Sense slowly Charging Message

[Craig007]

For all trying to get help and can't....see my transcript that FitBit is saying this is a charger issue.  I'll let you know if this solves the problem once I have the replacement.

Transcript from FitBit Chat January 9, 2021:

Start: (1/9/2021, 10:41:46 AM)

End: (1/9/2021, 11:17:13 AM)

JuanRH:Thanks for the summary. I'm reviewing your issue now and will be right back.

JuanRH:I will be more than glad to assist you with your Sense, which is having charging issues? I'll try to find a solution to get you back on track.

Me:Thank you

JuanRH:You are more than welcome.

JuanRH:After checking our records I noticed that your device was synced for last time 13 minutes ago and the battery level was 75%.

Me:yep

JuanRH:How long is it taking to charge?

Me:forever

JuanRH:Okay, thanks for the details.

Me:I have it plugged in and has not moved off the 75% mark in 5 min

Me:what's next?

JuanRH:Allow me one moment to further investigate.

JuanRH:Plug it into a USB port in a computer and test it out.

Me:Shoot...for got to do that trouble shooting step...I think I have done all the rest...give me a minute

JuanRH:Sure.

Me:Keep your fingers crossed...:)

JuanRH:They are already 🙂

Me:I'm in tech so know how new product launches go

Me:Darn...it just gave me the "slowly charging" message

Me:With as many messages on the support board your engineers must know the problem by now

JuanRH:Thanks for the letting me know.

JuanRH:Yes, they are aware of that.

Me:So is the problem in the watch or charger?  Seems like a quality issue

Me:But hope for you all it is Software.

Me:but I'd guess it is not

JuanRH:Allow me one moment, please.

Me:I design airplane avionics...designing a new unit for Honeywell right now

JuanRH:I need you to test it the device out to check if it charges faster in the computer and ignore the message you are seeing.

Me:It is not charging at all.

JuanRH:Okay.

Me:it is at 74% now

JuanRH:Try the following then.

JuanRH:1

JuanRH:1. Start by cleaning the golden contacts on the back of your Fitbit and the charging cable, you can use a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol.

Me:done, check

Me:Did that before I started this session

JuanRH:Okay, give me a moment

JuanRH:Thanks for the steps tried prior contacting us.

Me:sure...want to keep you efficient

Me:and figure out what I should do

JuanRH:Sure.

JuanRH:Still investigating.

JuanRH:Thanks for waiting.

JuanRH:In order to place the complementary replacement, I need you to please provide me with the following information:

Me:Do you have any information where the problem is?  watch, charger, SW?

JuanRH:I was told for the specialized department to replace the charger.

JuanRH:Give me a moment while I place the order.

Me:That makes a lot of sense

Jan Noel:Thanks for the summary. I'm reviewing your issue now and will be right back.

Me:thank you...you have have provided very good support

Jan Noel:I am sorry to see that your chat got disconnected from the previous agent.

Me:Please be sure that Juan has placed my replacement device

Jan Noel:As my tools are limited to check on this, I will be transferring your case to as specialized team to assist you out.

Jan Noel:Once our team has reviewed your case, they will be in contact with you via email as soon as possible.

Me:That is not acceptable!

Jan Noel:I really do apologize for the inconvenience.

Me:Have a supervisor get involved at look at the transcript

Jan Noel:I can see here that the previous agent will process the replacement charging cable for you and he will be in contact with you via email regarding it.

Me:Very good, that is the answer I was looking for.  I'd suggest next time you take the extra step like you just did versus trying to move on.

Jan Noel:Will there be anything else I can do for you?

Me:No, have a fantastic day!

Jan Noel:Thanks for contacting Fitbit. Please take care and keep safe.

Jan Noel:To end this chat please go ahead and click "end chat".

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[SunsetRunner]

I tried again, warning didn't appear and device charged quickly.

I think Fitbit didn't do enough QA testing on the Sense and it has buggy software.

[SunsetRunner]

I've been getting the slow charge message and it would eventually go away after reconnecting the charger with the pins several times. Decided to purchase a new cable and noticed that my old cable, one of the spring loaded pins was not protruding from the charger as much compared to the new cable. Just used the new cable and no message whatsoever appeared. On my previous cable, I've cleaned the contacts on the Sense and the charging cable with alcohol many times and the slow charging message would intermittently appear. Very frustrating....

