Over counting steps

[Leebee50]

Hi, so like others, my charge 2 is over counting, I've a small property and it's not 45 steps from bedroom to bathroom and I don't walk in my sleep, this morning I've woken to 168 steps! Mmmm something isn't right.
I bought the charge 2 yesterday, noticed before bed the steps were inaccurate, put it down to it 'getting used to my movements'. I've set it up as people have advised, less dominant hand, stride length etc.
Please can someone tell me if I've missed something, should I return it, was it a waste of money?
I know people that wear Fitbit and other brands and seem very happy, sadly I'm not and really like the concept of challenging myself, as I'm not confident to join a gym, but sure need to get fit.
Any advice much appreciated and thank you in advance.
Lee (soon to be fitlee I hope x)

Moderator Edit: Edited thread title.

[Bigmark]

Ok. Today I've taken my kids for a Pizza. Apparently I've done 1476 steps and 1.15km.

My HR Charge is now tightly affixed instead of comfortable as an experiment.

I think I've walked no more than 300m plus a few 10m trips to the Bathroom. Can cutting a Pizza add 1000 steps and 800m to my activity? Really??!! No.

Kind regards
Mark Jones

[SunsetRunner]

I recently used both the Charge 2 and the Fitbit One (worn on my waist). The Fitbit One registered about 2,100 steps which, given that I didn't leave the house that day, seemed reasonable. The Charge 2 registered over 6,700. My conclusion is that other than when specifically doing exercise, the Charge 2 is useless as a measure of steps! The only thing it is good for is heart rate.

Keith
Sent from my iPad

[fgp2410]

it does for sleep only !!!!

[fgp2410]

turn off quick view this will help . also my Garmin can be turnoff for like
watching t.v. or turning pages in a book or paper ( I have both gar & fitbit
trackers)

[CalgaryCoachDad]

This is getting a bit frustrating.  I had a Charge for about 1.5 years that packed in a couple of weeks before Christmas.  I asked "Santa" for a new Charge 2 and the big guy pulled through.  I've just noticed in the last 24 hours a bunch of phantom steps, WAY worse than my Charge ever was.  Just now I kept an eye on it and I added 115 steps while changing my clothes!  I've got the settings correct (dominant hand and such), this makes me think I should have gone with a Garmin product. 

Strangely, my wife has an Alta and it was fine up until a day or two ago when she noticed a pile of phantom steps.  Has anyone else seen this change in the last day or two?

[Bigmark]

I've just got up, turned the kettle on and have 292 steps.

Kind regards
Mark Jones

[SunsetRunner]

It's beyond a joke really. What is the point of a Charge 2 if it can be this wrong on such a key part of its functionality?

Keith Alderton

Sent from my iPhone

[Bigmark]

My Charge HR:-

I find it's great as a watch and alarm but it's plastic/silicone yet not waterproof.

Also if I do change wrists it's either too tight or too loose. Notches need to be spaced closer.

Heart rate no problems. I know if I was pumped up or relaxed in those periods. It works.

If I really do walk for an hour then it's within it's acceptable accuracy.

If I lie on the sofa from 6pm it counts it as Sleeping apart from Restless or Awake if I get up for a pee or to eat.

But over sensitivity for sedentary workers gives us/them a false sense of security. 4km a day to look at a PC at work with a car park 100m away. No way is that accurate. Could be to do with it being worn too slack due to strap notches as I mentioned above.

I've swapped wrists this week physically and software and worn it very snug, after three days my skin was irritated. We need a more varied strap setting.

Floors Climbed is based on air pressure so if the weather changes or you drive up a hill then you've done 'Floors' maybe 100's.

I still like the little thing for its Clock functionality but really it tells me lies and gives me a star burst sometimes for calories burnt when I've done nothing but pee and turn Bluetooth on.

[Tuf5ty]

HI I'm new to this but found my fitbit logging loads of steps when driving. I downloaded the driver app and it logs the activity as driving for me but doesn't actually deduct the steps taken. I'm not sure what I'm doing wring.  Can anyone help.

