Next time charging you'll see a battery indicator in the top left of the display.

@Bica for most people it is a case of looking at the contact placement, making sure their aligned while inserting, shut the lid, plug it into the power source. The display should turn on and show a big battery icon. Next tattoo will show the clock with a small battery icon on the top left. It's possible there is a bad wire on the charger, or the power source doesn't provide enough current. Try a different source, like the phone's charger.

[Maznaya]

Dont wish to be negative, but ive done exactly the same as you. Got a replacement and it is doing the same. so not very happy.

---

@dmason508 wrote:

Interesting, unfortunately, I could never get my Blaze to charge at all. I tried wall outlets, etc...but my battery was at a critically low level. I left it plugged in (without setting up) overnight thinking it was charging, and the battery was about dead at morning....I think that caused all the issues.

The battery was so low at that point, that when starting the firmware update, it would instantly fail...saying the battery was too low, and I had no way to charge it. So had to return.

So now waiting...hope to get a new one in a few weeks. 😞

---

[Unicorn911]

Did you ever get this problem fixed?  im having the exact same issue and dont know what to do next.....

[Rich_Laue]

@Unicorn911 since there are several issues listed above, I'm not sure as to which one you have the exact same problem with. 

If your tracker has not been setup yet and shows the fitbit.com/setup their will be no indication of the battery charging, otherwise try your phones charger. 

[Maznaya]

Thanks for info.

Fitbit are sending a replacement, so l presume there was an issue that couldnt be sorted. Maznaya.

[Jacopo12]

same problem as all the people in this thread.

The tracker does not set up, and the message I get on pc is that the battery is "a bit too low". I plugged it for some time, no changes. Did everything I could find on the community threads (please do not reply saying to restart the device, or link to the help/FAQ pages in the webiste, they are useless for this problem)

I ask for a replacement. Same problem again.

This is surely not how it should work. There is a serious problem , if you are selling a device, and numerous poeple have such a trouble time in trying to just set it up.

Now it is plugged to the wall with a charger. As said here many times, one could not know if it is charging or not. I will give it a last chance and try after a while. Otherwise I will return and buying a different product. Can not see any other option.

[Pema]

Mine Does the same thing... I bought my Fitbit Blaze a few months ago and The battery has stopped charging. No matter how long I charge it, it just remains at the "Battery Low" Status. Bought mine from best buy and am trying to figure out how they can help me with this.

[Rich_Laue]

If your getting a low battery notification during setup from the app it means fitbit feels there is not enough juice in the battery to do the firmware update.
There are two paths that can be taken:

• First path is to put the Blaze on the charger, please note that there will be no indication that the Blaze is charging, it will be. After 30-60 minutes truck to finish setup, at this time the app will either start the firmware update or say the battery is still low. This is the only way to know if it is charging if you take this route. If it still has a low battery than use your phones charger for 30 minutes and try the setup again.
• Alternitively you may plug the Blaze into its charger.. Then in 10 minutes while it is plugged in start the update process again, this is what I did with two of my fitbits.
  Once the Blaze is setup, and not before it is setup, there will be an icon displayed to tell you that it is charging.

If there currently is the www.fitbit.com/setup message you will not see any indicator on the Blaze that it is charging.

If the battery still isn't charging then I would try a Q-Tip and some alcohol on the contacts. Try a known charger, ie: use the one that is used to charge the phone. 

If it is still not charging

• Let's try a restart of the Blaze. Hold in both the left single button and the lower right button for 12 seconds. At this time there should be a buzz and the unit will restart. 
• if you have a neighbor that is a good handyman, bring the charger to then they will know how to test it with a volt meter. 
• If it was bought at someplace like Best Buy take it back to them, they will be able to determine if it is the Blaze it the charger. 
• Contact Fitbit, and have them go through the troubleshooting steps with you. 

[SultanAlzaabi]

A lot of people seem to be having exactly the same problem. After fiddling about with my new Fitbit Blaze, which had the same issue initially (not charging, will not update without a charge) I think I found the source. Blaze charging cradle will not charge from a 2.1Amp charger. This includes USB wall outlets and car "fast"-car charger outlets. Laptop USB ports provide mostly 1 Ampere current (hence if you charge your Blaze from a computer 1 Amp USB port for an hour or so it should work). I also tested this theory using different current USB charging outlets and seeing which one Blaze hates. It will simply not take any current above 1 Ampere (though it does display the charging icon once it is updated, but will not hold any of the current in).


It is an electrical design problem with the cradle. Has nothing to do with the software as someone here or elsewhere pointed out. The net of full of threads about this problem.

[Amilli87]

I figured it out finlly!!!!!!!!  Hopefully itll help some people!  I got my blaze today,  setup screen wouldbt go away couldnt set up bc battery wass too low critical actually.  I mean i been trying everything dor hrs.  I have like 5 usb ports on my comp andd i tried a bunch of cell charger bricks..  I read somewhere in another thread that it has to do with the amperes on the brick.  Most newer cell phone charger bricks are 2 amperes or 2.0 A...  Sems like the blaze doesnt like these.  Try a 1A i have a ipad and the brick for that worked bc it was a 1A thank god!  Finally setting up!  They should really just send a 1A brick w this instead of us going through hoops to figure out!  Good luck to all. 

Funny story before i actually figured it out i contacted fotbit bc i was at my wits end.  There sending me a new one and now im gonna have two!  Yay!  Good luck everyone! 

[hippiedave]

I have had the same issue. Syncing was no problem, but wouldn't update software or let me set the watch up due to low battery. I have put the unit in the charger and plugged into the usb port...nothing...

is it supposed to have some kind of battery charging icon? nothing but the fitbit logo.

Tried my cell phone chrging unit...same issue...not charging. Have read a bit on the forum here and not impressed at all. Won as a prize at my xmas party. Think this baby is going back for something worth the money?

[Amilli87]

Plug it into a 1 or 1.5 amp charge block.  They wont charge w a 2 amp untill its set up!  Battery charging icon is not visible untill set up then u are good to use any wall block  goid luck

[Amilli87]

Use a 1 amp wall block to charge initially for a few hrs 2 amps dont work
before initial set up for whatever reason. Good luck