Below issue does not apply to projects where participants sync their Garmin device with their smartphone (Single-Sync scenario). Issue only applies to Sync via USB cable to Laptop and Tablet Sync (multi-sync) with Fitrockr Hub (Multi-Sync) app scenarios where participants are not using their smartphones for device synchronization.

WARNING: Data Recording Risk when Battery Runs Empty!

Some projects use the Sync via USB cable to Laptop and Tablet Sync (multi-sync) with Fitrockr Hub (Multi-Sync) app feature to avoid participants using smartphones. The challenge is that Garmin devices are designed to be accompanied by a smartphone and are not made to record data over long periods of time without being connected to a smartphone. 

Using a Garmin device without a smartphone leads to the risk that if a Garmin device ever powers down due to empty battery, the device may forget its time setting. Once the device has forgotten its time setting, it will stop recording data even when it is charged and powered back on. This will stop the device from recording further data!

Data already recorded by the device is not affected and will be available when synced. The device will “just” stop recording new data if time is frozen or off.

👉🏻 How do I recognize the issue?

The issue can be identified if the date/time is no longer working correctly (e.g. time is frozen or incorrect) after the device’s battery ran empty. 

👉🏻 How do I fix the issue?   

There are two alternative ways to fix a “forgotten time” issue:

(Option 1) Bluetooth-sync the Garmin device with the Fitrockr app (extract data before as otherwise huge amounts of data will be synced via Bluetooth) or alternatively connect the device via cable with Garmin Express installed on a laptop. Garmin Express will set the clock on the connected device automatically upon loading. There is no need to sync it. 

This will update the device with the current time and trigger it to record data again.

(Option 2) Request a time sync via GPS on the device. This can be done on the device at Settings-> Clocks >Time >Time Sync. This will update the device with the current time and trigger it to record data again. The GPS option is only available for devices with built-in GPS. An alternative is to start an activity which will automatically trigger a GPS signal and update the time as well.

👉🏻 In a nutshell: 

If you collect data without regularly Bluetooth-syncing the Garmin device, you must ensure that the Garmin device never runs out of battery as this may lead to a “time setting loss” which will make the Garmin device stop recording data until it is Bluetooth-synced with the Fitrockr app again.