Charge HR battery is not charging

[SKapoor1205]

I bought a Charge HR in 2017, used it only for a year. I'm trying to use it again, but it's not charging. The battery symbol has an exclamation mark in the middle. Any suggestions please? Can I replace the battery?

Moderator edit: clarified subject.

[Julia_G · Accepted solution]

Hi, @SKapoor1205 , the exclamation mark indicates the battery is totally dead.  It may be that after such a long time in a deeply discharged state that it is totally unusable, as all batteries, whether used or not, lose capacity over time and a 2017 Fitbit is quite elderly in electronic terms.  

But don’t give up quite yet!  Give it a couple of hours charge, even if it doesn’t seem to be charging.  When it has had a couple of hours on the charger, try the restart procedure.  Instructions are here (look under “other devices”).  You will note that the instructions say to hold the button for 10-12 seconds - however, if the Fitbit has become unresponsive, then you may need to hold the button for much longer - like for as much as 30 seconds.  Try this a couple of times, as a single restart doesn’t always work.  You might get lucky!

If after a good charge and several restarts your Charge HR still shows nothing but the exclamation mark it is probably time to recycle it.  If the only Fitbit you have had is the Charge HR you will be amazed at how advanced the more recent Fitbits are!  Have a look in the Fitbit store (link at the top of every page here in the forums) and see if there is a new one that you would enjoy!

Let us know how it goes.  It would be great to hear of a Charge HR still in circulation.  Welcome to the forums!

[SKapoor1205]

Hi Julia_G! Thank you for your prompt, thoughtful response. I went through all the steps suggested by you, but alas the battery refuses to fire up. It is time to buy a new device as you say! I've done the research, and have settled on Inspire 3.The reason is I want a basic tracker, primarily to motivate me to complete 10,000 steps every day.

However, I have another dilemma, about which you or someone else might be able to advise. I have a pre-existing heart condition (a fluctuating heart rate). I don't wish to see my heart rate 24x7. It will only increase my stress level. Is it possible to turn on only those functions that I want to monitor? Thanks!

[Julia_G]

Hi, @SKapoor1205 , I am sorry that your old Fitbit did not come back to life - and thank you for marking my post as a best answer!

I would say that the Inspire 3 is an excellent choice for your needs (I use one now and am very happy with it).  Like all more recent Fitbits the Inspire 3 has the option to turn off heart rate tracking, so that is always available to you.  The Inspire 3 also has the option to set it to “on clip” (which automatically turns off heart rate tracking) and you can buy in the Fitbit store, or also probably from 3rd party sellers, a clip so that the Inspire 3 can be worn on the body instead of on the wrist, so it also has that flexibility.

By the way, as you are thinking about upgrading, you may want to get in touch with Fitbit Customer Support on Contact.fitbit.com and let them know about your Charge HR.  They are likely to offer you a discount on purchasing a new Fitbit.  (But note their offer won’t be any better than any on sale or discounted offers - their discount will be on the full RRP - and I think Fitbit is currently offering a Father’s Day sale so it might be just as good as the customer service discount, depending on what country you live in.

[SKapoor1205]

Once again, Julia, thanks for a response that covers many aspects of the query. I'm happy to learn that I'm making the right choice with Inspire 3. If you, as an Ultra marathon runner, use Inspire 3, there's something to be said about it. 

I am also considering Inspire 2 because of the lower price, but possibly not a great decision because it will soon get outdated. Do you have experience with Inspire 2?

I'll contact Customer Support in case a discount is possible. Btw, I live in India. Cheers!

[Julia_G]

Hi, @SKapoor1205 , yes, I used to use an Inspire 2 and I liked it very much.  The main difference between the 2 and the 3 is the colour screen on the 3.  Many users (including me!) complained that it was difficult to see the screen on the Inspire 2 on bright, sunny days.  This was addressed in the Inspire 3 and there are no issues viewing the screen.

The other reason for choosing the Inspire 3 over the 2 is that the Inspire 2 has now been discontinued by Fitbit.  I am not sure if you will find any for sale by an authorised retailer.  If you buy it from a retailer that is not authorised it will not have any warranty cover.  If you buy it second hand, you will not know how the battery may have been used (or more likely) abused.  A Fitbit that has been left deeply discharged for an extended period of time - even one that is new and in the box - is likely to show significant deterioration in battery performance, affecting overall battery life.

BTW, I am not really an Ultramarathon Runner!  That’s just the way Fitbit ranks participation in the forums.  (Although I did run the London Marathon more than 20 years ago…Fitbits didn’t exist then… I certainly wish I had had one during training and to help me pace myself on the day!). So I am an Ultramarathon Runner in the Fitbit Community Forums, because I post a lot!  You will see that your current rank is “Jogger”.  If you would like more information about Community Ranks you can read about them here .

[SKapoor1205]

Thank you @Julia_G for yet another comprehensive response. Inspire 2 is being sold by Amazon in India, but I realise its best not to go that route since it's being phased out. Thank you for the clarity you provide for every query.