A Zip's Lifespan

[SunniS]

I've had my Zip for 18 months. It's beyond the 1-year warranty. For the past 2-3 months, it keeps telling me (incorrectly) that I need a new battery when I have a brand new battery in there...this has happened 5 times. Has anyone else had this happen? Has anyone had a Zip for a few years? I'm wondering what the lifespan of this product is...2 years doesn't seem like a lot to me. I'd like to stay with FitBit but I'm concerned about the longevity of this product. Thanks!

[AlvaroFitbit]

@SunniS Welcome to our Community! It could be that the battery is loose within the tracker and this may cause incorrect battery readings. Please take out the battery and clean the contacts with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol. After this make sure the contacts are aligned and not depressed that could make the battery loose within the tracker. Check the following pictures for a visual guide:

Let me know how it goes!

[deecampbell6]

I've lost my fitbit!!!  I'm lost!!!  I'm ordering a new one this morning.  Can my 'history' be added to the new one when I get it?  Thanks. Doris Campbell, deecampbell6@msn.com

[Ozzie65]

Hi @deecampbell6 - That shouldn't be a problem. When your new Fitbit arrives, you will add it as a new device on  your account. Your aren't setting up a new account, so your history will all be there. Come back here if you run into any issues.

[SunsetRunner]

>Has anyone had a Zip for a few years? This December I'll have had this Zip for 3 years. It's been though both the washer and the dryer multiple times, and bounced on the floor a number of times. I'm just about to use up my third silicone carrier. As I like to say, they're pretty tough. It complains spuriously about low battery, especially if I leave it too close to the bluetooth dongle overnight, or if I am too far away from the bluetooth dongle wheni sync (I usually sync from a laptop). Checking my email, I see that my Zip complains about once a month. I change the battery once every 3 months. I buy batteries cheap, 20 at a time, from known manufacturers, on Amazon, for about fifty cents apiece.

[jamikey]

My Zip is just a week over 18 months old and just died. Battery change and cleaning did not help.  Is this the life expectancy?

[SunsetRunner]

18 months seems too short. Has your Zip just stopped working entirely (screen blank at all times), or does it just work sometimes? Are you syncing with a phone or a laptop? What phone? What laptop?

[ReinaMerrick]

I think I killed mine trying to fix the darn battery connector. It won't recognize the battery at all now. I just bought the battery last Friday, and after having to do a support search and fixing the positive connector piece in the bottom left of the battery compartment, it worked just fine. I installed it on Sunday, and it synced with my phone and everything, even said the battery was full up until yesterday morning when it started giving me the dead/dying battery signal again. I tried to fix the little connector again, and I left it to sit next to my phone with the app open, hoping it would sync eventually. It never did. In fact, the Zip is now off, and no matter what I do, it won't register the battery. I think my Zip is now dead for real this time.

[HappyHoosier]

I am having the same issue. 4 batteries in 6 weeks. My current one only last 3 days before indicating the battery is dead. Cleaning didn't help me either. Has anyone figured out what the deal is?

[SunsetRunner]

The zip battery situation makes no sense to me. I was having dead/low battery notices intermittently. At first I did a restart but the same info would appear in a couple of hours. I tested the battery and it was fine. I was so frustrated I did nothing. An hour or so later, battery icon was gone and dashboard said full battery! Was fine all day. Last night, dashboard still showed full battery....when I synced my zip for the day the dashboard immediately said empty battery and icon showed up on the zip. I did nothing.

This morning the zip was fine, no icon and has been tracking fine. However, my dashboard shows I have an empty battery! There is no consistency or reason for the change in readings and the zip keeps tracking!

Can someone explain?

[jamikey]

I am using a new zip and getting only two weeks per battery. I bought batteries in four different places too. Getting old.

Jeanne Ann
Sent from iPhone

[jamikey]

Those issues have happened to me too. The battery never lasts more than two weeks.

Jeanne Ann
Sent from iPhone

[SunsetRunner]

My recipe for battery satisfaction with my almost 4-year-old Zip:

1) buy batteries ten at a time at Amazon, for about 50 cents apiece, from a recognized seller.

2) turn off all-day sync on your phone, and don't leave your zip near your phone at night

3) ignore low battery warnings for awhile: the Zip often "cries wolf" (false alarms) about batteries

4) if your Zip device shows a low battery on its little screen, replace the battery right away

5) sync your zip once every several days, rather than daily

6) hold your phone near your zip when you are syncing.

The most battery-destroying thing that the Zip does is use the wireless to sync with your phone or PC. I am only syncing my fitbit twice a week this summer, because of peculiar circumstances, and my battery is lasting much longer than the usual 2 months.

[SunsetRunner]

Sent from my iPad

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks! I'm doing some of those. I need to stop syncing every day. I've ignored low battery icon on zip and it has just gone away (although dashboard may still show low or empty battery).

[SunsetRunner]

I just got the low battery indicator on the Zip screen, so I replaced my battery.

The old battery was at 2.85 volts, using a voltmeter. The new battery was at 3.25 volts.

[SunsetRunner]

Not sure what's going on with mine! I get low battery/empty battery message on my dashboard and eventually goes away, replaced by green full battery message. Same on the zip.....low battery icon randomly appears and then is gone! Crazy!