I was considering one of these, but now I'll look at one of the cheaper units. Thanks, Andrew!
Sena Customer Service
- Thread starter Andrew Shadow
- Start date
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Andrew Shadow
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This thread was intended to convey that I think that if Sena are going to demand the highest price in the category for their product they should stand behind it a little better than they seem to want to. I don't care how you slice it, it is completely unacceptable that this unit is now unusable after having hardly been used at all. Top dollar pricing should equate to top dollar quality and service- for any company in any product line. If he had paid $60.00 dollars for it he would have $60.00 expectations.
This thread was not intended to imply that their product line overall is a bad one. He just got stuck with a dud. Mine has been and is still working just fine- fingers crossed. I also have a cheap $40.00 CAD BT-S2 communicator from before I got the Sena 20S EVO- AND IT STILL WORKS SENA! The BT-S2 does the job- sort of. There is a big difference in quality between the two however. Just one example is with the BT-S2 there was not enough volume available. The sound quality is no where near as good, and therefore no where near as legible, as the Sena. After 50 or 55 MPH I had a very hard time understanding what was being said over the BT-S2 while wearing ear plugs. This is not an issue with the Sena- the sound is much clearer and it can be turned up to loud well above those speeds even with ear plugs.
I wish they would make just a good quality communicator. One that has intercom and blue-tooth pairing for both the telephone and GPS and that's it, nothing else. I, and I suspect a great many others who purchase these communicators, never use any of the other myriad of functions and settings that they have. Give me a good quality communicator at $150.00. I don't want or need the rest of the functions that I will never use but I still have to pay for them. For those who want them they can buy the more expensive option.
Maybe the BT-S2 was to cheap an option. Maybe one of the other better quality cheap knock-offs that are available around the $100.00 mark is the way to go.
This thread was not intended to imply that their product line overall is a bad one. He just got stuck with a dud. Mine has been and is still working just fine- fingers crossed. I also have a cheap $40.00 CAD BT-S2 communicator from before I got the Sena 20S EVO- AND IT STILL WORKS SENA! The BT-S2 does the job- sort of. There is a big difference in quality between the two however. Just one example is with the BT-S2 there was not enough volume available. The sound quality is no where near as good, and therefore no where near as legible, as the Sena. After 50 or 55 MPH I had a very hard time understanding what was being said over the BT-S2 while wearing ear plugs. This is not an issue with the Sena- the sound is much clearer and it can be turned up to loud well above those speeds even with ear plugs.
I wish they would make just a good quality communicator. One that has intercom and blue-tooth pairing for both the telephone and GPS and that's it, nothing else. I, and I suspect a great many others who purchase these communicators, never use any of the other myriad of functions and settings that they have. Give me a good quality communicator at $150.00. I don't want or need the rest of the functions that I will never use but I still have to pay for them. For those who want them they can buy the more expensive option.
Maybe the BT-S2 was to cheap an option. Maybe one of the other better quality cheap knock-offs that are available around the $100.00 mark is the way to go.
JUST put a NEW Sena SRL2 into a Shoei
GT Air helmet. So far, works great, but Speakers are very weak. HOPE I have better luck with this unit than U had w/ yours !
Cant believe your treatment from them.
Hardly any Electronic companies
work on (service) their minituarized
components any more.
Not worth it to them. $$$ Loss.
AND, agreed, support for all this stuff
has almost ALL gone away !
GT Air helmet. So far, works great, but Speakers are very weak. HOPE I have better luck with this unit than U had w/ yours !
Cant believe your treatment from them.
Hardly any Electronic companies
work on (service) their minituarized
components any more.
Not worth it to them. $$$ Loss.
AND, agreed, support for all this stuff
has almost ALL gone away !
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Is it possible that the battery is bad and won't let it work?
Is it possible to open up the unit, disconnect the battery and then try plugging it in with the usb?
I've had motorcycle batteries go bad where I couldn't even jump the bike, but just replacing the battery it was fine.
Nashcat
Site Supporter
Since the Sena wasn’t used much, it’s possible that the battery voltage dropped too low during storage. When that happens, no amount of charging will bring it back. I’d spend the $17.99 at Amazon for a new battery, to see if that helps.
John
John
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OP
Andrew Shadow
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That is what my theory is. I asked Sena that and of course they would not answer. Would only give a scripted response stating that the unit is not user serviceable and the battery is not replaceable. Part of why I think that their after sales customer support sucks.
