Erratic heart rate monitoring Charge 5

[mike.mangovski]

I hope someone can help.

I have a Charge 5 that works erratically while I am on a workout. The heart rate monitoring will regularly stop. I have to pause the workout to get it to start again, which doesn't always work. When it does start, the reading is way off. Mid HIIT session, it will tell me my heart rate is less than 100, but then later while walking on the treadmill, it will alert me that I'm in cardio at over 130. None of that is close to accurate.

Restarting the device before I start my workout seems to help occasionally. 

I have already gone through the process of having it replaced. This is the second Charge 5 and the problem still persists. It's been this way since I bought it. Right now I'm incredibly frustrated with it. 

Moderator edit: format

[DavideFitbit]

Hi, I'm sorry to see that you've experienced this problem again with your Charge 5, @mike.mangovski. 

Thanks for confirming that you already tried a few troubleshooting steps. In addition to the three pulse restart procedure using the charging cable, please try adjusting the position of the device on your wrist following the recommendations listed here. You can find some additional steps and recommendations about factors that can affect your heart rate data here as well.

[mike.mangovski]

Thank you for trying to help.

I have done all of that. Tried adjusting position, switching hands, taking it off and wiping it down, adjusting the tightening, everything. It usually gets it going again and then it drops tracking a short while after. 

It is really odd that it doesn't have this issue when it's not tracking a workout. It seems software related. 

Thanks again. 

[DavideFitbit]

@mike.mangovski Thank you for your reply with all of those details and for confirming that you already tried all the steps suggested.  

Could you please confirm if this is happening only with a specific workout or if it happens every time that you record and exercise with your device? 

[mike.mangovski]

I posted about the issue I was having with my Charge 5 and people were attempting to help me. I received a response from a moderator asking me a question, which I felt encouraged by. However, I couldn't reply as the thread had been locked. What was the point of asking the question if you didn't want an answer?

To answer the question, yes it happens with almost every workout.

[JohnnyRow]

@DavideFitbit  See post above.

@mike.mangovski There is a new auto- thread-locking mechanism after 30 days of inactivity just in effect.  It looks like somehow the mod replied after the 30 days but then got locked after his reply.  I reported that and hopefully that thread will get re-opened and/or the mod will reply here.  Obviously some issues with that new auto-thread-locking routine.

[Drobewolf]

Same here, even sets off false afib issues and alarms. Try testing and it just says errors. All started just recently 

[mike.mangovski]

Mine has been like this since I bought it. This is my second Charge 5 after customer service sent me a replacement. But the issue is still there.

It monitors just fine when I don't start a workout with it. So the issue has to be software related. It's gotten extremely frustrating.