The new cable seems to have fixed the issue, albeit costing a bit more....

[down_and_out]

First post that actually provided a solution - hopefully for every one.  After I read your post I saw my cable also had a recessed pin.  

Seems obvious now that you identified the fault.  Surprised Fitbit didn't advise its clients - I find it hard to believe they didn't know.

I bought a new cable - much less of a cost and much quicker (3 days) than paying to ship the cable to Fitbit, waiting a few months for them to decide if the cable was defective and then grudgingly sending me a replacement.  Attached the  cable in a port that had constantly caused slow charging message, waited a few seconds as the watch took a zero charge and built it up to engage and the result was a fast charge.

Now I have worries which I hope Fitbit monitors can answer before they delete my post for not being relevant:

The old cable resulted in the battery being drained to zero:  

- Has the battery been damaged?

- Has the battery's working life been seriously reduced?

The pin defect is apparently not unusual:

- Is the defect in the pins of the charge cable common only when shipped with new watches? 

- Were stand alone charging cables shipped with the same defect?

I wonder if I send Fitbit my useless charge cable with a copy of my replacement cable purchase receipt would they send me an Apple gift card for my future replacement?

[SunsetRunner]

Glad its working out for you. Did the same thing you were doing with the old cable. Plugged in the old cable with several outlets and several other chargers, and the message of slow charging still persisted. Using the new cable, no slow charging messages at all and I've charged the Sense 3 times with the new cable. One thing though, now I make sure to be careful with this new charging cable and to observe the pins' protrusions every time when charging the Sense. Maybe the design itself needs improvement if there are numerous reports of these pins getting compromised. 

On my original Versa, never had any charging issues with the original charger it came with. So...life goes on...

[SunsetRunner]

---

@SunsetRunner wrote:

Maybe the design itself needs improvement if there are numerous reports of these pins getting compromised. 

---

Oh, at this point I am utterly convinced that Fitbit did no real world product testing on the Sense and its accessories whatsoever.

[down_and_out]

What you say makes sense: check the cable each time to see if the defect shows up.

But what happens if it does?  We shell out for another replacement cable? 

How many times are we expected to do that over the expected life of the watch?

Every 3 months? 6 months?  Fitbit could make a fair amount of coin selling us a defective cable (a cable you can't buy from any other company) over and over again.

Just does not seem right.

[amburd]

I contacted FB Customer Service w/the same issue as everyone else.  They were able to confirm the slow charge and were really great to work with.  They sent a new charging cable but unfortunately that did not work for me, same issue.  So after the 2nd call back to them, I will be getting a replacement Sense.  As long as they can confirm an issue, I've only experienced  great customer service on their/my part, ever.  They have always been fair but thorough in investigating any issue I've ever had, which I haven't had many since 2014.  My replacement is on it's way & looking forward to 0% issues when it arrives!.

[down_and_out]

If it wasn't the cable then it was not really the same issue.  There appear to be a minimum of three.  One is that the Sense does not charge, another is that Sense does not hold a charge for long and the cable pin retracts into the charge  cable making a proper connection impossible.

Fitbit has been aware (based on customer service being able to confirm the charging related problems) of these associated issues but their immediate response based on posts is to want to exchange the cable.  It would seem simple to ask customers to describe the position of the 4 pins.  Pin retracted then exchange cable, pin not retracted then exchange Sense.  Simple, straightforward and logical.  Forcing customers to exchange the cable when its condition can be readily verified seems substandard customer service.

It would seem that good customer service would be for Fitbit to advise all customers with a Sense or Versa to check their cable for pins failing to extrude as well as what the company plans on doing (send cable to an address with postage to be reimbursed or perhaps arrange for an exchange at their retailers) to rectify the faulty cables.

A second note should provide a description of the Sense battery failing to charge and what customers can do for an exchange.  Pro-active is good customer service.  Reactive service tends not to rate very highly.

[SunsetRunner]

Agree with you on spending more money to buy a new cable. It came to a point that the frustration for me far outweighed the cost for a cable. Ended up ordering one and no charging issues so far. 

The same feeling of frustration for those iPhone cables when they start going bad...

Let's see how long this new cable lasts before experiencing charging issues. 

[Rich_Laue]

When I get a new tracker, the first thing I do is go on Amazon and order a second cable. Often it will be a 2 pack and I end up with 3. 

