Garmin Watch Charging Cable fix
 

Years ago l had problems with Suunto clip-style charging and was hoping for better with Garmin.

I was disappointed.

However I have found an effective fix not mentioned on internet searches.

I spray cable end with WD40 then exercise the 4 sprung pins. An Apple lightning male plug is just the right size.

Consistently bringing bad cables back to service for me.

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I have switched over to using one of these adaptors [I purchased mine from Aliexpress for less than AU$3.00] that DC Rainmaker mentioned and a USB cable. It seems to work well so far.


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Type C Charger Adapter For Garmin Fenix

Actually, on the Garmin forums, that has been a fix mentioned quite often for any of the usb cables going into Edges and other gps's. At least it was 12 to 15 years ago when I use to frequent them. One of the more senior and knowledgeable members always recommended it before a person gave up on their device.

Though Garmin now removes the sub-forums for older devices that are out of production. Which I always felt a mistake. So maybe the knowledge was lost and you found it again! <grin>

Essentially it's just cleaning the contacts up. If you ever looked in the USB port with a very good magnifier, they get quite filthy in there. And pins get damaged and bent oddly too.

I have never used a device with a cable end like that, but I often have used rubbing alcohol on USB cables. WD40 leaves a residue behind, the rubbing alcohol does not. Rubbing alcohol comes in a wide variation of water content, I buy the formulations with the least water content.

The residue that WD-40 leaves behind is mostly going to act as a corrosion preventer. Maybe not the best, but certainly not the worst.

Also, for the advice given back on the older posts of the Garmin Forums, it's not intended that the WD-40 be sprayed on. That'd get too much in too many places it doesn't need to be. For the times I've done this, I just get some on a Q-tip or a drop on the end of a pointed thing such as a pencil and touch that to the contacts. A little dab a do ya.

Not surprised it was mentioned before; it just didn’t show up in my searches.

I’m pretty sure it isn’t dirty contacts but rather friction keeping the spring-loaded pin from extending. I tried alcohol and even emory board to clean the contacts with no improvement. Getting the sprung pin moving is what works for me.

I do similar for one of the pins on the charging saucer for my Coffee cup. Saves me having to buy their almost $30 replacement saucer. For the USB cables, there are all sorts of reasons they go bad. And for the connectors, WD-40 or any similar light lube will help with some of those issues. One of the things you mentioned originally is part of the key, I think. Working the cable on or off multiple times or being able to move that pin up and down multiple times.

Sometimes it's just a temporary solution that gets one going for that time. Or other times it doesn't work at all. But many times I have kept using the cable with no additional issue. I've had to do this more with the old micro USB terminated cables. But not many. But your fix does work often enough to make it a good recommendation to try before giving up.

My Garmin watch uses that cable. Have had zero issues with it.

So what's the issue?