Cold temp shutting off

Comments

26 comments

  • Melissa Hussel
    Melissa Hussel

    My husband's and my 20s are exhibiting the same problem this week, but the temperature here is closer to 0C (like 32 or 33F). I'm guessing the batteries are freezing. Sometimes we're able to turn them back on right away, other times it's up to 5 minutes before they'll turn on. Ironically this morning, both of ours turned off multiple times while in intercom/music mode (when we quit talking, our music would play). I'm not sure exactly what sort of batteries are in these things, but they apparently don't like the cold. Any operating temp specs for these? They're not listed in the manual. 

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  • Chet Anekwe
    Chet Anekwe

    This has been driving me NUTS!  It would simply shut when I ride in the early mornings.  I did notice it happens only in the morning, when the temps could get as low as 40F, and not later in the day, when the temps get into the 70s.  Never attributed it to the cold, but it is a possibility.

    I actually joined this forum today SPECIFICALLY for this issue.  

    Can anyone from Sena assist with some answers here?

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  • Christian Minguez
    Christian Minguez

    I too just both the dual pack Decembre 6th, one worked flalessly but the other one shutdown only after a minute or two in cold temperature. I then warm it up with my hand and can power it back up after few seconds.  Back inside I ask for batterie check and it is full.   It look like a "cold short circuit",  should i send it back for a replacement.  Please advise.  Thks.

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  • James Gibb
    James Gibb

    Installed the new firmware. Still shuts off when cold, so that didn't fix anything.

     

    Sena, are you going to do anything about this? Long time customer here, who sold a whole bunch of these at the last MOA rally for you for a friend who's a vendor. 

     

    This lack of response is not giving me a warm fuzzy.

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  • Ken
    Ken

    Only shuts off when cold?  

    Mine shuts off intermittently summer or winter.  (100 degrees and so far down to about 50 degrees).

     

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  • Bob Boehmer
    Bob Boehmer

    Same here.  When the outside temp is under about 40F my blue tooth connection cuts out after a while.  The headset is still powered up, so it does not seem like it is losing power.  The colder the temperature gets, the less time it takes to cut out.  I'll have to try turning the 20S off and back on when this happens to see if that fixes it temporarily.

     

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  • Ken
    Ken

    I don't know if this is related or not, but a friend and I were experimenting with our Senas last night in a parking lot.  Outside temperature was about 55 degrees, but I don't believe that the temperature had anything to do with the Sena turning itself off.  

    It seems that if two devices try to connect to the Sena as Phone 1 (his Zumo and his iPhone), the Sena just powers down immediately.  At first, we couldn't figure out why the Sena was turning itself off.

    We were trying to connect the Zumo to the Sena as Phone1 to experiment with muting the Zumo navigation to see if intercom would still be interrupted.  Each time we'd instruct the Zumo to connect to the Sena, the blue light on the side would stop flashing.  The Sena would have to be turned back on by pushing the two buttons simultaneously.   We tried to connect the Zumo several times, each time, the Sena would power off.  

     Quite by accident, my friend checked his iPhone and found that it was connected to the Sena as Phone 1.   Don't know how it got that way, we prefer to pair the iPhones to the Zumo . . . not directly to the Sena. 

    Anyway, we told the iPhone to "forget" the Sena connection.  Tried to connect the Zumo again and it connected instantly.  

    Can anyone confirm this on their Sena with a smart phone and a Zumo?

    Ken

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  • Richard Endean
    Richard Endean

    Same here.  The unit appears to stay on but the audio cuts out after 30secs - minute.  Same on FM radio, iphone5C and Zumo 220.  Ride today at around 4degC ambient and it was unusable.  Brought it indoors and now working perfectly.

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  • Mike Oneill
    Mike Oneill

    Same here.  Seems to get worse when cold at 7 degrees but even in a warm garage at 20 degrees both of the two units we have will randomly lock up. The only way to get them working again is to power them down and then power them up again.  The headset is still powered up when this happens so it does not seem like it is a battery issue.  When testing the battery at 6 degrees and 20 degrees the Sena 20s shows the same amount of battery power left.

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  • Baraboo3
    Baraboo3

    Purchased 5 of the Sena S20's.   4 Friends and I using the S20's on snowmobiles.....three work fine; two shut down without notice of any kind.  The only function we are using is phone and listening to music via bluetooth from our phones.  (all android)  Are these units simply bad or ?   If temp was the issue they would ALL shut down....not just two.   I do not see any responses on this topic from Sena...????   I REALLY want these units to work...they would be awesome!

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  • Richard Endean
    Richard Endean

    Sena support - in the US - reckon it should be fine down to -10degC.  They've advised me to contact SenaEU and I'm still waiting for a response after 2 days.

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  • Duane
    Duane

    I have the same issue. I purchased a pair one works one does not.

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  • Christian Minguez
    Christian Minguez
    I'm having my faulty unit returned to Sena using their RMA procedures to return the faulty item for repair or replacement. I have been dealing with Wahyit, very good service so far. I shipped it yesterday so I'll let you how things are panning out.

