Charge 2 not displaying heart rate

[TerryFelter]

There is a persistent issue with Charge 2, the heart rate does not display from time to time, just --.

I had the issue and complained to support, who finally after many times contacted me.  Support sent me another.  However the issue happens with the new one also.  The display can be "restarted" by double tapping on the display while the "--" is showing.  Normally heart beats will again display after a minute or so.  I am unable to verify whether the device has lost hearts beats or just a display issue.  I'm frustrated and even though the support people sent me a new one I'll likely never purchase another product from this company, they have an issue with this device and fail to issue a warning or take it off the market.

[ncfox]

Test the sensor to make sure it works by putting your finger over the sensor for a minute. If it works then it may be the placement of the charge on your wrist. Sometimes when walking the "---" appears but I stop move it down a bit on my wrist and wait for it to register. I think it also maybe sweat the interfere with the reading.

[TerryFelter]

Thanks for replying, however, the device works most of the time.  There are times when the display is "--", but will again display heart rate after a brief time without doing anything, so I don't think it is placement.

I will make a mental note when it quits displaying to see if it is in a similar position on my wrist, from about 1" above and 1" below the wrist bone.  I would guess the device rides toward the lower portion of that range.

[MarreFitbit]

Hey there @TerryFelter, thanks for stopping by! Sorry to hear about the inconveniences you've been having with the heart rate on your Charge 2 trackers. 

I agree with my friend @ncfox. I'd like to start saying that your tracker can have difficulty finding a signal, typically due to the tracker's fit. For example, wearing your band tightly may constrict blood flow in your wrist and affect the signal. We recommend experimenting with how high you place the tracker on your wrist. When you're not exercising, wearing the tracker just above the wrist bone--as you would a watch--typically works fine. However, moving the tracker up a couple inches can be helpful during high-intensity exercises or exercises that cause you to bend your wrist frequently. If you haven't already done so, please review our recommendations for wear and other tips shared by @SantiFitbit. 

If you're wearing the tracker correctly and the heart rate setting isn't turned off, try changing the setting (either Auto to On or On to Auto) and then syncing your tracker. The change won't take affect until you sync. If heart rate still doesn't appear after the sync, try restarting your tracker and wait at least 60 seconds before checking heart rate again.

If you're still unable to see your heart rate on the display, please let me know if you can see the green lights flashing on the bottom of your tracker.

Hope to hear good news! 

[TerryFelter]

The device typically rest 1" below the wrist bone.  It quit displaying HR on our walk this morning, but after a minute or so I checked it again and it was displaying.

The exact behavior occurred this morning during my tread mill workout.  I don' do any wrist bending as the treadmill is my workout.

The HR is set to Auto and the green lights are flashing.

The device is loose enough for it to slide from about 1" above to 1" below the wrist bone, normally resting 1" below the wrist bone unless I move it around.

The device has been restarted about  a dozen times, attempting to "fix" the issue.

[MarreFitbit]

Thanks for the details provided @TerryFelter! Remember that the heart rate is measured every five minutes as you can double check on your Dashboard. Because it's an average and not minute by minute data. 

You can also try wearing it higher when you're doing a very intense activity and check that your Charge 2 isn't getting loose or getting down on your wrist. You may want to try higher than two fingers as shown on the image. 

Try relaxing your wrist and staying still briefly (about 10 seconds), after which you should see an accurate heart rate reading. Note that your tracker will still provide accurate calorie burn readings during these types of exercise by analyzing your heart rate trends over the course of the workout.

Give this a go and let me know the outcome! I'll be around. 

[TerryFelter]

I did not know the HR was a 5 minute average, thanks.

I question the "How to wear the device".  In one part it should not be worn to tight, as it may restrict blood flow.  But in the diagram, it is "suggested to wear two fingers above the wrist bone.  To do that the device must be worn tight enough to ride in that position.  BTW I wore the first device tighter and the support individuals suggested I loosen it.  That is the position the second one is being worn.  I will attempt to tighten to that position and see if it changes the behavior.  I'm dubious of the results.

[TerryFelter]

Its been almost a year from my initial post.  Still have the issue of not displaying heart rate periodically, not all the time.  For example my current rat is 70, but while doing a workout on the tread mill, the display only displays a couple of horizontal lines.  The display starts again after a couple of minutes.  This behavior is consistent with my old one and the replacement.  It is annoying while exercising to see -- instead of 136(or some other valid rate)