Do you think my HRM is ruined?

AuntieKT
AuntieKT Posts: 235 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
First of, I want to apologize. I know there have been a slew of heart rate monitor questions on here lately and I am just adding to the pile. Hopefully you aren't TOO sick of them and will give me some responses. I have a Polar FT4. I use it with the chest strap. I wet the sensors every time before I use it and I have all of my User Information (height, weight, ect.) put in and it is all accurate. A couple of weeks ago, I accidentally washed the whole thing, wearlink transmitter and all! I thought it would be ruined, but when I put it back on, it seemed to work and it has been working the same as it always has up until a few days ago. I do a lot of the same exercises. I have a routine. And for the most part, I usually burn around the same amount of calories every time or maybe a little more because I am putting in an extra hard effort. Well, for the last couple of days, the readings when I am working out have been kinda low. I'm talking, doing exercise where I'm usually registering 150-160 BPM and the monitor is saying that its around 120. I know my body and I know that I am exerting more force than what I am when it is at 120 BPM. I use this strap every day, usually doing two workouts a day with it. Does it maybe need a new battery? Did the washing wreck it? What do you think? I tried to open the place where the battery is located on the wearlink transmitter to see if it was coroded in there or something, but I couldn't get it open with a usual amount of force and when I tried to look up the manual online it said that I should "avoid opening the sealed battery cover during the guarantee period and that they recommend that you have the battery replaced by an authorized Polar Service Center." I'm not sure what to do here, but I want it to work properly cuz I use it all the time! I would really appreciate any and all responses about this matter! Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • mamakira
    mamakira Posts: 366
    I have a polar too. Whe the battery is empty it just stops transmitting. I don´t think in your case it is that. Don´t they have an online customer service? I would ask them. Maybe the transmitter got ruined in the washing machine. Sorry to say.
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
    I don't have that model, but when the battery is going on mine it will either put my HR in the 60s or around 220, so it could be that your battery is bad. It could also be that the transmitter is bad. At least it's cheaper to replace the battery than get a new one, so it can't hurt to try.
  • mamakira
    mamakira Posts: 366
    I fogot, I changed the battery myself. I have an FT 7 though. You turn the battery lid and it is easy to take off. Asking an autorized dealer for that is ridiculous.
  • mamakira
    mamakira Posts: 366
    I don't have that model, but when the battery is going on mine it will either put my HR in the 60s or around 220, so it could be that your battery is bad. It could also be that the transmitter is bad. At least it's cheaper to replace the battery than get a new one, so it can't hurt to try.

    That is interesting, I never had that effect.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    The FT4 can be worn for swimming, so the wash probably didn't hurt it. Leaving the transmitter attached to the strap can run down the battery. Try using a nickle to open the battery cover, that worked for me.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    The cover can be hard to get off and you need to find something like a coin to use a screwdriver so you don't gouge the plastic. Water shouldn't have hurt it, the agitation might have and if it did the dryer cycle to that might not have done it any good. You should always take the transmitter off the strap for storage to save the battery life.
  • AuntieKT
    AuntieKT Posts: 235 Member
    The cover can be hard to get off and you need to find something like a coin to use a screwdriver so you don't gouge the plastic. Water shouldn't have hurt it, the agitation might have and if it did the dryer cycle to that might not have done it any good. You should always take the transmitter off the strap for storage to save the battery life.

    Yeah, I think I'm going to try and get that battery out of there again. I did try to use a coin, but I think that I was scared that I was going to break something and didn't try my hardest. In looking through the manual, I did see that I am supposed to take the transmitter off of the strap for storage. I guess I missed that in my first look through when I bought it :(. I also saw that I was supposed to be washing the strap after every five uses or so or the readings might not be accurate. I was thinking that maybe the lower readings are the more accurate readings, but then I remembered that I am doing a lot of my exercises at maximum effort causing a red face and dripping sweat, so I'm pretty sure 120 BPM is a little low. I'm going to try and replace the battery first and if that doesn't work, I will give customer service a try. Thanks for all the responses guys! You are the best!

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