Charge 3 way too sensitive

[alistairdale]

I bought my wife the Charge 3 approximately 10 days ago to replace her Charge 2. I Calibrated it using the information on the website but it's still way way WAY to sensitive. I've seen numerous post about this issue but still can't find a solution..... is there anyone that can give me an idea of how to rectify this problem? Surely it can't be hard to get a software update so the Charge 3 is working correctly? 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community @alistairdale! Thanks for taking the time to calibrate your wife's Charge 3 by using the information on the website. Nice way to go!

If you're having discrepancy with your step count, first make sure the wrist placement settings are correct. Next, double check that you entered your height correctly. Since we use height to estimate your walking and running stride lengths, you may want to measure and manually adjust these values if your legs are longer or shorter than average.

Remember that the wrist trackers count steps depending on the movement of your arms, when you are driving or for example when your tracker is close to a fan. In these scenarios, your tracker counts steps due to the vibrations. 

To get more information about this, check the article: How accurate are Fitbit devices?

I'd also recommend to try a step test:

1. Restart your tracker.

2. Put your wrist-based tracker on your wrist.
3. Walk 100 steps, making sure to count a step each time one of your feet hits the ground.
4. Pause, then check your tracker to see your step count.

Give this a shot and let me know the outcome.

[James_Vierkant]

Alistairdale, Overcounting steps has been a problem since last October.  how many steps does it record when your driving?  My 35 minute commute would result in about 3000 steps.  And this was at the least sensitive setting.  I tried wearing my old tracker and a peometer with my C3.  After a mild day, both the pedo and my old tracker were withing 30 steps of each other at 7000 steps.  The C3 showed 13000+ steps.  Very tempting to use those numbers in the fitness challenge I'm in, but I just couldn't.  

[MarreFitbit]

Hi @James_Vierkant, thanks for stopping by! If your Charge 3 is overcounting steps, please make sure to follow the tips and recommendations I've provided here.

Your device has been tested against driving and riding in buses, trains, and other public transportation and shouldn’t add steps when you’re traveling under normal conditions. On bumpy roads or in a car with a stiff transmission your device may add some steps. For most customers, the number of extra steps added when driving isn’t significant when compared to your overall stats. If you want to remove the steps from your daily total, manually log the driving activity for the time you were in a vehicle. For more information see How do I edit or delete Fitbit data and activities?

Ping me out if you need further assistance! 

[James_Vierkant]

Maria,

You're kidding, right?  Even at its least sensitive setting, the Charge 3 was recording 3000 steps on my commute. Sitting at my desk typing would result in 250 steps an hour.  I don't  think my office chair is that bumpy.  My colleagues and friends who did have Charge 3's experienced the same problem.  I don't have this problem with my much older tracker, which compares steps registered on the tracker vs those registered on my phone.

[alistairdale]

Hi, 

Thanks for this @MarreFitbit 

We have tried all of this, measuring stride etc but it doesn't change. It's not only the step counter, the Floor counter is completely off too. Any suggestions? 

[alistairdale]

Hi @James_Vierkant ... Yeah there is definitely something at fault here. I've read loads of post regarding the C3 and the problems with accuracy. The better half is starting to lose her head with it and I just need to find a simple solutions. It can't be difficult, her last C2 was on point. I can't fathom how this is such a long running problem?  

[phatlad]

Get used to it. They don't think it's a problem, so it will never be addressed.

[nikongal01]

I had the Charge 2 and now the Charge 3. Is tun 3 miles in the am and on the 2 I’d be around 4500 steps and no stairs. On the 3 I have 6500 steps and 12 flights of stairs. This is way off. I know how to wear it but something is off with how you calculate the steps. It’s my same route, same wrist, same placement, but newer and less reliable information. What a crock. This should have never come out for sale since it doesn’t do the job correctly.

[James_Vierkant]

Best option at this point is to return the Charge 3 for a refund. FitBit
doesn't see this as a problem, so it won't get fixed.

[nikongal01]

What a bummer. Why not keep the same formula as the 2?