Compass sensor affected by the springbars

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Rockel83 — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 16:23:17 GMT

Seems they're not the most brightest lights there 😆

I got new springbars from customer support in Holland. They told me they were aware of the problem.

And they asked me to try it.

The springbars seemed to have a quite different "color". So maybe they changed something in the composition or the material already.

But since then my compass seems to work correctly too.

Also for about 2 months now.

I'm even wondering if they're actually reading this here 😆

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

1174869 — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 15:16:06 GMT

After getting no joy out of customer support in the UK (they didn't think non-magnetic springbars would solve the problem) I obtained a set of non-magnetic springbars (316L stainless steel). Compass has now been rock steady for 2 months without recalibration.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

rentagreement — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 20:47:55 GMT

Out of curiosity I tried some more Instinct 2 watches next to my Venu2. The Instincts compass was going nuts most of the time despite making sure to wear the watch properly and having it calibrated. Actually even after calibration the compass showed often very weird behaviour.
The Venu2 worked perfect, showed the right direction without any flickering, no need to calibrate at all.

It is a shame that a designated outdoor watch like the instinct 2 is in such a manner unreliable and affected by whatever in terms of compass.

How is navigation supposed to work with such an unreliable compass?

I returned the Instinct2 and will never look back.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Rockel83 — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 18:52:02 GMT

For my instinct 2 solar everything still seems to work fine after receiving a new set of pins from Garmin.

Again, not sure if they've changed the material (would have been the cheapest solution I guess). Or that it had no time to get magnetised yet.

I'm wearing it day and night and therefore there's a lot of movement on the pins and the watch strap. For about over a month now.

At least replacing the pins with non-magnetic pins does the trick.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

rentagreement — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 18:45:15 GMT

wow, to be forced to actually alter the device that much to make it work... that is sad and not acceptable

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

2394279 — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 13:24:20 GMT

My compass is now working ok as I glued spring bars to watch body AND covered watch with third party bezel protector case. It's sad that Garmin did nothing to help overcoming the issue. My next fight will be with Garmin Index S2 scale as I red right after purchase that it has serious issues too and Garmin is once again doing nothing to fix them.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Dreamer — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 07:42:34 GMT

Попробуйте приложение из CIQ

apps.garmin.com/.../d76fb0c3-064e-4c5d-baf0-2ac63bd61f92

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Juan Camilo Zapata — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 09:25:24 GMT

I’ve said it several times, it’s a design flaw by Garmin and they won’t admit it. It affects the I2 series and the Fenix series too. It’s a shame as they won’t take responsibility for the design flaw

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

rentagreement — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 09:18:37 GMT

I have a Venu2 now and had an Instinct 2 before.

I exchanged the original Garmin armband with a 22mm armband on these watches. Both included third party 22mm springbard.

On the Instinct2 the compass went crazy even with these new armbands/springbars. On the Venu2 the compass works flawlessly with both the original Garmin Spingbars and the third party ones. No calibration needed, no problems.

So I guess the compass was put into a bad spot inside the Instinct 2 watch, where it is overly sensitive towards magnetization. Pity.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Dreamer — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 06:14:12 GMT

please write the result of the experiment on the work of i2 with springs from i1 /solar.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Rockel83 — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 23:07:25 GMT

Yes, never had problems with the compass at the Instinct 1 so far. Still having a newly instint 1 laying around here. I could test.

But I think these spring bars are kinda universal for all these 22mm watches. So I think it could actually mean 2 things:

- They've started to use other materials for the pins, but then more watches should be affected.

- The compass sensor was located differently on the instinct 1, where it was not effected that easily.

I could actually try the removed (magnetized) spring bars from the Instinct 2 on the Instinct 1, to see if it effects the compass.

The problem could be just solved verry easily as others mention, by Garmin supplying non-magnetic spring bars.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Dreamer — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 22:58:33 GMT

Have you tried installing springs from instinct 1 or instinct solar?

The compass worked perfectly there

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Rockel83 — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 22:47:33 GMT

Probably temporarily. Problem is that if the spring bars are magnetized once, it means they're containing ferro molocules. So it could become magnetic again after a while.