Apparently yes. The plan is to take it a part and see what we can see. If we screw up and brake something so what- It is useless as it is anyway.
Possible if the charging circuit or the battery are defective but not as a result of his negligence in leaving it discharged for to long. All of his rechargeable equipment, including the Sena, is kept all in one room in his basement. Every month he puts each item on charge whether he has been using it or not. Part of why he is so angry at Sena. This units failure is due to a defect, not as a result of his negligence or abuse.
That is what he is planning to do to see if it comes back to life. He was supposed to be looking in to ordering a battery to give it a try.
I experienced similar non functionality with my Sena and a battery replacement (ordered from a link that is on another thread on this forum) did fix the issue. It is lame that Sena insists that the batteries cannot be replaced. It's not that hard.
FYI- Any device with rechargeable lithium chemistry batteries is best to be stored about 40% full, and this level of charge could last a year.
If you can have this much trouble with a Sena thingymabob (technical term), roll on full electric vehicles.
On that note haven't they temporarily stopped selling the HD Livewire because it won't charge other than at dealers. I suppose the owners can always try on a new T shirt whilst waiting.
Progress?
Upt'North.
On that note haven't they temporarily stopped selling the HD Livewire because it won't charge other than at dealers. I suppose the owners can always try on a new T shirt whilst waiting.
Progress?
Upt'North.
Semi-related... has anyone found a battery for the SMH10 that has the correct connector instead of bare wires? I've replaced the batteries twice in both of my SMH10s, but I keep having to reuse the original connector, i.e. cutting and soldering the wires. I'd like to find a battery that already has the connector.
OP
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Andrew Shadow
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The problem with these types of articles is knowing whether it is a good idea to follow their recommendations for a particular product. I have read other articles that stated to always maintain batteries above 90% for long term storage, others that stated never let them drop below 50% and still others that stated it is best to fully charge it and then do not recharge it until it is so discharged that you have no choice. Kind of like the newly rekindled debate about whether red meat is bad for you or good for you. In the end the consumer can't figure out what is the best option for their particular electronic gizmo so I do whatever the manufacturer of that particular item recommends.FYI- Any device with rechargeable lithium chemistry batteries is best to be stored about 40% full, and this level of charge could last a year.
In this case Sena does not state what is best. They only state that:
Battery performance will deteriorate over time if stored for a long period of time without being used.
They do not state whether the effects of that can be mitigated by keeeping it fully charged or at some other charge level. Based on that I am not sure what should be done with them over the five or six months of winter where we are not using them.
I still have a 12 year old Zumo 550 GPS and the battery still works, I still have an extremely old Jabra Bluetooth earpiece and the battery still works, etc., etc.. I am not saying that the battery should last forever but for the price they sell these things it should do much better than this. That is, of course, if the problem is the battery. We don't know whether it is or not because Sena doesn't have any repair facility, or a at least a test facility, to offer a diagnosis.
I still think that their after warranty service is lacking on a product sold at this price level.
Amazon.com: AOLIKES 3.7V Replacement Battery 600mAh SL 602248 [4 Pack] for Bluetooth Speaker Headset Sena SMH10 Headphone, MP3, MP4, GPS,Small Camera,Video Game Toys and More: Camera & Photo
Amazon.com: AOLIKES 3.7V Replacement Battery 600mAh SL 602248 [4 Pack] for Bluetooth Speaker Headset Sena SMH10 Headphone, MP3, MP4, GPS,Small Camera,Video Game Toys and More: Camera & Photo
www.amazon.com
Might have to reverse pins; easier than soldering.
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Well that's pretty much the problem with taking advice from any source– is the advice accurate in a given context or does context affect advice given.
For instance Apple recommend fully discharging their phones' Li batteries once a month for the sole purpose of calibrating the voltage monitor to the battery. I do that maybe once every six months. I've never been able to see a difference in the monthly checks and I think it's been well established that running any battery down to the point it must be charged shortens the life of the battery.
Prior to using Li battery powered devices the only time I deliberately fully discharged a device's battery was if it was a NiCad. I stopped that with NiMH batteries.
Charging devices especially smaller ones can also be vague territory. I've seen instructions that warn not to overcharge. This tells me there's no charge limiting or over charge protection. Other device instructions have said to charge slightly longer after the indicator changes to 'Charged'. What's that even mean.
