Surge not holding charge

[jorang]

All of a sudden (approx two weeks ago) my Surge stopped to "hold" charge. Battery drains so fast I have to charge every second day.

Until than one battery charge would typically last 4-5 days - charge during weekend and repeat thursday/ friday depending of GPS use.

Typically I leave it to charge for a few hours (1-3hours) until the lightning bolt AND my dashboard states it's fully charged.

I am using it 24/7 as a activity and sleep tracker exept every second day I track a Free run approx 45 min duration.

I charged it yesterday till it was fully charged. Took it on a 'free run' this morning for approx 45 min. Now after 24 hours it is back to medium charge. 

I am aware that it usually will last for an extra day after you receive the empty battery email, but I don't want to rely on that so I typically charge when the email arrives.

Have reset it several times for no avail. 

This bavavior started all of a sudden as I said. I don't think we have got any FW or app updates for the last 2-3 weeks either

Any one else experiencing their Surge (or Fitbit) not holding charge? 

[mrhelpful]

I had a similar problem with my Surge and my One when I paired them with my smart phone so they would sync with the app.  There is some setting for "All Day Sync" or something, which was probably wearing down the battery.  Unless you need the live updates from the tracker, just sync them manually from time to time, like when you recharge, and the battery will last longer.  I also deleted the pairing relationship with my smart phone.  This way, my One lasts well over a week, and same for my Surge - assuming I don't have the GPS or Heart Rate Monitor running all the time - just when I need them.

[kushil]

My issue got sorted by some awesome people at fitbit. I am glad to see their great customer focused service so far. Well done!

[Chaspsmith]

I don,t think your guys are trying.  My lightning bolt icon never goes out, but app says battery is full. It isn't. Something is causing the charge sequence from finishing.

[Chaspsmith]

What is Bluetooth name for Fitbit surge?

[pallain]

This will be my last post in here as I couldn't pass up on a Blaze for the $50 off at some retailers now and I had a bunch of rewards dollars. So far I like it but it has its issues. 

[JillU]

This week my fitbit surge stopped holding a charge. Used to last several days. I charged it yesterday before going out of town. I didn't bring my charger and it says it's low and it's red. It's only 5 months old.

[Cd118]

1) The answer to my charging issue was that I have to turn Bluetooth off and on again on my phone when I get back if I've used music control on the Fitbit whilst out cycling. I guess it keeps sending stuff on standard Bluetooth otherwise which uses the battery up in around 24 hours. Suspect this may be interaction with iPhone Bluetooth (not apple's strength). If I do this it lasts 5 days unless using gps as per manual. 

2) If yours dies don't get another Surge - this bug, the fact they don't admit this bug, no update for ages so left well behind devices by Fitbit/ other makers. 

[met180921]

I have only had my Surge since late November. I am experiencing all of the issues described in previous posts. Including the fact that this strange behavior began about two weeks ago. So frustrating....

[met180921]

Agreed. 

[SolangeE]

hey, welcome aboard @Clumon! It's unfortunate to hear that your tracker is draining over night, this should not be happening. 

@mrhelpful, thank you so much for sharing your great experience with us and the great tips that you are using to maximize your battery and avoid unnecessary drainage. And thanks for joining the Community!

@kushil, it is really nice to see you here and hearing those words from your awesome experience with our Customer Service. We love to hear that we are doing a good job.  

@Chaspsmith, you should see "Surge" when you are pairing your via Bluetooth. Oh no! This should not be happening, your tracker should be syncing all information with your App. 

@pallain, I'm glad to hear that you are happy with your new tracker! 

@JillU, nice to see you! Have you updated your App to the latest version? Also you can restart your tracker and then try to sync. Doing it a few times in a row  usually does the trick for this. 

@Cd118, I'm glad to hear that you know what was draining your battery and that now you are back on track. 

@met180921, please let me know what troubleshoot have you tried. Do you have all day syncing On? 

