Polar FT7 having trouble finding my heart rate?

mrtentaclenun
mrtentaclenun Posts: 174 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've had a polar ft7 for about 7 months now and I love it. However, recently I have been having issues. Before I even start working out it can't find my heart rate. It takes at least 5 minutes of fiddling with it, taking it off, washing it (again) and putting it back on before it will finally find me.

I was it after every use. Is the battery dying or something? This is really frustrating!

Replies

  • jennalink807
    jennalink807 Posts: 226 Member
    If you've had it six months or longer, i'd say try replacing the battery. If not, maybe try wearing the chest strap tighter? Mine works best when my chest strap is really really tight.
  • tangal88
    tangal88 Posts: 689
    how have you been cleaning the chest strap. Mine gets this way when strap needs cleaning.
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    I own a Polar FT40 and have had similar issues. Both were strap related.
    1st time about 4-5 months of using it, it began flaking out on me. I made the mistake of drying it in a dryer and that was that. I got a new replacement strap and it worked fine.

    2nd time I think it was a combination of detergent and chlorine. (yes I am horrible with laundry, I know) Anyways a rusty like smell developed and wouldn't go away along with it not syncing or losing my heart rate altogether while excercising.

    3rd: so far so good! ^_^
  • Dtho5159
    Dtho5159 Posts: 1,054 Member
    My FT4F does it sometimes.. It either takes forever to find my heart rate OR it will go to 00 and I will waste 10 min working out and it hasn't done a damn thing LOL.
  • k_perz
    k_perz Posts: 10
    I'm having similar issues, and my strap is a little too big. I have it as tight as it will go and it bounces when I run. I feel like I am constantly holding it up! I am searching for a XS/S strap on Amazon as I have heard that the heart rate issues are definitely strap related!
  • FirewifeCarrie
    FirewifeCarrie Posts: 118
    I don't have a Polar but I do have a Suunto M4 HRM and mine has been doing the same thing. I'm thinking I need to replace my battery soon. I usually re-wet the pads on the strap, make sure it's hooked together tightly and "patiently" wait for my HR to appear, lol!
  • maemiller
    maemiller Posts: 439 Member
    have you washed it really well w/soap and water. sweat has salt in it and can plug the sensors on the strap. I would try to change the batteries and tighten the strap. Another thing i noticed on mine is that the sensors have to be dripping wet when i put it on so that it picks my heart rate
  • mrtentaclenun
    mrtentaclenun Posts: 174 Member
    I clean it really well with soap and water and the strap is super tight :( guess I need to order a new strap?
  • raevynn
    raevynn Posts: 666 Member
    Launder it in a lingerie bag... drip dry.

    How are you wetting the sensors before putting it on? I use a contact gel made for this - it's the same stuff they squirt on you for ultrasounds. Needs to be washed off well after every use.

    If you use it a lot, batteries do die.
  • dreamshadows
    dreamshadows Posts: 734 Member
    Only problem I've had with my polar is the F5 watches battery keeps dying every 6 months. The chest straps been fine for 5 years.
    As the watch battery fails it has a hard time keeping sync.

    I only hand clean the chest strap with very mild soap and water.

    My dad's chest strap never works for him.
  • debilyn574
    debilyn574 Posts: 92 Member
    I've only had my FT7 for 4 months and yesterday I got readings of 223 for over 10 min! Shouldn't it tell me if the battery is dying? I will try washing it again based on these comments. Super frustrating to not have it working properly after such a short amount of time!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Is the transmitter wet or dry?

    Only reason why I ask is because last week my transmitter got wet when I wet the strap of my FT60 and because the transmitter got wet by the part that snaps on, it refused to work.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    I use a garmin and find that the soft chest straps are only good for about six months of daily use. After that it works sometimes and other times the HR is all over the place.
  • rayzer99
    rayzer99 Posts: 3
    can i use conductivity gel on the strap, i just baught it and it worked good lastnight but tonight i had a realy hard time getting it to keep my hr
  • lileemil
    lileemil Posts: 1
    Just bought new strap, worked for one session
    Then stopped working, changed battery, washed and soaked
    , tightened to the max, but only shows 00 or over 220...
    Help :(
  • lilmiss_sunshine29
    lilmiss_sunshine29 Posts: 136 Member
    good thread because my FT7 has been annoying me lately.
    i nearly chucked mine out until I thought to change the battery. well that has worked for the last week alone and today it was annoying me so much I gave up on the whole work out! how does the stupid thing tell me my HR is 00 when I am jogging at 6km/hr? you kidding me??

    i too will take on board what others have suggested.
  • lilmiss_sunshine29
    lilmiss_sunshine29 Posts: 136 Member
    I own a Polar FT40 and have had similar issues. Both were strap related.
    1st time about 4-5 months of using it, it began flaking out on me. I made the mistake of drying it in a dryer and that was that. I got a new replacement strap and it worked fine.

    2nd time I think it was a combination of detergent and chlorine. (yes I am horrible with laundry, I know) Anyways a rusty like smell developed and wouldn't go away along with it not syncing or losing my heart rate altogether while excercising.

    3rd: so far so good! ^_^

    you're funny - 3rd time lucky

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