Garmin watch batteries, typically, last for long time. Still, you may run into a situation requiring battery replacement of Garmin watches.
Now, Garmin does not officially support battery replacement. Should you contact Garmin customer support for battery replacement, you would be offered a refurbished model corresponding to your watch at a discounted fee. This could, in a way, be considered a Garmin trade in offer for a defunct battery of Garmin smartwatch.
Having said that, it is possible to replace battery of a Garmin smartwatch. You could do it on your own (soldering may be required on some models). Or, you could use a service provider to replace Garmin smartwatch battery.
Before committing money and energy to battery replacement, it is prudent to consider potential risks associated with battery replacement of a Garmin watch.
Quickly, we look at main risks associated with battery replacement of a Garmin watch.
Waterproof capabilities
The biggest impact of DIY battery replacement could be on the waterproof nature of the watch.
Most Garmin smartwatches have ATM 5 or ATM 10 ratings.
To replace battery, you need to take off the rear cover of the watch. Upon battery replacement, you could need to put the lid back on.
This could potentially cause permanent damage to the waterproof seal of the watch. Many Garmin users testify the fact that battery replacement has had an adverse impact on water resistance of the watch.
Battery quality
Garmin’s batteries are robust and offer extended battery backup. The replacement batteries are available on online marketplaces like Ebay, Amazon or other third party site.
Most batteries on these marketplaces are sourced from China. They do correspond to the size and rated capacity of the original Garmin batteries.
But, there is a small catch. Upon full charging, you will notice that the battery backup offered by these batteries is short of the battery backup offered by original Garmin batteries.
So, do expect to get lesser battery backup on these batteries.
This may not be a concern for most users. But, it is important to know that the Garmin original battery backup cannot be matched by batteries sourced from China or Taiwan.
Consider battery performance as an important decision before replacing the battery of the watch.
Incidental damages
One of the most overlooked risk factors while replacing battery of a Garmin smartwatch is the potential incidental damages to the watch.
Incidental damages are unwarranted damages that may arise during the process of taking off an old battery and putting in a new one there.
Some potential incidental damages that may happen to the Garmin smartwatch during the battery replacement process include:
- Scratches to the front display glass
- Potential damage to the compact unit of the watch. Some people may call the compact unit as a PCB.
- Damage to the rear cover of the watch
- Soldering complications could result in damages on specific models that require the battery to be de-soldered and re-soldered.
- Use of wrong tools for battery replacement could also lead to incidental damaged to internal parts of the watch.
Is it worth replacing Garmin battery?
Of course, yes. Especially, if your Garmin watch is out of warranty (like battery replacement of Garmin Fenix 6). You got nothing to lose. You just need to make sure that the battery replacement is done with deft care. Or, let a watch technician do it for a small fee.
If your watch is in warranty, do not even consider replacing the battery. Simply call Garmin customer support and let them take it upon themselves to handle the issue.