New battery, dashboard says battery is low

[suezuk]

I just replaced my battery, but the dashboard says battery is low even though I just replaced it. I took out battery and reinserted, but that did not help. Dashboard still says battery is low. Any suggestions?

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity.

[PureEvil]

Hello @suezuk,

I assume that you've synced since you replaced the battery.

[suezuk]

Yes I synced after putting in new bttery

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[srscmayor]

I'm having the same issue with my battery. I just replaced it but it's still reading that it's low.

[skrsmom]

mine does that as well, sometimes for the "true life" of the battery. Last time it didn't even warn me of the low battery before it just went blank. Now it is starting my day at approximately 5,888 steps every couple days. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I am guessing the best is to remove the battery and hope it resyncs???

[suezuk]

I am going to purchase a new battery tomorrow...Hopefully that will,resolve the problem

[PureEvil · Accepted solution]

@suezuk,

I've seen instances where you may get a low battery notification if it's making poor contact with the battery.  If that's the case, I would try two things:

First, clean the battery contacts on your Zip.  I'd use a little alcohol and a Q-tip and hopefully that will resolve your issues.

Second, you can try gently prying the contacts so that they apply more pressure on the battery.  Like this:

Hopefully this will address the low battery issue.  I was able to revive my friend's Zip this way.

[Paulette3028]

Very strange....I am getting Low Battery notification and we changed the battery on 1/27/16....even the battery before that seemed (based on their notification to last just one month).  This just makes no sense  especially reading all the problems others seem to be having with the battery notification -- EVERYONE'S batteries cannot be so poor.

Could it be an online problem with the syncing to the website and the website response rather than the actual batteries?  Looking for input from a moderator, possibly of a problem at the website because this problem is occurring with multiple people.

@Paulette3028 wrote:

Very strange....I am getting Low Battery notification and we changed the battery on 1/27/16....even the battery before that seemed (based on their notification to last just one month).  This just makes no sense  especially reading all the problems others seem to be having with the battery notification -- EVERYONE'S batteries cannot be so poor.

Could it be an online problem with the syncing to the website and the website response rather than the actual batteries?  Looking for input from a moderator, possibly of a problem at the website because this problem is occurring with multiple people.

I posted earlier about a "low battery notification' that I got this morning when syncing.  I went to work, just did some walking in the neighborhood and re-sync'ed.  So now the notification about "low battery" is gone.  Clearly there is something wrong with the system on the website....so perhaps the low battery warning that I got on 1/27/16 was inaccurate, since that battery had only been in for 5 weeks. 

This is not good, as far as I am concerned.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[skrsmom]

My battery was replaced 3 weeks ago & I get the low battery notification, but not always. I have re synced several times as my "steps" are not accurate. Just checked & everything has reset, went to 0 on all & now randomly changed all but the time. I'm ready to give up on Fitbit. Was extremely pleaded until recently


Sent from my iPhone

[srscmayor]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I wound up turning my phone off then on again & I guess since the Fitbit app was closed the battery works. It now shows that's it's full.



Sent from my iPad

[suezuk]

Thanks so much for the tip. It worked. My new battery is showing full charge. I appreciate your help

Sent from my iPad

[Hddoctor]

I'm also having trouble with battery life. Last one lasted 2weeks. When I check the voltage, it is just under 3volts. When does this thing go dead. Voltage seems good. Had for just about a year and would have been able to buy a new one with the battery's used in this one. Done all fixes that have been suggested and still bad. When they say battery life of 4-6 months, they must have meant weeks. Only have 2 screen items on. Would not recommend this due to battery life. Good concept, get it right!!!

[suezuk]

Sometimes it shows as full battery other times low. Most recently it is showing as full. So I hope that is true. I have a backup battery just in case.m

Sent from my iPad

[Paulette3028]

On 3/12 again I get the low battery symbol on my Zip.  This battery has been in since 1/27/16.  When I log in to see what indication my battery has on there, it indicates a full green bar, meaning full.  I decide to wait until the batter goes totally dead and th zip stops working.  So I keep watching a little bit more closely, making sure to sync.

On Sat 3/19 when I am at the gym in mid afternoon, I realize that the display is totally blank.  When I get home the battery is changed.  But when we put the battery in a battery tester it says it is fine.

I know that posters have offered the suggestion to carefully clean the contact sensors that the battery presses on to make sure the battery is making 'good contact' -- but that creates the potential to have the contacts broken totally by the user. 

[mhenry]

I totally agree with you and I have had the same experience. I was very pleased when I first got my FitBit. Now it is nothing but frustrating. Battery life is sporadic, steps are inaccurate. I don't know what happened to the manufacturer, or if this is built in obsolecence to get you to purchase another expensive device. I won't be buying another fitbit that's for sure. Sigh.

[skrsmom]

Mine was working great until I replaced the battery a couple weeks ago. Now the time changes, steps missed, totally wrong 95% of the time. I contacted Fitbit & they are sending me a 25% off coupon to use, on line, I think. I'm fairly sure I can find a local store that has sales equal to or better than 25%. I will research other trackers first. Good luck

Sent from my iPhone

[Paulette3028]

---

@skrsmom wrote:
Mine was working great until I replaced the battery a couple weeks ago. Now the time changes, steps missed, totally wrong 95% of the time. I contacted Fitbit & they are sending me a 25% off coupon to use, on line, I think. I'm fairly sure I can find a local store that has sales equal to or better than 25%. I will research other trackers first. Good luck

Sent from my iPhone

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How does anyone know on a given day if the steps being recorded are totally accurate?  I can tell gross inaccuracies, when i have had a very busy day walking and it tracked very few and then I know to change the battery....I push my battery to its limits now, rather than change it when it says 'battery low'.  Gross inaccuracies can take another 7-10 days, at least that has been my experience.

Just an update about my personal ZIp and its battery....the battery that is in it now was put in on 3/19/16.  It is now 7/26/16 and so that is a little over 4 months and it hasn't given me the low battery warning yet.  To me, 4 months or more is good....I hope it goes another month or two....time will tell.  One thing I have done in this cycle is less sync's.  I leave it next to my computer once a week, but don't force it to sync even once a day.  My curiosity about building my stats isn't important....I can watch my daily stats on the Zip, which is all I really care about on a daily basis.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[MariamV]

@Paulette3028 thanks for the feedback! Your Zip's battery should last up to 6 months with regular use. Just check that that there is proper contact between the battery and the battery contacts inside your Zip. You can do this by opening the battery door of your Zip, removing your battery, and ensuring that the silver battery tab located in the lower right half of your tracker is flush with the white box outline in the tracker housing. The process can be followed here. Let me know if you have further inquiries! 

[wenderson]

I did that as well as add the same size foam (traced the battery and cut  it out) making the battery press deeper in the device.  the foam I used is the anti-slip foam that can be used in RV cupboard to keep dishes from sliding around.  Works great.  I have used a 2032 3 V battery in the past too which works well as it's thicker. 

[srscmayor]

Thank you all for your help & replies. I wound up just buying a new Fitbit.