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Fenix 8 solar 51 mm - Does solar charging work or not on this watch or it's all a big lie ?!

2205313
6 months ago

Hello !

I bought this watch at the beginning of November. I don't know what firmware version it had then, but then I could see that the watch was charging in the sun. Later he made a few updates, including the last one 12.22 and I noticed that no matter how you leave it in the sun (it stayed in the sun for 4 hours - it shows me about 250 k in about 4 hours) and no matter in which mode (smart, battery saving or even closed) did not increase the battery percentage even by 1% !!! At first, I know that I had left it in the sun for almost 2 hours and the battery percentage had increased by 1% - 2% (at least that's how I remember it..). Now nothing! Was the solar charging function blocked from the software or what happened ?!?!

Another aspect... on the standard face is an area where it shows you the solar capture power in real time. Well, this started running with a big delay...it updates once every 5-8 seconds. It's a lot! The point of this information is to know very precisely and in real time what is the most favorable position in which you can place the watch to optimally capture as much sunlight as possible. But the way it's going now, it's up to you to find the optimal position! Before the update, it was working fine, now it has become useless and super annoying !!!

Honestly, I sit and wonder: does this watch really have a solar charge or is it just a lie...a hoax...an illusion?!... I mention that I have several solar watches from other manufacturers such as: Casio, Tissot, Citizen, Seiko and...honestly...those really charge! It doesn't really seem like there is solar charging here... Could it be a false advertisement from Garmin?! Is it commercial deception or...I don't want to list it now, but there are many chapters in the Penal Code where it can fit...especially when it comes to a special, defining characteristic of a certain product (this differentiates it from other products with common or similar characteristics)…

Another aspect noticed after the update at 12.22 is : when I receive a phone call, the watch no longer rings, but only vibrates. I checked the settings and they are as they should be, but the watch does not make any sound, it just vibrates. It shows me on the screen that I have a call, but it no longer rings, it just vibrates. Likewise...before this wonderful update, this aspect was also working well...now not...

If there is someone who has experienced the same thing as me and somehow has a solution, please, any logical and viable idea is welcome!

Thank you !

Respect !

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  • 0 2 months ago in reply to 5218374

    Thank you very much for the advice and suggestion and I apologize for answering so late!

    Out of curiosity, maybe I'll try this method with the glass of water. Anyway...even if it would give visible results, I don't think it's normal to walk around with a glass of water in which to put the watch to charge in the sun! ... That looks ridiculous! I have several solar watches from different companies (Casio, Tissot, etc.) and they really charge from the sun!

    What I've noticed in this time since I haven't been on the forum is that after each update, for about a day, the watch really charges solar and even in smart mode! In about 3 hours it charged from 93% to 100%, just by wearing the watch in the sun! I thought that after that update, it would charge solar power from now on and all sins would be forgiven, but no... after about 24 hours (i.e. the next day) worn again in the sun, it didn't charge at all... and slowly it started to discharge like before that update.

    Every time I get a new update, I get this situation: no matter how much battery I have, for a single day, it really charges from de sun, and after that... it doesn't want to, anymore, even if I have the same conditions...

    From this whole experience, you get the impression that the software unlocks solar charging for a period of one day...after which...it blocks it again...as if it was programmed to happen that way... and the watch is prevented from charging from the sun... Strange thing!...

    Maybe someday, this watch will charge from the sun too!

    Until then, good luck and good weather!

  • 0 2 months ago in reply to 2205313

    It will probably be added to Connect+ in the next update :P

  • 0 2 months ago

    Solar has always been a joke on garmin devices and unless the solar ring doesn't get significantly larger it will always stay a joke. Personally I would welcome if garmin completely got rid of the solar and the additional scale next to the bezel, to make the display larger. A larger display will be a lot more useful than some theoretic solar "charging" or "extending" or whatevery you want to call it. It'll also look better.   

  • 0 2 months ago in reply to 2205313
    2205313 said:
    I have several solar watches from different companies (Casio, Tissot, etc.) and they really charge from the sun!

    Do these watches have a 24/7 optical HR sensor, a 280x280px color screen, bluetooth, barometer, touchscreen, etc? Because all of these things consume energy. Solar in this case is not supposed to give you infinite battery life it will prolong the charge for a bit in the best case.

    If you wanted maximum solar gains - you should have done some research and gone with the Instinct Solar.

    I don't think it is false advertising, because the spec sheet clearly stated that it may give several additional days in ideal conditions. It's your expectations vs reality.

  • 0 2 months ago

    The solar charging function on Fenix ​​devices is actually only intended to support battery consumption, i.e., to reduce battery consumption, and not as a battery charging function. This is why you often see only a very small amount of battery charge, even after hours of intense sunlight without any battery eating functionalities. Garmin should communicate this more clearly/emphasize it in the descriptions to avoid misunderstandings. The Instinct series has a completely different concept, and there, the battery actually charges noticeably.

    To be honest, with a solar charging function, I would also expect the watch's battery to be able to recharge noticeably. If it works differently, it should be clearly stated!

  • 0 2 months ago

    best way to check solar charge is not by %,

    i do like this, those days i dont use gps i check when battery estimate changed, for ex from 16 to 15 days. and in 24 hours it should be 14 days left. those days it gets alot of sun it will change first maybe after 30 hours, so you got 6 hours extra that day. 

    it is not 100% but it will give you a estimate how much solar gives.