840 Solar Sensors Dropping Out

Using a Garmin Edge 840 Solar Version 21.18. Note that I am USING Connect IQ apps on my data screen and this seems to be related to causing the disconnection to sensors.

The computer works fine at the start but as soon as you pause the ride and put it to sleep, the computer will wake up and resume as normal but all previous sensors will now display *disconnected* and wont re-pair after about leaving the computer on for 15 minutes. I tried to replicate it with a non-Solar 840 version and it couldn't replicate it. It does seem to also happen to the 1040 Solar.

I read a couple of posts about the 1040 Solar having similar issues at launch when using Connect IQ apps. Anyone else have this issue? It is issue solar related?

  • If you scroll through the recent 540/840/1040 forums you will find many (many) similar reports, it has nothing to do with solar / non-solar, nor generally with CIQ apps or fields, in fact dropped sensors are the single most frequent issue reported going back years and years, x40, x30….

    Some sensors eg power seem more prone to this then others, some users never have the problem and some have lots, most see these now and then, some software versions seem to cause waves of disconnects and others not so much, it’s all very frustrating, if it’s a Garmin issue then they don’t seem to want to / can’t fix it, if it’s a user issue would be nice if Garmin would publish a best practice guide so we know what we are doing wrong.

    some users minimise dropouts by disconnecting / disabling phone, Bluetooth  & wi-fi connections, both on the Garmin and on phone as ANT, BT  and wifi all can operate in the 2:4GHz frequency band. Personally I only have speed & cadence sensors, I practice virtual radio science while riding and never have issues on the road but used to get many dropouts with my trainer but these went away after a software release a few versions ago.

    I hope you can sort it out, good luck

  • I assumed it was solar related because the dropouts happen only on the solar models 1040 solar & 840 solar)

    The sensors  dropped out on both solar versions did not drop out on the nom-solar version. 

    I appreciate the response. 

  • Scan the last few weeks of x40 forum topics and make up your own mind on this, to get really frustrated scan further back, though the story does not change, mine is 1040 non-solar  ps frequently the dropouts are co-incident with manual / auto pauses or coming out from sleep, I avoid them all

  • I have noticed this. I avoid them on shorter rides and will try to manage battery life better on longer rides. Thank you!