Best bet is to to with to non-ferro spring bars. But I feel they need to be provided by Garmin.

I actually recieved new spring bars from Garmin at the moment, whach had solved the problem by now. But not sure if they're from another materal or just not yet magnetized. I could test the material by holding a magnet to it, but I don't want them to get magnetized, At least it seems to work for now.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

trux — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 22:44:24 GMT

Yes, as long as they do not get magnetized again.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Dreamer — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 22:38:43 GMT

If the springs are demagnetized, will the problem with the compass disappear?

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

trux — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 22:36:32 GMT

Change or demagnetize the spring bars - either call Garmin Support, and they'll send you a replacement, or buy some online - they cost close to nothing. Demagnetizers can be purchased for ~$5, or you can make one yourself (check YT for the DIY tutorials)

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Dreamer — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 22:27:52 GMT

I love garmin, I'm a garmin fan.
I have many devices from this company. I owned instinct 1, instinct solar, instinct 2 solar.
I'm not talking about fenix 6 and tactix delta.
I will say that the compat on instinct 2 does not work because of the strap springs. 100% sure.
I did an experiment.
I use the original qf 22 mm strap.
I turned on the compass on my watch.
He took off the strap, took the watch in his hand and with the other hand began to rotate the springs around the osm.
When I rotated the top spring, nothing happened. But when I began to rotate the lower spring, the compass began to show random values.
Then I repeated all the same on my tactix delta. There was nothing like it.
Garmin, what should we do?
Tell me the solution to the problem with the compass!

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

6321719 — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 09:13:53 GMT

Same issues as everyone else. It was the spring pins!

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Rockel83 — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 13:31:51 GMT

Update:

Got in touch with the local Garmin support regarding this issue. As mentioned before, they've told me invstigating this case already and they've sen me new spring bars.

I've recieved and replaed them today. The old spring bars look more bright and shiny. Not sure if its because another material or that it got more shiny because of use and probably having the wristband polished it by rotating over all the time.

But for now the problem seems to be over by replacing them with the new ones. The compass was calibrated right away, and it seems to turn normally whithout staying put to one specific place.

If the material seems to be still the same, then I expect the problem returning later. But I will keep people informed about it here 👍

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Rockel83 — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 21:49:02 GMT

I was actually looking to try out a de-magnetizer. However I'm not quite willing to pay $14 for only trying demagnetizing 1 set of springbars. I'm going to make one myself.

A lot of people will have laying around some old broken devices. Most of the nowadays electric devices will contain a transformator, which is an electric coil, which is exactly what is used in cheap simple demagnetizers.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Rockel83 — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 17:34:51 GMT

Oh, didn't knew that. Always thought that stainless steel was not affected by magnetism.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

trux — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 17:18:44 GMT

[quote userid="527690" url="~/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/instinct-2-series/294592/compass-sensor-affected-by-the-springbars/1539604#1539604"]I guess the problem would have been solved if those springbars and springs would be made out materials like stainless steel.[/quote]

Most types of stainless steel can be easily magnetized, so it would not necessarily help (current springbars are likely already made from stainless steel anyway). If stainless steel, then it would have to be austenitic stainless steel, which is non-magnetic.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Rockel83 — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 17:01:58 GMT

I've contact support in my country today. They're going to send me a new set of springbars now. And they asked me to try these. They told me they're investigating the case already. But they didn't knew yet if it was hardware or software related.

But guess it's pretty clear which one it will be.

Thiss person however was verry helpfull. I'm just going to try the new spring bars, hopefully there's a change in material already.

I guess the problem would have been solved if those springbars and springs would be made out materials like stainless steel.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Rockel83 — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 22:07:51 GMT

I've checked my Solar 2 today. And I've found out my compass (GPS turned off ofcourse) is also affected by the watch pins. When removed and recalibrated North is showing in the same direction as my physical compass.

When holding 1 of the pins near the the side, the North of the watch starts turning. Both watch pins give similar results.

RE: Compass sensor affected by the springbars

Rockel83 — Sat, 03 Dec 2022 20:51:54 GMT

Thanks, going to check first if my watch is also afected by a possible magnetized field of the pins by removing them this week. If this is the problem I wil go look for non-magnetizing pins.