Sense won't charge

[isunism]

Hi everyone, I don't have a Twitter and it seems like that's the only way to contact customer support so I'm coming here instead. I have tried multiple outlets, charging blocks, and USB connections to get my Sense to charge and it will not. It did slow charge the other week but now, even when the charging screen pops up, it loses battery.

I just plugged it in at 9% (I've been trying to charge it since 27% yesterday), the charging screen popped up, and when it warned me it was slow-charging, it was down to 8%. No matter where I plug it in, I get a warning that it is slow-charging but then it has inevitably lost battery by the time I return to it.

I've tried for days to get it to charge and it's incredibly frustrating. I have read other forum posts and tried all that is recommended.

How do I contact customer support directly? Thanks in advance. 

[DavideFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community forums @nathanm66. 

Thank you for confirming that you're having the same inconvenience with your Fitbit Sense. 

I've gone ahead and sent your information to the Customer Support team for further assistance with this, so you should be getting a reply soon.

Let me know if you have further questions. 

[nathanm66]

Hi, was your issue resolved? Was it the cable that was faulty?

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Thanks @DavideFitbit. I have one observation that you can send to the support group -  When I tried to charge it soon after the first day, I laid it on a metal surface. I later noticed in the instructions that we should not lay the charger on a metal surface. Is it possible I ruined the charging cable? 

[TJGrix]

I returned it and was sent a new one that is working so far.

[DavideFitbit]

Thank you for sharing this additional information @nathanm66, I've proceeded to send all these details to the Customer Support team so they can further investigate this. I recommend that you continue the communication with them so they can let you know how to proceed. 

Let me know if you have further questions.  

[BexDuffy]

Hey, how long did it take to get your replacement? It sounds like some are waiting a while! 

Random question ....did you take the straps off? The email they sent to me makes it sounds like I should be removing the straps before sending lol 

[TJGrix]

It took about 3 weeks to get the replacement - so long that I emailed them
(I had not received a notice of it having arrived there). Then I got an
email asking my address, and the next day or two and it was mailed out to
me.

I would email them if you never got a “watch received” message after 2
weeks.
I did not take band off - it was on when I got it. I sent everything back
except large wrist band. I had thrown that away.

[DavideFitbit]

Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with the shipping process @BexDuffy @TJGrix.  

[motoscribble]

I have been making note of how long the battery lasts and how long it is taking to charge my Fitbit Sense which is about 1 1/2 months old. I have turned off just about everything, I only use it for time, date and steps/exercise, heart rate, sleep. I am also using the GPS. Payments, notifications, phone & music options are turned off. I am using the watch face called "Clean Stats" by Hanseware. I have tried to get it down to as basic a settings as I can to conserve battery life. I do not turn the watch off unless I need to do an update. The SPO2 has never worked on this watch and I don 't know why, it did on my Iconic.

I am using the USB3 port on my computer or I use a 1 Amp USB wall plug also. I have found as I did on my Iconic that 2.1 amps causes a lot of issues. The average battery life (from about 100% down to 20%) has been 6 days. The average charge time (from 20% battery to 100%) has been 1 1/2 hours using my USB3 computer port or my 1 AMP USB wall plug. This has been about the average battery life and time to charge since I got the watch. I see others having battery issues so I just wanted to post what I am getting in terms of battery life and charge times and how my watch is set up to see if that might help you.

At this point I believe using a 1 amp USB wall plug charge works the best as well as USB via PC. I believe that charging over 1 amp cause issues as it did with my Iconic.

Basically I have found that the Sense battery life lasts about 1 1/2 days longer than the Iconic and charges about 1 hour faster at 1 AMP or via USB 3

I am still bewildered as to pop up that claims that the watch can charge faster by using another outlet. Fitbit has given no direction regarding what the power requirements are for fast charging? Can someone from Fitbit please give some info/power requirements for a USB plug on this mysterious pop-up?

[Jojo1970123]

I've had the same trouble with charging. I think it's the 4 little silver charging points on the back. They get dead skin or possiibly cream residue from hand cream or skin cream. I get a needle and pick it out, then it charges fine. Although this is a very bad design flaw for quite an expensive watch. 

[Shaneoz]

Mine has done the same thing...This happened to me with the ionic a few times and I was hopeful it would have been fixed with the sense....no such luck it would appear!

[GordonBonenfant]

I just bought the Fitbit Sense today.  It will not charge...  I wish I had been aware of the problems before...  It is garbage and I'll return it tomorrow. 

[BexDuffy]

Hey,

I returned mine and got a new one! The process was super simple...it might take a while coz of restrictions right now...but they were pretty good to deal with!

Hope this helps!

Sent from my iPhone

[BluebelleNY]

Thank you for your post. I was about to box it up and send it back. I tried your trick and it worked!. Thx.

[K_Sury]

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@BluebelleNY wrote:

Thank you for your post. I was about to box it up and send it back. I tried your trick and it worked!. Thx.

---

Hi, I would like to know which trick you are referring to, as I would like to try something that has worked for someone else. 

I have tried all the things that I have seen here or other places on the first one that I had to send back to fitbit.

And the new second one that got here just a couple of days ago - I was able to charge this only once - I could not tell for sure as it was during the process of being set up and it might have come charged up

[Tbaby26]

Me too and trying to get support from company who makes them is like trying to fly to the moon by flapping my wings.  Thanks for the community to help us waste our money trying to keep these gadgets working! 

[nathanm66]

They lied to me about a return label that never arrived. After struggling with it for weeks, I just smashed it with a brick and threw it away 😞

[Gortiz]

I am having the same problem. It does not charge. I have read the sense watch has poor ratings fue to charging difficulties. I am getting tired of it. 

[BexDuffy]

Hi,

I sent mine back and got a new one...not had a problem with the new one yet and the return was simple.

You should contact someone!

Sent from my iPhone

[BluebelleNY]

I took a paperclip and cleaned out the 4 contact holes that the charger clicks into. I clicked the charger on and it started charging right away. 

[TJGrix]

I had an initial problem and had to get a new Sense. Now I have no
problem...except I don’t get the graph for heart rate.