I'm of the camp that where I can I don't let any rechargeable device fall below 50%. The strikes me as a compromise of battery preservation and convenience. Apple once replaced a phone battery for me because the battery capacity was very low but so were the charge cycles. I think it's also well established that heat is an enemy of long battery life and small batteries are particularly at risk.
Some sources say to charge Li batteries to 80% if they're to be stored long term. Others say 40%. I have no idea which is correct or if there's any significant difference.
So as in any other situation the tendency is to believe whoever 'sounds right'. The day before I use my 20S it gets charged 'till the light changes. When I get back it goes on the charger for a half hour or so. Usually the light doesn't change. Then it sits until the next ride. Right wrong best practice I don't know. I've had it over a year I think and it still give a several hours of constant use.
Tom Mac 04a
Site Supporter
A few companies ( Netgear for one ) recommended 80% charge for storage....
But like above , I usu charge my Sena early than later when the battery can get to low.
My one battery went over 5 years, and the other still running good since '08. So really can't complain.
( a replacement is $10, so not a major cost factor )
As to service from Sena, still unhappy when my older Sena got all sticky on plastic parts.... they said it was my doing not their product.
( btw some rubbing with wd40 fixed mostly the issue )
But like above , I usu charge my Sena early than later when the battery can get to low.
My one battery went over 5 years, and the other still running good since '08. So really can't complain.
( a replacement is $10, so not a major cost factor )
As to service from Sena, still unhappy when my older Sena got all sticky on plastic parts.... they said it was my doing not their product.
( btw some rubbing with wd40 fixed mostly the issue )
FWIW - I just enquired with Scala about getting the batteries replaced on my Scala Rider Q3 - and they flat out said that they don't do that since the warranty has expired - and that my only options were to try to do it myself or they offered me a discount code on a new unit. I am not impressed.
What a shame - the unit works great and it does still have some battery life, but it seems to be getting shorter as time goes on.
Pete
What a shame - the unit works great and it does still have some battery life, but it seems to be getting shorter as time goes on.
Pete
I have yet to see where anybody has scientifically and methodically tested any of these theories. I charge mine to 100% before storage, I figure if they discharge faster from the 100% point that they will eventually get to the safest storage percentage.
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Andrew Shadow
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Ontario was considering a law something to the effect that manufacturers selling products in Ontario would have to make them repairable and they would have to offer repair parts and manuals to the public tp do so. Did they ever pass that law? Probably not- killed by Doug Ford I would imagine.
A long standing peeve of mine is that often, other than some minor broken part X, I have a perfectly good something or other that I can repair easily if I get could part X but of course you can never get the part. It would be nice to not have to throw away otherwise perfectly good items but for lack of some $10.00 part.
BU-702: How to Store Batteries – Battery University
Learn about storage temperatures and state-of-charge conditions
batteryuniversity.com
Bottom line:
"Lithium-ion suffers from stress when exposed to heat, so does keeping a cell at a high charge voltage. A battery dwelling above 30°C (86°F) is considered elevated temperature and for most Li-ion a voltage above 4.10V/cell is deemed as high voltage. Exposing the battery to high temperature and dwelling in a full state-of-charge for an extended time can be more stressful than cycling. "
What no Google, Youtube, Ebay, or Amazon in Canada? -It's amazing what you can find if you only look; no GOVERNMENT law required!
Tom
Sorry. I have to side with Sena on this. They are a business, and need to make a profit. If they did as you suggest, where do they draw the line?
I bought a Sena 10C years ago. It started acting up within the warranty period. In the course of a day, I had to do a hard reset up to six times. I contacted them and they were willing to talk...but I needed to send them the proof of purchase. I was on a road trip and couldn't find it in my email. When I got back, I tried contacting Cycle Gear looking for a copy of the receipt. No luck. I basically gave up and decided to live with it.
Fast forward over a year later and the camera portion was dying badly. I contacted Sena and asked if there was a repair facility and they said no. They only replace units. Okay. I don't have much choice at that point. Then about five minutes later, I stumbled on the receipt in my email. So I called them back and asked if they would honor their warranty if an issue was brought up during the warranty period, even though the Sena 10C was now out of warranty. They would!!!
Long story short...all I had to do was to provide the email receipt and the info on the earlier warranty call...and I got the latest and greatest Sena 10C Pro.
I couldn't be happier with Sena's Customer Service. The initial difficulties I had were my fault, not theirs. Once I fit within the warranty repair guidelines, they were prompt in responding.
Chris