Sense charging cable pins are sunken in

[Sadoe001]

My sense wasn’t charging after I did all the suggestions .... had to get a new charger .

works fine now but noticed that one of the pins on the older (4 months ) charger was not at the same height as the rest .... sunken in.

is Fitbit doing anything about this problem? 
 Was this the charging problem and will it keep happening? Very frustrated.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Guy_]

It is a known problem with some chargers, that a pin doesn't make good contact, a new charger should resolve the issue.

[Kydean421]

This is a terrible problem. I love the Sense!  but I bought my Fitbit November 30,

2020 and I have now purchased  4 chargers and a stand charger all of which have had a pin to sink into the square. What do you all plan to do about this issue???

[Rich_Laue]

@Kydean421 what would you like your fellow fitbit users to do? 

[Kathader76]

I'm having the same problem. Buying a new charger for a $200 device only 4 months after purchase seems like a terrible solution. Fitbit needs to address this. 

[Guy_]

HI @Kathader76 - you should be able to get a replacement charger from Fitbit under warranty, or for a few dollars, buy a more sturdy one to have as backup if it happens again. See also tips

[Rich_Laue]

The title of this thread is misleading in that the sunken pins are not on the Sense but on the cable. 

[Ftumch]

My first one failed after nearly 4 months (early May to even earlier September). The state was under a Covid lockdown (NSW, Australia) so I couldn't go into the store to return it under warranty. Stores could only take online orders for pickup at their front door, so I ordered a new cable. That second one failed yesterday after less than 3 months. I took both back to the place of purchase. I couldn't replace the standalone cable as there were none in stock and they couldn't even order one in. For the original that failed, even if they had stock they wouldn't have been able to swap it for just a charger. As it had come packaged with the watch, they had to replace the whole package, as per Fitbit's instruction. i.e. I now have a new watch, even though the old one worked perfectly.

I'm not sure if it was coincidence but it was the lower left pin on both when holding the charger cable to the right, as it is when being attached to the watch. Is that the one that fails for everyone?

[Kydean421]

IDK. I have trashed all of the ones that were bad i think. Its just ridiculous. I love the watch its great just give me a charger that works over 3 months!

[Bumblebeezzd]

I have been experiencing the same issue! I got my sense in Oct 21 and 3 chargers have broken since then. I’ve ordered a 4th today! In the last 2 it was the bottom right hand pin which had sunken in. It would be interesting to know if this was the same for other Fitbit  users. Customer support will send a replacement charger free of charge whilst under warranty. But once it’s out I can’t afford to buy a charging cable once a month. I suspect there is a design fault. I was advised to post here … 

[Guy_]

Hi @Bumblebeezzd  -  it would seem that it is one pin that fails, see the notes in How to check charge cable - Sense/Versa 3 won't charge, won't start or blank screen 

Also check my earlier post 11-16-2021 09:41 for a more sturdy one, and follow the image links.

If the contact holes on the back of your watch aren't clean it might make a problem.

[Goresh]

Same problem and I noticed in another forum that it seems to be the same pin that fails in each case.

[Stacey2]

Yes! I’m only a few months in and am on my second charger. Customer Support sends  a replacement with no problem, but I’m so very concerned that once my device is out of warranty it will be useless. Do the other device options have this same charging system? 

[Guy_]

@Stacey2  - don't worry you will be able to buy replacement charge cables outside warranty. Mine only cost $3.

[Stacey2]

It’s good to know they aren’t that expensive. You are buying them from Fitbit or a third party? I don’t like the idea of having to buy one every other month, especially if that leaves me with a few days with a dead watch waiting for shipment. If there’s one that is more reliable outside of Fitbit, I’d be happy to just go with that instead.

[Guy_]

@Stacey2- Have been testing a third party one for many months it seems better than the original. Follow the picture links in the link posted earlier.You could always buy a couple to have one in reserve.

[Ftumch]

Another donation to Fitbit's bottom line today. Yet another charger failed with the sunken pins. Looking forward to my non-OEM one arriving. 

[Ftumch]

I've just pulled apart one of my old dead ones to see if it was just the pin getting stuck coming through the hole, or a failure of the pin. The four pins are quite thin, as you can see from just looking at the charger. The pins are two parts, sprung inside, so the springs are obviously going to be even finer and more delicate than the pin. On each corner there is a magnet, with the alignment so the charger can only be attached one way.  These magnets are way too powerful for what they need to do and slam the charger into the back of the watch, never quite aligning the pins with the holes on the back of the watch. It's only a matter of time before they destroy the spring in one or more of the pins.

I'm no engineer, but would assume one way to have far fewer failures would be to include much less powerful magnets. Magnets that are able to hold the charger to the back of the watch and not much more. 

I'm not sure if the latest charger will benefit, but I'll be putting the side of it away from the cable very gently against the back of the watch as close as possible to the outline of the sqaure on the back and gently allowing the two sides to come together. 

We'll see how that goes. 

Edited to remove a few of my typos. 

[Guy_]

Thanks @Ftumch for the useful information.

There is another issue to be considered.

Have a look at Tips when using the Sense or Versa 3 charging cable 

If the cable is left plugged in metallic objects can short the live terminals, even when attaching or detaching from the watch it may happen..

Also if the watch is not clean, then sparking and overheating can occur which may melt the tiny spring.

As you have it open can you see if the power is transmitted via the spring which may be acting as a fuse possibly?

As they say flying is easy, it's the landing and takeoff that can be problematic!!

Thanks for your post.

[Ftumch]

I would look, but the timing is unfortunate.  I was going to reassemble it, but in my messing around broke some of the wires that come from the USB cable off the main board, so put it in the bin and last night was the night to put out the bins, so it's off to a landfill somewhere. I'm assuming the new one will die in a few months, so will look at it then and let you know. 

I'll keep the info you have added in mind as well. 

BTW, how is the third party one of yours performing? I've ordered one from the aliexpress link you posted, but it's still in transit. Aliexpress itself has been a revelation for me. I've ordered and received several other things useful for an ancient motorcycle that always needs little things and with original parts that are hard to find and way too expensive for what the are.