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Repair documentation for the Fitbit Versa 2 smartwatch. Released in September 2019.

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My watch stopped working after using it in a lake for about 20 mins.

My watch stopped working after using it in a lake for about 20 mins. It doesn’t start now, can it be fixed?

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Hi @jf1234 ,

It may be but it depends on how much damage has been caused by I assume the water getting into the watch.

According the the manufacturer, the watch is supposed to be waterproof to 50m but this may depend on its condition as stated in the link i.e. “Water resistance may diminish over time and can be negatively impacted by any of the following: Dropping the device. Exposing the device to soaps, shampoos, conditioners, perfume, insect repellent, lotions, or sunscreen. Exposing the device to high-velocity water (for example, during water sports)”.

The impurities in the water causes corrosion and provides circuit paths for the electricity which were not in the watch’s operating design and could damage the components. The corrosion starts immediately and is ongoing until it is completely cleaned away

First do not try to charge or to turn on your watch and then remove the battery as soon as possible from the watch to minimize any further damage.

Then you need to dis-assemble the rest of the watch and clean all the affected parts using Isopropyl Alcohol 99%+ (available at electronics parts stores) to remove all traces of corrosion and water. If possible do not use "rubbing alcohol" as in some cases this is only 70% IPA or less, can contain additives and is not as effective. If you do have to use it check the label to verify the amount of IPA. The higher the percentage of IPA the better

Here is a link that describes the process. Electronics Water Damage

As always with electronics, especially surface mounted pcb be gentle when handling and especially when brushing away the corrosion. You do not want to remove any components from the board.

Hopefully after you have done all this the watch might possibly work correctly again.

Here is a link to a teardown video of the watch that may help.

If this process seems too daunting, take your watch to a reputable, professional electronics repair service or perhaps a mobile phone repair service, experienced in liquid damage repair and ask for a quote for a repair. If you decide to do this, do it sooner than later. ''''

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