Altimeter Malfunction

I've had this problem on multiple devices as well and have posted about it on a number of forums (including this one). It has happened to me on multiple units of 910xt, 920xt, fenix 2, fenix 3, fenix 3hr, fenix 5x. My devices typically only last a few months before developing the problem, and when they do the altitude, barometer, and temperature all become frozen at values not compatible with life. No amount of soaking or resetting solves the problem. This is a different problem than others have had with wildly fluctuating values. I don't think the cause is understood. Given that I always have the problem and others never have the problem, I don't think it's just poor quality hardware (though that might be a component). I suspect it has to do with the chemistry of something--maybe the pool I swim in, maybe certain soaps, maybe certain sunscreens, maybe even something about the body chemistry of those of us who are prone to this. I have pretty much begged Garmin for some insights, but none have been forthcoming. On the positive side, they have replaced a ton of my units.

It's got to have something to do with chlorine. I don't use soap (I barely have time to wash or dry at all) or sunscreens and rarely go off-road with the MTB but Garmin is supposed to find a way to stop chlorine from destroying the baro, else just say you can't do pool swim with the watch.

In regards with chlorine, the standards are dictated by the laws and should be the same worldwide so maybe it's about how often and how long you are in the water. Chlorine eats goggles, swimming suits, wetsuits and caps but the baro... I don't know.... this should affect everyone so it's got to be about how long before it fails (depending as I said on how often and how long you're in the water on a monthly basis) WHY do I have to cope with the awful tech support in Milan is something... I'm in my third week without watch and it's the second dead F5X.

Yesterday tech support unreachable by phone or chat. Today I already see the chat is unavailable (and I'm betting their phone is too, just like yesterday).

It's got to have something to do with chlorine. I don't use soap (I barely have time to wash or dry at all) or sunscreens and rarely go off-road with the MTB but Garmin is supposed to find a way to stop chlorine from destroying the baro, else just say you can't do pool swim with the watch.

In regards with chlorine, the standards are dictated by the laws and should be the same worldwide so maybe it's about how often and how long you are in the water. Chlorine eats goggles, swimming suits, wetsuits and caps but the baro... I don't know.... this should affect everyone so it's got to be about how long before it fails (depending as I said on how often and how long you're in the water on a monthly basis) WHY do I have to cope with the awful tech support in Milan is something... I'm in my third week without watch and it's the second dead F5X.

Yesterday tech support unreachable by phone or chat. Today I already see the chat is unavailable (and I'm betting their phone is too, just like yesterday).

I don't think it's the chlorine, or the problem would be even more prevalent. I think it's something more unique about the chemistry of the pool or of something else. The pool I swim in is salt water (which in a pool means some salinity and less chlorine plus who knows what other chemicals...).