House - car - spare 

[MJC317]

When my first charging cable failed (pin does not pop up) I talked to service rep who told me they are aware of the "Slow Charging" issue and a software update will be coming.  That was 5 weeks ago. Replacement cable has now failed the same as the original.  If your Sense is not charging check to see if all 4 pins are sticking out.  One of the pins tends to fail and not pop up so no contact is made.  I balled up some tin foil and stuck it in the pin hole so contact can be made as a temporary work around until my third cable comes.

[Clove6060]

I get the same messages intermittently and resolve it the same way. May I ask where you got the new cable? At some point I’ll get tired of fiddling with the square and the back of the watch.

[MJC317]

I got it from Fitbit. Sense is only 5 months old and under warranty for a
year. I am waiting for them to send me a second cable as the replacement
one lasted 5 weeks with the same pin failing to pop up so it will not
charge. I balled up a tiny bit of tin foil and put it in the pin hole on
back of Sense to get it to charge but very finicky and many attempts before
it works. It is obvious from comments on community that this is a
manufacturing issue. Slow charging is a software issue Fitbit has yet to
fix.

Michael

[StarGirl05_]

Mine did something weird. So, I bought my Sense last Saturday during the Valentine’s Day sale for $199 as an upgrade from an original Versa and when I plugged it into the spot where I charged my Versa, it did the slow charging thing. It continued the message until I went to literally EVERY plug in in my house(including the bathroom one) and when I finally went back to the original spot, it started regular charging. Should I be concerned or consider it a fluke?

[RFMK]

I have replaced my sense twice because of this. once the warranty stops I doubt I will buy another. 

-------------

I repla ced mu charger, seemed to fix the issue but about two months later and i see it is happening again. Also i notice many times on the app it shows a much smaller % than when you plug in watch and display shows.

[down_and_out]

Be concerned as it is not a fluke.   

It may be you rec'd a useless error message about slow charge but your phone charges normally.

It could be your charge cable pins are not fully connecting.  If the battery starts to drain quickly that is time to look at the pins and see if all 4 are extending out equally.  If not your charge cable is toast. 

Your contacts may be soiled with body lotions or sweat.  Clean with cotton ball and alcohol.  Just damp and don't rub too hard and air dry or with dry cotton ball lightly.

Your Sense may need an update.  The update will either do nothing, reduce the frequency of the slow charge message, reduce the frequency that your phone does in fact charge slowly, or cause more problems.  BTW: nothing seems to fix the phantom stair count you will likely get on your Sense, so either ignore it or use it to brag to friends how you climb stairs while in bed or do a 100 stairs before your lunch.

You could go back to Versa or return the Sense and try a different brand or Fitbit model.  

Welcome to Sense.

[eezeepee]

@down_and_out @RFMK I get the "slow charging" message every time but majority of the time, like more than 9 times out of 10, it's actually still fast charging and I'm getting 60% in 30 minutes of charging. If it actually does slow charge or not charge at all, I either just take it off and put it back on immediately and/or give the contact points on the back of the watch and prongs on the charger a wipe with an alcohol wipe.

[Jayfeather980]

I wish I could just get the watch to shut up and just charge at what ever speed,  I see the message and hit "Ok" but then it comes back and buzzes at me every minute or so.  If there is more to the warning than the inconvenience of a slower charge then its not apparent.  As it stands the only inconvenience is having to hear the thing pester me for daring to charge it on a "slow" connection.  The actual charge speed I'm getting is acceptable,  but the frequency of the messages are not.

[Guy_]

Hi @Jayfeather980  - a couple of things you can do if you have done all the proper cleaning.

• Leave the slow charge message on the screen, it will still charge and may disappear by itself.
• Shutdown the watch from the Settings menu before charging, it seems to reduce the occurrence of slow charging, of course it should start by itself.
• Place the charge cable flat on the table and hover the watch in a horizontal position over it till it clips in its natural position before plugging it in.

At 50% you may still get the slow charge message when it tries a few times to connect to WiFi .

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone and a warm welcome to our new members.

@Jayfeather980 Thanks for letting us know about your Sense. I understand how frustrating this can be and appreciate your efforts. In addition to the suggestions shared by our friend, I'd also recommend exhausting the troubleshooting described in this help article. If by any chance the issue still persists, try getting in touch with our Support team so they can investigate and provide you with further assistance. Please click here to get connected with them via chat or phone.

@Guy_ Thanks for your suggestions.