Polar FT7 doesn't find heartrate

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flyingspatulas
flyingspatulas Posts: 97 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just bought a Polar FT7, and during my workout today (my first one using the monitor) it kept losing my heartrate every 2 minutes or so. By the end of a pretty intense 30-minute workout it said I had only burned 7 calories. I am wearing the band snugly around my chest, is there something else I'm missing? I hate to think I wasted my money.

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  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited May 2015
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    My Polar doesn't work for me either. This might be a weird question, but this is my theory for why mine won't work for me ... do you have large breasts? Is your strap sort of under the breast tissue and/or under a sports bra? What type of sports bra do you wear?

  • debsdoingthis
    debsdoingthis Posts: 454 Member
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    My Polar works great. Strap under boobs (yep they're big) against skin. Check the troubleshooting page on the web site and make sure your batteries are new. They could have been sitting around for a ling time before the polar was sold.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    Thanks for the idea to try changing the battery. I'll give that a go. Just so we're on the same page regarding breasts... the breast tissue covers the transmitter, right?
  • flyingspatulas
    flyingspatulas Posts: 97 Member
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    Now that I think of it, I did forget to wet the strap ahead of time, that may have something to do with it as well. I will definitely check the batteries too.
  • kindrabbit
    kindrabbit Posts: 837 Member
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    Mine sits under my sports bra strap to make sure it's secure. I wet it for the first couple of uses but haven't had to since then.
  • debsdoingthis
    debsdoingthis Posts: 454 Member
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    @mamapeach910, I have the transmitter in the centre of my chest, but ya boobs still cover it. (sigh) don't think that will ever change.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    debsdoingthis wrote: »
    @mamapeach910, I have the transmitter in the centre of my chest, but ya boobs still cover it. (sigh) don't think that will ever change.

    Thanks for letting me know. I'll definitely try changing the battery.

  • cplate
    cplate Posts: 16 Member
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    Check batteries and sometimes I need to take the transmitter off and resnap it on and then restart my watch!
  • fitnurse09
    fitnurse09 Posts: 69 Member
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    Getting my first one Tuesday. Thanks for the posts! They don't talk about this on Amazon.com
  • kindrabbit
    kindrabbit Posts: 837 Member
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    You jinxed me!! My FT4 couldnt find my heartbeat yesterday!! ;)
  • debubbie
    debubbie Posts: 767 Member
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    I have had this problem before too. A couple of fixes that work for me since I have the Loop or the Polar Beat app that I can sync to on my phone (my preferred method):

    1. This scenario has been my biggest problem when my HRM wouldn't pair with my device! Make sure if you are wanting to use the phone app that your HRM is not pairing with another bluetooth enabled device. In my case, my Polar Loop (I turned the Loop to airplane mode to prevent this) and gym equipment would pick it up. When I would move away from the gym equipment, I would lose connection. Through the Polar Beat app, I have made the HRM invisible to GymLink equipment so it wouldn't pair with it.
    2. I am a 42G and my breasts completely cover the strap, and I have to make sure the band is snug. I have noticed that sometimes when I breathe in deeply if it is not snug that the band will slip down my ribcage and does not sit on my breast bone causing the connection to drop.
    3. The electrodes for the bluetooth transmitter have to be wet and it helps me if the back of the strap that sits next to my breastbone is wet too.
    4. If I turn away from my phone for too long or move too far away from it then my connection will drop. Also, if I have my phone sitting on a dresser and I am doing pushups or planks it will drop the connection. I have found that when I wear my phone on my arm that the app works better for me.
    5. If those things fail, then I turn off the app on my phone and restart it plus take the battery out of my HRM and wait a minute or so before putting it back in. Usually when I restart everything they will pair.

    Hope this helps!
  • flyingspatulas
    flyingspatulas Posts: 97 Member
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    Thanks for all the suggestions! Today I ended up just putting the watch piece inside my sports bra right next to the transmitter and that seemed to work just fine. Not ideal, but at least it tracked properly. Most likely I need to replace the battery, but in the meantime I'll just keep the two pieces right next to each other.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    Check the battery. Make sure the sensor is right side up - it doesnt' track upside down. Make s ure the strap is wet or you are using Bah-Bump on the contact points.
  • iluvco3
    iluvco3 Posts: 98 Member
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    I had that exact problem. I called support and was told to be sure to hold your strap under water for at least a full minute before putting it on. Haven't had a problem since. You would think the owner's manual would tell you that, eh?
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Lately the problem that I've have with my FT7 is that while I'm walking fast or running the HR will suddenly drop from the 130's - 160's down to 65 and not move until I either tap on the lower left button or pause it and then continue. Funny thing is that it never does this when I'm doing my HIIT workouts, only when I'm walking or running. And even when it drops down to 65 at the end of my workout the calorie burn is still accurate. I wash the band at least once a week and do try to wet it pretty good before strapping it on. If it keeps doing this I'll have to call Polar and see what they recommend doing. I just got it a few months ago so I know the battery is still good.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
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    iluvco3 wrote: »
    I had that exact problem. I called support and was told to be sure to hold your strap under water for at least a full minute before putting it on. Haven't had a problem since. You would think the owner's manual would tell you that, eh?

    It does tell you to wet the strap, just doesn't say for a full minute.
  • osuzorba
    osuzorba Posts: 35 Member
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    Eileen_S wrote: »
    Lately the problem that I've have with my FT7 is that while I'm walking fast or running the HR will suddenly drop from the 130's - 160's down to 65 and not move until I either tap on the lower left button or pause it and then continue. Funny thing is that it never does this when I'm doing my HIIT workouts, only when I'm walking or running. And even when it drops down to 65 at the end of my workout the calorie burn is still accurate. I wash the band at least once a week and do try to wet it pretty good before strapping it on. If it keeps doing this I'll have to call Polar and see what they recommend doing. I just got it a few months ago so I know the battery is still good.

    My FT7, which is now over 4 years old and used a lot, started doing that a few years ago. At first I replaced just the strap which seemed to fix it for a while, but then started acting up again, so I replaced the transmitter and it has worked great for another 2 years. Polar changed the transmitters and straps about 3 years ago and are much better now, so if you have one of the older ones you should definitely look into a new transmitter, or at least strap.
  • paulwgun
    paulwgun Posts: 439 Member
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    as some have said wet the strap, I actually hold the contact area under water and if you wear the tight tops that move sweat away from the body (cant remember the techie name for them) but it stopped mine working

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