Polar HRM Problem?

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amcmillan730
amcmillan730 Posts: 591 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Wore my Polar FT7 today... never had any issues before... today it couldn't find my heart rate... and kept saying check the transmitter. Everything looked fine as far as I was concerned. Anyone ever had this problem??

Replies

  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    Never had that problem! Is it possible that your chest strap wasn't wet enough, or that you are low on batteries?
  • sleepyjen
    sleepyjen Posts: 679 Member
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    The transmitter I believe has a battery that can die. You might want to look into getting another transmitter/band, or having yours serviced. The service facility in LA fixed my watch after a jeweler here smacked it with a mallet, putting in a battery!--they (LA) were really nice about evaluating the watch and giving me an estimate before doing anything to it.
  • amcmillan730
    amcmillan730 Posts: 591 Member
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    I bought it about a month ago... so I dont think the batteries would be low yet? And I wet the strap before I put it on... and it didnt work mid-exercise when it was sweaty wet too hahaha (gross... sorry). Those were my first 2 guesses too! :(
  • trimformecmb
    trimformecmb Posts: 257 Member
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    maybe the battery needs changing....how old is it?? i just had mine changed ( it's 12 years old!) now it works like a charm!!!!!! They have a few centers that you mail it to and it's sent back to you after a few days....About 20$......good luck!
  • trimformecmb
    trimformecmb Posts: 257 Member
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    maybe the strap is too loose form all the weight you have lost......
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    Own one my self. Do you rinse it with water after each use? and have you washed it? Polar recommends to literally machine wash strap every so often. I do once a week. Also be very careful with the connector part that touches your chest to not bend or fold it too much or you can damage it.
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    found a link with more info about maintance of the strap

    http://www.pursuit-performance.com.au/polar/html/local/faq/faq_wearlink_tx_care.html
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
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    My strap sometimes isn't positioned correctly on my chest but I'm pregnant and sometimes I think my belly is in the way. :-D
  • amcmillan730
    amcmillan730 Posts: 591 Member
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    Own one my self. Do you rinse it with water after each use? and have you washed it? Polar recommends to literally machine wash strap every so often. I do once a week. Also be very careful with the connector part that touches your chest to not bend or fold it too much or you can damage it.

    I usually rinse it... but I've never washed it in the machine... I was just reading that. can I wash it with other clothes? or just on its own?
  • westielover1
    westielover1 Posts: 14 Member
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    i agree your chest strap wasnt wet enough to start. this happened to me before and i re wet it and it recognized me right away. hope this helps
  • Aeriel
    Aeriel Posts: 864 Member
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    I sometimes get this issue, and mine has been that it was sitting to close to my underwire bra. Never happens if I am not wearing that bra. Ijust shift it down a fraction and let it search again and it usually works right away.

    Great tip on the washing machine. Will have to do that!
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    The washing of the strap isn't really a tip, it's actually in the instruction manual from Polar themselves. I wash it with my clothes.


    From the Polar site itself:


    WearLink Transmitter maintenance

    Detach the transmitter connector from the strap and rinse both under running water after every use. Dry the connector with a soft towel. Never use alcohol or any abrasive material (steel, wool or cleaning chemicals).

    Wash the strap regularly in a washing machine at 40ºC/104ºF or at lest after every fifth use. This ensures reliable measurement and maximizes the life span of the transmitter. Use a washing pouch. Do not soak, spin-dry, iron, dry clean or bleach the strap. Do not use detergent with bleach or fabric softener. Never put the transmitter connector in the washing machine or dryer!

    Dry and store the strap and the transmitter connector separately. Wash the strap in a washing machine before long-term storage, and always after use in pool water with high chlorine content.
  • sadiesimp
    sadiesimp Posts: 26 Member
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    Mine was doing that about a month after I got it...so I started being more careful with how I stored it. After use or cleaning it, I made sure to leave the chest laying out flat to dry and store until I used it again (instead of just tossing it in my bag). Has worked perfect ever since I started being more careful!
  • amcmillan730
    amcmillan730 Posts: 591 Member
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    Thanks for all the suggestions! used it last night and it worked perfectly!

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