Following these tips on how to improve battery life can also make the difference:

• Each alarm you add up to the maximum of 8 reduces battery life by a small percentage.
• Frequently pressing the button to check your statistics or the time may reduce the battery life.
• Since Quick View causes the screen to light up whenever you turn your wrist towards you, turning this setting off may prolong battery life. When Quick View is off, press the button to see your stats.
• If you’re syncing with an Android device, the Always Connected option may reduce battery life.
• If you're syncing with any Fitbit app, the All-Day sync option may reduce battery life on both the tracker and mobile device.
• Charging your Surge in extreme heat or cold may reduce battery life.
• If you don't need a heart rate rating, change the Heart Rate setting to Off. The Auto setting uses less battery than the On setting.

Keep me updated! 

[PHFIT]

Mine is doing the same thing.  Sounds like FitBit has a planned life span to keep their sales up.  Looking at Apple.

[JillU]

Now it won't sync. I did pair it again already.

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

[SolangeE]

Hey, hey, @PHFIT! Thanks for joining us!  For starters, I recommend restarting your tracker. That sometimes does the trick!  

Then I suggest cleaning your tracker's battery contacts, because over time the contacts can accumulate dirt and debris that prevents them from making a good connection to the charger. Use a toothpick or toothbrush to clean the charging contacts; do not scrape them with anything metal because this can damage the plating and result in corrosion.

@JillU, after the restart, follow these steps to pair it again. 

Let me know if it helps. 

[met180921]

Solange:

Thanks for your reply --

• I don't have any alarms set up.
• I am a "desk-jockey" for 12-hours each day - I don't check my stats frequently perhaps 1x daily, and I use my phone more frequently than my actual tracker.
• I do have notifications set up
• I do have blue tooth set up
• Heart Rate is set to 'Off'
• Back light is 'Off'
• I charge during the night in my bedroom, a comfortable 68 degrees

As far as trouble shooting, well I have restarted my tracker and started looking on line to see what was going on. 

I just purchased the water bottle (Spark?) that sync's with FitBit - I drink a lot of water during the day and having to double record is just a pain! 🙂 I am worried, however, that syncing the water bottle to my tracker is going to push it over the edge. 

To be honest, I am really disappointed. I intentionally purchased the Surge because of the features. I like the ability to track what's happening all day, especially when I'm under a lot of stress or have a huge burst of energy. The fact that each individual feature needs to be shut off to keep a charge longer than 24-hours, after such a short period of time, feels like the product and its features/capabilities were greatly misrepresented. I am mad at myself because I dumped my Samsung tracker because the FitBit brand is more widely accepted with health/wellness programs. 

As I have already said, so frustrating. I can't afford a new one, and I'm not sure I would buy again, so I'll just keep charging.

[SolangeE]

Hey, @met180921! Thanks for the updates.  I would feel the same if i purchased an expensive fitness tracker that did not meet all of my expectations.

Have you tried to sync your water intake recorded by your Spark bottle by the end of the day?

It is awesome to evaluate what's happening during the day with your body in order to make good changes where you think you need more attention. Also, I agree that should be able to use a decent amount of interaction and features with your Fitbit and other devices or Apps without charging your tracker too often. 

How long is your battery lasting currently?

Keep me updated!

[JillU]

I got my fitbit replacement. The buttons do not work. I would like a replacement that actually works. 

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

[met180921]

Lucky you -- you have a replacement. My buttons also don't work, this was such a disappointing purchase!

[met180921]

Even with everything turned off, and only occasional manual usage I am getting about 1 1/2 day's of charge before the battery is drained.  And, now that everything is turned off the buttons do not work - can't get at any of the options for a manual check in. 

[FrankTMarie]

my Surge is not Holding a charge, cable wont stay on, Band cracking by screws & i can't change screens

[KarenPhD]

I just spoke with a customer service rep who just read from a script. My first surge lasted less than one year, the band cracked. They replaced it with a refurbished Surge  and now the battery does not hold a charge. Oh and it could be because I let it charge more than a few hours, this is after I said I charge it 1 to 2 hours. For a $250 fitbit to last two years and that is it, VERY DISAPPOINTED. Great they will give a coupon for 30 days, but that does not address the issue. FITBIT is a rip off.

There are other products on the market. Fitbit, I loved the product but it is a shame you do not stand behind your products.