    Christian

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  • Melissa Hussel
    Melissa Hussel

    Both of our 20s had this issue. We finally got them replaced. The new ones seem fine. We rode with both this morning in 34F degree temps and had no problems whatsoever. My old one would shut off below 40F. So if you're having this issue, start an RMA. It's apparently a known issue with the batteries. 

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  • Christian Minguez
    Christian Minguez

    I just received the replacement unit.  Can't wait to try them on my next ride.  The only negative thing was that I had to pay for shipping the defective unit to Sena.  Not something I would have expected to do for a brand new and defective unit.  Service obtain through Wahyit was excellent.

     

     

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  • Richard Endean
    Richard Endean

    It's taken 6 weeks but I finally have my replacements.  Had trouble in that they initially only sent a single 20S when I returned a dual.  Will report back when I've had a chance to try them.

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  • Justas
    Justas

    Same here. Wrote to support. Waiting answer...

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  • Areknocun
    Areknocun

    Just to add my 5 cents.

    Ive got exactly the same problem.

    My unit shuts itself off when riding after 15 minutes.

    At home I can play music through it for hours, not single shut off.

    When on bike I've noticed that I can use radio or talk on phone and it wont shut off, when listening to music - it needs 15 minutes and hey presto- shut off.

     

    Today I've managed to recreate it at home, by placing sena 20s unit in fridge for 5 minutes, it powers off normally , but once i start playing music- it will shut off.

     

    Hey Sena do you know what is causing this ?

     

    Thanks

     

    Arek

     

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  • Melissa Hussel
    Melissa Hussel

    Arek: open a trouble ticket. They say it's a "bad battery" and will replace it. 

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  • Areknocun
    Areknocun

    Melissa : Yes I did get in touch with customer service, they gave me RMA and I did send my unit  yesterday.  Do you know what is their turnaround time? (I'm aware that it will probably be slightly longer than USA return as I'm in Canada)

    Will they try to replace battery, or simply ship different working set?

     

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  • Melissa Hussel
    Melissa Hussel
    It seems it took about a week from submitting the ticket to get the replacement units. They were new, you send the bad one(s) back. Shipped from California if I recall correctly. It took several days to get to Texas.
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  • James Gibb
    James Gibb

    Finally got mine replaced. Should have done it over the winter, but I forgot.

    Here's my timeline: 

    Opened the trouble ticket 10 March

    Got a response 16 March. Quick replies then from CS rep, send it off to California via fedex 20 March.

    I'm in Ontario, figure it's gonna take a while.

    Fedex says they got it four days later.

    Sena's auto email system finally says they got it 10 April. Something's off there, by the tracking they had it two weeks by that time.

    Their auto email says they sent it USPS with a tracking number 13 April. Tracking number never works, suspect they didn't pay for the feature.

    Replacement showed up yesterday, 22 April. 6 weeks in total, my shipping 4 days of that, their's 11 days. 

     

    Overall, the answer is they replaced the defective unit at no charge. Their CS rep was quick to respond once assigned.  

     

     

    But fast, they ain't.

     

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  • Dean Watson
    Dean Watson

    Mine 20S shuts off after about 2 minutes of music with temps below 9.5 degrees, though wind temp would be much less. Occasional at higher temperatures, but intermittently.

     

    I don't use the intercom feature nor radio, and the music comes from a BMW Nav V. I don't use voice on the GPS.  

     

    Been doing it from new (about 2 years), updates haven't changed anything, and I've just put up with it for now, but so sick of it I was about to buy an integrated Intercom system and ditch the Sena but thought of checking the internet first.

     

    Don't know if it's relevant, but the battery takes an inordinately long time to charge. Well in excess of 12 hours normally, and occasionally the red light never goes out even after 24 hours. I then unplug it and plug it back in and I get the blue in 2-3 hours.

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  • Cesargomez71
    Cesargomez71

    Well, there haven't been many comments on this in a long time but here's mine:

    I have now opened 2 service tickets with SENA regarding the unit shutting off when temperatures are below 50°F.  There has not been a "fix" for it other than waiting for temperatures to come back up.  I know this is not a new unit but still, cooler weather is usually when I do most of my riding.  Come on SENA, time to step up the customer service and get this issue resolved.

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  • Melissa Hussel
    Melissa Hussel

    If your unit is under warranty, they should repair/replace it. See above comments for time frames. Mine has worked fine since they sent it back. 

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  • Brian Quinn
    Brian Quinn

    I bought my Sena 20s set in 2014.  It works great on motorcycles.  But when I try to use on snowmobile, it shuts down.  I started using it on snowmobile 7 years ago.  Sena does not sell batteries for it and 1st told me to flash an update to it, that did not help.  Today, they suggested I do a reset on it.  I finally read today, that they are only rated down to 14 degrees F.

    I don't get to snowmobile often.  I realize these are old, so I don't mind buying new ones, but it seems they are not designed for snowmobilers.  My very old collet communicators put the battery pack INSIDE your jacket.  We used them without issue down to -45.  Cold temps are when you need them the most for safety.

    Cardo's website rates them down to -4 degrees F.  Which is 18 degrees better, but still disappointing for our sport.

    At 59 years old, its less about the money and more to buy a product that will work reliably in this environment for a few more years till I retire from the sport.

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