Gear S3 Frontier charging problem

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Geektastic

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#214553 17-May-2017 10:39

Has anyone experienced problems with the Gear S3 charging?

I bought a new in box one from a TM seller (still sealed, he worked for Spark and won it at work) and it's been fun for a week. Went to charge it last night and the charger was on, off, on, off etc.

Reset the Gear - no change.

Seemed then to start working when I tried again an hour later so thought "meh, must have just been a glitch" and the watch showed 39% when I went to bed.

When I got up, it was back to on, off, on, off etc and the charger had taken the charge OUT of the watch, it was back to 8%!

Anyone seen that behaviour?

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1eStar

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#1783625 17-May-2017 12:17

What charger are you using? The supplied charger? A generic USB charger, your S8 Adaptive fast charger? My S7 Adaptive Fast Charger drains my Sony Watch rather than charging it. I think the current draw is so low it switches off as you describe.

Geektastic

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#1783741 17-May-2017 15:48

Using the supplied mag dock and the charger that came with that.

Dingbatt

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#1783811 17-May-2017 18:03

Are the display stands in shops for the S3, chargers? If they are you may be able to discount either the watch or the charger from the equation.
Looking online yours isn't the only one exhibiting the behavior overseas. Others have been replaced under warranty. Hopefully it is something simple.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

Geektastic

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#1783813 17-May-2017 18:13

Dingbatt: Are the display stands in shops for the S3, chargers? If they are you may be able to discount either the watch or the charger from the equation.
Looking online yours isn't the only one exhibiting the behavior overseas. Others have been replaced under warranty. Hopefully it is something simple.

I suppose I ought to be grateful it isn't catching fire...!

Geektastic

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#1783815 17-May-2017 18:16

Samsung suggested I take it into their boutique. Where is that, asked I. In Christchurch, came the reply. Different island, I pointed out.

They said I have to take or send it to their service centre in Wellington. A PITA but there we are. We shall see.

When you put the watch on, it lights up with the green ring and now says 0% - then the charger just switches off, then comes on again etc.

It's a shame they did not have the common sense to make it charge from the same charging pads that the phones do...!

Dingbatt

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#1783822 17-May-2017 18:44

I had similar symptoms recently on the Samsung charging pad I got for my S6. It would do the 'not on properly' flashing between blue and green. It didn't come with a Powerpack originally so was using an old HTC one on it. When I swapped it out for a newer USB Powerpack the behaviour ceased and the pad operates normally.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

Geektastic

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#1783883 17-May-2017 20:43

Dingbatt: I had similar symptoms recently on the Samsung charging pad I got for my S6. It would do the 'not on properly' flashing between blue and green. It didn't come with a Powerpack originally so was using an old HTC one on it. When I swapped it out for a newer USB Powerpack the behaviour ceased and the pad operates normally.

Odd indeed.

I have tried

Original power pack
USB cable from Mac
Usb cable from Galaxy S8+ charger
USB cable from Anker mains USB charger

And got the same response every time.

hyperman

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#1783933 17-May-2017 21:46

Dingbatt: Are the display stands in shops for the S3, chargers? If they are you may be able to discount either the watch or the charger from the equation.
Looking online yours isn't the only one exhibiting the behavior overseas. Others have been replaced under warranty. Hopefully it is something simple.

Correct they are just a fancy dressed up version
Take it into any retail store that has a S3 on display and test it just make sure the staff know what you are doing or you may get some strange looks.....

My suggestion for location would be JB I know they have the nice new table :P

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Geektastic

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#1793657 2-Jun-2017 12:36

OK so after 10 days, Connect have decided to replace the back of the watch case and the charger. They had to wait for a special tool from Samsung apparently (odd they did not already have one...!) and have ordered the parts so I might get it back by the end of next week...

Geektastic

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#1806744 26-Jun-2017 08:27

Eventually the watch arrived back - after 4 weeks...!

First time I go to charge it....exactly the same problem.

Dingbatt

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#1806746 26-Jun-2017 08:32

You must be getting close to replacement under the CGA. Or do they get one more go at a repair?

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tripp

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#1806749 26-Jun-2017 08:40

Geektastic:

Eventually the watch arrived back - after 4 weeks...!

First time I go to charge it....exactly the same problem.

Argh, I hate that. Had that with my s8 phone. You will now get the "oh we have a warranty with the repair place so we will just send it back". Say no and ask for a replacement or you money back.

Geektastic

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#1807972 28-Jun-2017 00:10

tripp:

Geektastic:

Eventually the watch arrived back - after 4 weeks...!

First time I go to charge it....exactly the same problem.

Argh, I hate that. Had that with my s8 phone. You will now get the "oh we have a warranty with the repair place so we will just send it back". Say no and ask for a replacement or you money back.

I can't imagine that the manufacturing cost of the things is even high enough to warrant spending more than about 5 minutes looking at it before the broken one goes in the recycling and a new one is picked off the shelf, if I am honest!

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#1809665 30-Jun-2017 15:39

They are now replacing the main board in the watch. With two attempts, a new back and charger and a new main board, with the labour and shipping for parts and the watch, I would imagine it's cost them more than just replacing it with one off the shelf now.

LazyDr

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#1809804 30-Jun-2017 18:25

I have the same watch, but luckily none of the charging problems you're describing. Have had it for about 3 months now and it's been great.. fingers crossed it stays that way.

I'm not sure why companies do what you're describing. I've had the same with Dell - they've replaced the LCD on my laptop twice, and next step is apparently motherboard. Each time sending someone to my house to do the repairs. Surely this has been a lot more costly for them than just replacing with another laptop, as I imagine it would be for Samsung to replace your watch!

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