Does solar really work? Or we got fooled

Hi, quick question, where do you live?

I experience the same as you, but I live in the Netherlands, and it's winter here, which means sun intensity is low, even during daylight. How many kLux.hrs does your watch indicate you 'harvest' per day?

Kind regards,

Ruud

The point of solar in the Fenix series is not to recharge the battery (ie, raise the battery %), although technically it could do that under ideal circumstances - where the watch is in battery saver mode or off completely, and laid out in the sun for long periods of time with some way to keep it from overheating (such as laying on a block of ice or something - normally our skin would regulate it and keep it from going much above body temperature). But in the real world, where the watch is in normal usage modes and being worn on your wrist, it will generally not recharge the battery; nor does Garmin make any claim that it would.

So, with the point about it not being meant to recharge the battery now out of the way, the more important question is whether or not solar does what Garmin advertises; does it make a battery charge last up to 33% longer, when exposed to ongoing 50k lux conditions during an activity, or 150k lux hours per day in smartwatch mode? And that answer, in my experience and according to most others, is a resounding yes, it absolutely does do that.

I'm waiting until summer to judge:)

Garmin doesn't claim that you can run the watch on solar alone -- even in Expedition mode you don't get infinite battery life (at least not under the limited sun exposure conditions used by Garmin). The purpose of the solar ring is to extend the battery life.

Having said that, there are people who have demonstrated that the watch can actually gain charge when exposed to direct sunlight and submerged in water for cooling.

Personally, I'm thrilled that I only need to charge my watch every three weeks instead of daily as is the case with many other smart watches.

Buy Tactix sapphire without solar ;)

OK so 

1: Garmin doesn't claim that you can run the watch on solar alone - 

I agree, and I don't expect that and battery lasts for good three weeks. I'm not doubting that. The question here is for the solar 

2: battery charge last up to 33% longer, when exposed to ongoing 50k lux conditions during an activity, or 150k lux hours per day in smartwatch mode. 

Where does it indicate that? If the battery is increased and is meant to last longer then why does it not indicate in the battery estimate or %? 

It's a electronic watch with so much software built in for everything. So the solar energy captured should be stored and added to the remaining battery. If it is really working... 

3: And that answer, in my experience and according to most others, is a resounding yes, it absolutely does do that.

We all paid for the watch to give us numbers. Opinion, or saying in my experience does not add value or clear the fact that solar does not work as desired.

Casio, citizen when everyone in the solar business claims solar, they show increase of battery on number/indication.

Like ice mentioned ive done enough variables test and intensity and restarts to see what can bring difference, so far it has not.

I live in sunny CA, biking every day for about an hour. Over the weekend, hiking or walking. With an hour of biking, watch barely collect 50k lx or less. When walking even less because position of the hand. Is that extending battery life? Maybe a bit but hard to notice. Honestly, I was expecting more.

Exactly my point - We need not notice or experience. It's a computer and it should show numbers. In % or estimate.

I live in middle east and being a desert I only get sun all day. Playing on the field, running, cycling... There is enough lux . But no solar charging luck. 

I think we got scammed 

I don't think we got scammed. Solar is just not efficient enough to power Fenix. Especially when tracking GPS activity. Friend of mine has Instinct 2 and it is charging on solar. But Instinct does not have touchscreen, has simple monochrome display, etc.

Maybe Fenix with touchscreen off will drain less and solar will make noticable difference...