Warning about gizmo watches

[BobD]

I just came across a story recently with some graphic photos of a chap who suffered third degree burns from one of the "smart" watches so many here seem to love.

It seems he was sleeping with it on when the battery caught fire and welded it to his wrist. I once welded a normal watch to my wrist by short circuiting it across a car battery whilst my arm was up inside the side pod of a race car and eleven years on I still have the scars to prove it so know how painful that can be,

My point in raising this to to suggest that you always remove any similar gizmos before you go to bed.

[Hidden]

Yeah, I saw those images (can't remember where) and they looked awesome. Must say I'm one of those who does just that - for no other reason than I'm trying to track my sleep patterns.

Time to take stock,.

John

[CDreamer]

express.co.uk/life-style/sc...

Is the only reference I can find - I take mine off purely because the light comes on and wakes me every time I turn over and put all my devices on Airplane Mode to avoid some of the EMF’s floating around but Hubble insists keeping his on to track his HR - so I’m on a hiding to nothin’ as I will burn anyway if his goes up!

[BobD Volunteer in reply to CDreamer]

The case I read was about an alliteratively named device so it seems a common problem. The trouble with Li-0n batteries is that they spontaneously combust if damaged and are almost impossible to extinguish. There was a well publicised case of an electric car involved in an accident which burned for two days as everytime the fire brigade put it out another damaged cell ignited ad nauseum. There is no way I would want anything like that attached to me and never leave my phone in my pocket if sitting down for more than a few minutes.

[CDreamer in reply to BobD]

Fair comment.

[Alessa69 in reply to BobD]

Wow! That is alarming! I love tracking my sleep Patterns , & have found it very helpful this last 6 months or so. Had NO idea of danger ...Surely manufacturers must advise of danger of Li-on batteries? I’m going to be googling for ages now 😨

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Alessa69]

They are as safe as any other device in normal use but there will always be random failures in anything so best to know what risks we take

[Alessa69 in reply to BobD]

Too right. Mine is not the alliterative type, but guess risk is same for all? Quite scary !

[excel1234 in reply to BobD]

I use my 'cheapy' band for sleep, calories used and steps. It is quite accurate but I'm wondering - could it be the reason for my fluctuating blood pressure - from 130's to 180's. I'm on Losartan and Amlodipine and to make the numbers up Atovastatin. I use this amazing site for my Husband's AF and read it all every day so I hope you don't mind me asking a question for myself. Thank you Bob and all you lovely people for your help and info. Best wises to you All.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to excel1234]

I doubt it but honestly do not know. I never use these things as in my opinion they merely increase anxiety and focus on a thing I try to ignore. During the day I am far too busy enjoying myself anyway. When my GP asks me for a seven day BP chart then I do one, otherwise try not to use such device.

[excel1234 in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob, I agree about the increase in anxiety so I will leave the Blood pressure monitor alone. Take care

[Ppiman in reply to BobD]

Thanks for this information, Bob. It took me to the web site linked below. I had no idea that Lithium cells were, at least potentially, dangerous.

batteryuniversity.com/learn...

Steve

[4Laur in reply to CDreamer]

Thank U for the article. I wanted to check the type of watch. I have an Apple that I love and it truly helps in monitoring me. So far I haven’t heard of any problems with the Apple Watch. Best to all 🌟

[Alessa69 in reply to 4Laur]

I use an Apple series 4 as well, I find it reassuring for measuring& improving my sleep habits these last 6 months and tracking exercise & of course seeing what my HR is up to. Captured a minor AF episode on ECG function

[Treschere in reply to CDreamer]

There will be a setting on your phone to change the light coming on at night. I had this problem when I first got my Galaxy fit, now it only lights up at night if I press the button

[Hidden]

Wow!!! Thanks for the warning!

[S11m]

One of the reasons I wear my Apple Watch in bed is that it would notify if I had another pacemaker failure.

My last pacemaker’s battery got discharged (3 months after a check appointment) and went into “limp mode”, so I was very ill for nine months.

[baba in reply to S11m]

That sounds horrendous. How did you discover the battery had died.

[S11m in reply to baba]

You can drive with a pacemaker if you have an annual check, and one was not scheduled, so I asked for one. I had accepted that I was "permanently" disabled.

[Jajarunner]

Mine showed weird sleep data a week before and during my AF recently. Might me useful to pick it up again so I'll continue to wear mine. Garmin have just bought Fitbit btw

[Hidden in reply to Jajarunner]

Are you sure it was Garmin, I understood it to be Google. Maybe I am wrong. Could be.

[Jajarunner in reply to Hidden]

You are dead right! After I posted this I then saw a (Google) news item saying about the Fitbit purchase by google! And I thought "oh no, now I've made an ass of myself!!

Well done for listening better than I do to the news!! Well, its six letters beginning G - I was close.... 😀

[momist]

My smart watch is now a Withings Move ECG which uses a normal watch battery which can last up to a year. This battery is one of the reasons I wanted one from the off, I hated the regular recharging required by my Fitbit Charge2 HR. I also hated the stupid and meaningless phrases and messages it kept giving me, like "Lookin good!".

I'll happily sleep wearing my new watch.

[Treschere in reply to momist]

I was thinking of getting one of these, they are very expensive though have you found it to be better than the others, and do you have to take it off to shower?

[momist in reply to Treschere]

Shower - yes, it's waterproof and you can even swim in it, it records that as an activity. The problem is that the 'glass' is cheap plastic that gets scratched up very easily, and the back is an extremely tight fit so it needs a pro to change the battery. The pro's tend to use cheaper stock batteries that stop the thing working. There are lots of complaints about that on the Withings website. There are also lots of complaints about the almost complete lack of support from Withings. They don't answer queries or complaints, and some asking for refunds are met by total silence.

I have now cracked the lens on mine trying to change the battery a second time (they barely last six months, not the advertised year) and have given up on it. I'm back to wearing my Fitbit.

Sorry, I can no longer recommend them.

[Treschere in reply to momist]

That's a shame, but a saving of a lot of money

[john-boy-92]

Li-on batteries can be a problem, ask SONY! However, I see that some pacemakers have Li-on batteries.