Versa is reporting extremely high heartrate all the time.

[halleynora]

Since Saturday evening my versa has been showing extremely high heart rate all the time. Resting heart rate is reporting peak numbers and when I work out I should basically have died from a heart attack. I have restarted multiple times and reset to factory defaults this morning. I am ready to go back to my charge2 if this doesn't resolve itself soon.  

[Krmn]

I was told the same thing, that they are working on the issue and that I had to wait for a fix, no replacement and no tentative date on the fix either.

[lorraineg]

They've been working on it since 2018. 😞

[Jasonvado]

“Working”

[JindySuz]

Is this problem fixable?  It appears to have been an issue for over a year.

[lorraineg]

Seems to be a software issue so it’s likely. WILL it be fixed is another question...

The real issue for me is that when you call or chat about this issue, they try to justify the inaccuracies. I was told “it’s not a medical device and we don’t recommend comparing it to other devices”. I do cardiac rehab wired to a monitor that I know is accurate. The Fitbit was 20 beats too high. 
1) I realize it’s not a “medical device” but it (pure pulse technology) IS advertised as accurate (a few beats off is acceptable, 20 is not).

2) Fitbit doesn’t recommend comparing it to other devices lest you find out how inaccurate it actually is.

This device should have been recalled as soon as they realized the HR software was defective. Not only are they not ADDRESSING the issue, they’re still selling the device KNOWING it’s defective. 

[Colin-L]

I personally believe there's a hardware issue, but I kept my original Versa
just in case. The warranty replacement has been fine. If you have a Versa
that hasn't been replaced under warranty and you really want a functional
HR device on your wrist I think you probably will have to buy something new.

Regarding your second point about comparing it to other devices - this is
just the nature of the current technology in wristwatch heart rate
monitors. They all (that I am aware) read heart rate from the movement of
your skin. This is simply not as accurate as using a chest strap. This is
true across all watch HR monitors that I am aware of.

I use a chest strap when riding a mountain bike and sometimes the watch is
close, and as the intensity rises, the watch is not that close. It's fairly
accurate for zone 3 and below.

[Jasonvado]

What chest monitor do you use? I need one!

[lorraineg]

I don’t expect accuracy if I’m doing HIIT or interval training, etc.. In those
situations, I know a chest strap is the only way to get accuracy.
I do however expect something reasonably accurate when I’m walking at a steady 3 mph pace.

Sent from my iPhone

[lorraineg]

And you may be right about hardware, I think I saw somewhere that the Versa has one sensor compared to two in other models? I’ve sent my versa in for replacement and I’ve given my Blaze away so I can’t even check.

[EricCR]

Check for fogging inside the sensor piece on the back. I had almost constant BPM above 150 and even reaching 200+ and after taking a really thorough look at the sensor I noticed fogging. If you use alcohol to clean the exterior, it will cool down the aluminum just enough for it to be noticeable. I think all of these HR issues are due to humidity shorting the sensor, which means that it likely has no fix other than getting a replacement and not using it close to water.

[Colin-L]

currently using a CooSpo paired directly to my Wahoo Roam bike computer. but I've used a whole bunch over the past 12-15 years, starting with Polar, I've had Garmin, Zephyr and Sigma. they are all quite a bit more accurate than a watch or activity tracker with the wrist sensor.

[SunsetRunner]

@EricCR i think you are right about the humidity. The unit I had issues with had never been worn swimming. I wore it to the beach and i didn’t swim just had a quick dip and that same big day the heart rate went crazy reading constantly over 150bpm. That unit was replaced and recently when I went swimming I didn’t wear it and it’s still working fine. I really think that the marketing of the watch as ‘swimproof’ is totally incorrect. I wouldn’t wear my versa near water ever again.

[lorraineg]

I never wore mine in or near water and the HR was very inaccurate.

[Jasonvado]

How’d you like polar? I’m looking at that one!

[Lisarunner]

Have they found a fix for the excessive heart rate on the versa?

[lorraineg]

I just received the replacement for my versa due to HR readings. I go to cardiac rehab tomorrow where I’ll be hooked to an ekg machine while I exercise. So far it seems ok with resting HR, we’ll see tomorrow when I have something I know is accurate to compare to.

[lorraineg]

Well, it was telling me my HR was 124 while I was sitting doing nothing (it wasn’t bc I’m sure one of the nurses would have been alerting me if the EKG reading was anywhere near that.

At another point, the Versa was telling me my HR was 118 when it was actually 88 so nope, not fixed and the replacement is no better than the original.

[Lisarunner]

I called customer service.  They said they are still working on a fix for the problem. They will send out an update when they figure it out. Frustrating. They've been aware of the problems for months.

[lorraineg]

They’ve actually been “working” on this issue since 2018 sooooo.....

Sent from my iPhone

[Surezende]

I have the same problem. But i live in Brazil, and i bought my device last december, when i visited US. I don’t have a store to complain, because in Brazil we dont’t have Best Buy stores... I am very disapointed with this situation!