Race awful charger contacts

peegee

I’m sure this issue has been raised before…
But nevertheless I’m bringing it up again…
I almost always manage to get the charger in place and get my watched charged as expected…
But, you only need it to fail once especially when you want it to be fully charged before a race…
Although I did everything by the book it must have moved when I released my fingers when I let go (let’s be honest, the magnetic contact has never been great, to say the least).
It is absolutely infuriating when such a little thing, literally and figuratively, like this can upset your day, especially when you most need it, as I did…
I sincerely hope Suunto plans to improve the charger contacts… maybe you can come out with a stronger magnet version for the new year…

Arju Ambin

Stronger magnets and usb-c cable would be nice.

If I could wish freely I’d want a round puck with stronger magnets and with a usb-c port (no cable). That way I’d be able to plug my mobile charger directly into the puck itself.

peegee

@Arju-Ambin
I’d be happy with a type c in any version

Brad_Olwin

@peegee How many chargers do you have? I have several and some work very well, every time! Some are as finicky as yours and nearly impossible to keep charging. So there may be production inconsistencies. Unfortunately, stronger magnets will damage sensitive components as the magnets were stronger prior to 9PP release.
I would suggest purchasing another charger or asking for a replacement. I have one that is sidelined as it sounds similar to your issues.

surfboomerang

Normally, I charge my watch by putting it on it’s side on a flat surface and then attach the charger. This way, I can see that it starts to charge and I don’t have to move it again. Works like charm.

peegee

@Brad_Olwin
I have a few because we have multiple watches.
They all have very delicate magnets.
My wife also has a Race, and always has trouble charging and she always tries with a different charger…
Until it happened to me I thought she was to blame…

Having said that, this shouldn’t be the case, the charger MUST!!! Be 1000% reliable!!!

A Former User

@peegee I remove the strap to charge it, and it has been working fine since then.

peegee

@Arju-Ambin like your idea

Jonathan Schwarz

@peegee I agree! The magnetic connector is very weak and the charger is very sensitive to orientation - a very frustrating combination. I have several times left it to charge and come back to the same battery %

GiPFELKiND

@peegee Suunto 9 Baro strongest Magnet ever dont know why suunto dont make stronger Magnets in the Vertical, Race and co.

pilleus

@GiPFELKiND said in Race awful charger contacts:

@peegee Suunto 9 Baro strongest Magnet ever dont know why suunto dont make stronger Magnet

It’s the charger of the Spartan series and you have to train regularly in the fitness center to remove the charger of the watch.

Brad_Olwin

@peegee most of mine are.

Brad_Olwin

@GiPFELKiND because the stronger magnet will damage internal components!

Elipsus

@Brad_Olwin Yeah but slightly larger contacts on the charger would help a lot, its so finicky !

GiPFELKiND

@Brad_Olwin my old Suunto 9 Baro works until today fine No damage from internal components

Mff73

@GiPFELKiND
between S9P and S9PP, Suunto changes some internal components (surely for more accuracy, dual band, or…) and updated the charger magnets to less strong ones.
Your S9 even older than S9P, you can’t compare.

Dušan Ković

It is not so much problem with magnet strength (it would be nice if magnets are stronger), but the shape of the charging contacts. Keep magnets as they are, but give us more contact surface.

Left S9P, Right SR

It is super finicky to align charger on the SR properly.

pilleus

@Dušan-Ković

My chargers are the same for S9PP and SV.

Egika

the one with the circular contacts was from S9P afaik.

Anyway: I got myself a charger from Ebay (cheapo) for S9P. It had super strong magnets that resulted in charging not starting. So I pried it open and removed one of the two magnets inside. Now it it still holding well (can hang my watch on the charger) and charging

peegee

@Elipsus
FINICKY is the word!