Garmin Instinct ambiguous temperature readings

The ambient temperature in my house is about 26 deg C. The temperature reading on the Instinct watch face reads NOW 22 deg. If I go to the temperature widget, I get a reading of 34 and 29 with a present temperature reading of 34 deg C. I understand that these temperatures indicate a maximum and minimum over the last 4 hours.

My experience is that the widget is more correct if I deduct about 8 deg. I understand that this is caused by body heat. But, why is the watch face temperature not displaying 34 deg C. I understand that the watch face temperature is that of the internal pressure sensor. But why the ambiguity? 22 deg C does not lie between 29 and 34 deg C.

Are there 2 different temperature sources or am I just not getting it?

Paul T

Top Replies

trux over 5 years ago in reply to Paul T +2

Paul T said:
the only way round this is to purchase a Garmin Tempe which should give an ambient temperature reading.

Actually not. The simplest solution is removing the watch from your wrist for a few minutes…
Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to Bullet +1

Yes, you are correct, but something is wrong with this watch. The weather in my city and my phone weather app says -7 degree C. I am connected to the garmin connect app and the now temperature says -21…

All Replies

0 Bullet over 5 years ago

temperature on the watcface is not from temp sensor on watch, it is from weather widget.

0 Paul T over 5 years ago

Thanks Riki. As I suspected 2 sources. The weather widget probably gets it's info from a weather station, whereas the temperature sensor in the watch gives the internal temperature (which is of no use to anybody). So, as far as I understand, the only way round this is to purchase a Garmin Tempe which should give an ambient temperature reading. What were Garmin thinking?

0 trux over 5 years ago in reply to Paul T

Paul T said:
What were Garmin thinking?

What exactly you mean? It works exactly as designed, and as it is logical. How the watch, when on your wrist, could know the ambient temperature in your room without an external sensor?

0 trux over 5 years ago in reply to Paul T

Paul T said:
the only way round this is to purchase a Garmin Tempe which should give an ambient temperature reading.

Actually not. The simplest solution is removing the watch from your wrist for a few minutes, and then you can see the ambient temperature just about right. And for example in water, when swimming, due to the water's thermal conductivity which is 24 times higher than air's (0.6 vs 0.025 W/(m·K)), the body heat practically does not have any impact on the reading, and the watch shows the true water temperature. You need to wait a few minutes, though, till the temperature stops dropping.

0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to Bullet

Yes, you are correct, but something is wrong with this watch. The weather in my city and my phone weather app says -7 degree C. I am connected to the garmin connect app and the now temperature says -21.