A faulty connection has the following effects: Watch can no longer be charged, data can no longer be exchanged between computer and watch, the watch can no longer be synchronized, the computer does not recognize the watch when it is plugged in, etc...
With my first two Fenix 5x, I had corrosion on the USB connector. Now, after 6 months, I have problems with synchronization from the watch to the computer. To find the reason, I analyzed the quality of the transmission trough the connector contacts.
A USB port has four wires: Two for the power supply (the two outer contacts on the USB connector) and two for the signal (the two inner contacts on the USB connector).
As a former electronic engineer and lecturer at a university of applied sciences, I built a measuring device to check the contact properties of the different cables with the watch. For this purpose, I measured the ohmic resistance between two connections (inner and outer contacts). The watch must be switched of. The normal value of the resistance is about 2 Mega Ohm to 6 mega Ohm.
My measurement results show clearly: With the original cable (40 cm) from Garmin, contact problems occur after a certain time (e.g. 6 months). This is probably due to mechanical wear in the transition from watch-socket to cable-plug. This explains the problem: The plugs are not spring-loaded. A spring would compensate for the play of wear.
Since the cable can be inserted in two ways, the results will vary depending on the direction of insertion.
With a new 1 m replacement cable there were no failures.
A faulty connection has the following effects: Watch can no longer be charged, data can no longer be exchanged between computer and watch, the watch can no longer be synchronized, the computer does not recognize the watch when it is plugged in, etc...
Conclusion: Replacing the watch and the cable solves the problem only temporarily. In addition, the user must laboriously reconfigure the watch.
The only long-term solution would be to offer a plug-cabl.
Can anyone confirm my observations and conclusions?
