Fenix 5 - baro/alti crazy reading

Thinking about your experience...
I realized that when the crazy barometer started I used a wristband on the same arm.
And when I reset the watch I also washed it with water... as suggested by Garmin support.
So far so good ... barometer and altimeter are working properly...

I too had the same problem after 3 minutes in a run the altimeter went down 600m.
First I thought that was due to the temperature drop since I did an altimeter calibration inside the car and the outside temperature was 6.
However it was first time that the watch was over the jacket and afterr the above explanation it could be it.

Thanks

I can confirm that putting the fenix in warm water with soap for 30 minutes solves the problem. Rising in cold water and soap doesn't solve the problem.

The reset is not necessary

I have rinsed mine in warm soapy water twice for over an hour total with no fix yet. Still just as crazy readings on Alti and Baro

Hi,

My new Fenix 5, bought 3 weeks ago has the same problem, you can see that here : https://photos.app.goo.gl/vBBI1Qk3SCHd8IF93

Altimeter and barometer are crazy, from +11000m to -1000m, atmospheric pressure from 3000hpa to 225hpa.

I call French Garmin support last monday, Reset the watch, same problem, some days, no problem, and during 4 hours, the bug is here. They says i'm a isolated case. I don't believe them. Watch return to Support last thuesday.

A bug with the lastest 6.0.0 firmware ? I test all version beta, no bug correction. Somebody can test a downgrade to 5.40 to see is the bug is here ?

Best regards
Eric

Same problems : crazy altitudes !!
Copie of two recording of the same activity to day : one from Fenix 5 the other from Iphone application

ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1280648.png

hi

same behavior here. I am on 6.00 and never upgrade to newer beta version. That is scary to see so many affected !

I believe charged synthetic particles from winter clothing or other sources cause the pressure sensor to malfunction but have no definitive proof.

I think you're right and the electroststic load is the reason why.
I made some tests with different clothes and I can trigger the bug easily or prevent it totally, according to what I am wearing ...

The glass of warm water seems to be a way to unload the device of all this electrostatic load.
Any firmware version will be able to change that

Now a question for Garmin : Because it's a known issue since F3, why this sensor isn't protected from those interference ?
How does it work with other brand like polar, suunto ? Do they face same behavior ?

I've had two watches behave like this with a jacket that I know produces static electricity. Both times the watches started behaving weird when I was walking outside...

I bought a Fenix 5 last Sunday (Nov 26) and the barometer/altimeter starting behaving erratically (barometer and temperature dropped too much). I thought the watch was a lemon so I exchanged it monday night for a new one (both were unopened boxes from Best Buy).

Tuesday morning the same thing happened with the new watch (It came with Firmware 4.10): temperature dropped from 35 degC to 16 degC and altimeter jumped from 1154m up to 17490m. This seemed to happen after I put my jacket on... Later when I took my jacket off, I could feel static discharges in the sleeves. I also think the sensor might be sensitive to static electricity. updating the firmware to 6.00 in the late afternoon did not solve the problem. (Note: firmware 6.00 lets you calibrate the altimeter and then enter sea level pressure from a weather station, this is not available in firmware 4.10)

Warm water seemed to stabilize it but I am not sure if it permanently fixes it. Still testing and deciding if I should keep or return the watch.

I think the temperature sensor is necessary for the pressure reading to be accurate, after leaving my watch untouched in the same room for 3 hours, temperature fluctuated from -30 degC to -52 degC. The room temp was +26 degC. Has anyone else checked what their temperature reads? (it should be somewhere between room temperature and your body temperature)

If barometer/altimeter does not work, what information is still usable on the fenix 5?
I think we can assume stair count, elevation gain/drop, calories burnt, and storm warnings are useless. Maybe even sleep and other stats recorded when we aren't moving are useless; if the pressure is changing so much the watch thinks you are always moving.

Just my .02c

I was thinking why does this happens. Since I don't really know how garmin did the pressure sensor I can only guess the explanation but here it goes.

There are a type of pressure sensor based on capacitance variation. In general terms an air gap (called dielectric ) between two conducting charged plates is deformed by the air pressure variations changing the capacitance. usually these sensors are used in accurate systems.

So, if you have a sensor that is based in charges variations and apply an external charge(electrostatic electricity ), the sensor of course goes south.

Why the soapy water solves the problem if indeed is strange, soapy warm water is better conductor than clean water and can neutralize the above effect, but in that case garmin could say to put fenix in water with salt.