[Faststep]

I'm on here looking for a resolution to this over counting issue too; apparently folding clothes, whilst sitting stationary on the couch, racks up a fabulous 2000 + steps...who knew!

This is my first Fitbit so I have no clue what can be done.

many thanks

[SunsetRunner]

Wear it on your ankle? Other than that, send it back as not fit for purpose.

Sent from my iPad

[vle045]

Faststep... That's what I was doing for a brief time yesterday too.  I only folded ONE load of laundry.  Then drove to the store.  During that time (less than an hour) my steps pretty much doubled.  I went from about 6,000 steps at 6:00 pm to over 13,000 by 8:00 pm.  Not even remotely possible. I've contacted support on this twice so far.  We reset the tracker last night.  So today I am wearing a total of FOUR different trackers.  (Don't judge.  I want to figure this thing out).

 So here's what I have so far (I am going to be folding laundry again a little later)

My Fitbit Alta which I thought has been high :  5734

My Jawbone Up2 that I have been wearing for the last year: 4706

My Timex watch that also tracks steps: 3156

My old Fitbit that is not currently attached to my account:  6356

So wearing FOUR trackers hasn't really helped me!  LOL.  I don't expect them to all match but at least be sort of close.  

I will check again after I get some laundry folded.  

[Faststep]

Vle045,

It's too much discrepancy to live with!

Not judging, i'd be wearing more to check if i had them. Lol. Thinking about bringing the old pedometer out the drawer.

I really wan't this to work but thinking that i may have to concede.

Currently it is to the inside of my arm, been to switch on kettle, loo & dressed & at a respectable 168. So far so good. This time yesterday i was at approx 1500.

Let me know how you get on.

Many thanks

🙂😃🙂

[vle045]

I think I may have figured out what happened and you would never have guessed it...  Earlier, when I took my laundry out of the basket and started folding it, I found my Zip in the basket.  I think it was washed (again).  This is why clip on trackers are bad for me.  I wash them all the time.  My One was washed six times before it died.  Anyways... the last time my Zip went through the wash and dry cycles, it logged about 7,000 steps.  And as I was thinking about this a little bit ago, I realized that I thought my Alta tracked 6000-7000 steps too many. Well, that's when that load was in the dryer.  And my Zip is attached to my account.  So, I feel a little silly.... but it is funny.  So the Zip probably synced first or something so the Alta didn't count. 

[saxonpaul92]

I am experiencing the same problem... I am sure that there is a sensitivity adjustment in the firmware of the tracker.  It would be nice to be able to adjust the sensitivity from the dashboard.  I have to think that fitbit will make the adjustment in the near future. 

Probably wishful thinking to ask for an adjustment on the dashboard.

[Julia_G]

Hi, @saxonpaul92, you can adjust the sensitivity by changing the hand setting.  If it is overcounting steps, ideally wear it on your non dominant hand, but in the setting have it set to dominant.  Setting it to dominant will alert the program to expect more hand movements and make it less sensitive.

So, for example, if you are right handed, wear it on your left hand, but tell the program you wear it on the right.

[Bigmark]

Paul that's been suggested more than once in this thread and it doesn't make much difference to doing 1200 steps on the sofa.

Kind regards
Mark Jones

[Faststep]

I've returned mine today; really cannot deal with the volume of overcounting. If it was a few hundred that would be ok but not thousands!

Will research an alternative. I really wanted it to work. 😳

🙂😃🙂

[Bigmark]

Yup.

It's good for heart rate but can we trust that? it seems accurate enough though and as my sleeping alarm watch. But over counting at this rate is beyond a joke.

People have asked if I'm masterbating which I'm not offended with and it could be a valid point - but no. It overcounts before I wake up in the morning without a morning glory.

[Azdebbie]

Now my Fitbit is not resetting over night, and it resets in the middle of the day???

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