Help with my new Polar FT7

Talus731
Talus731 Posts: 56 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So yesterday I received my Polar FT7, and so far I have been frustrated and disappointed with it. I am electronically challenged for the most part but I am wondering if there is something else going on that I am not aware of and that I can correct the issue. This is my experience so far.

Get to the YMCA, head to the ladies room where I get the chest strap wet and put it on. Check the watch, it says the transmitter is good to go. Awesome!! Get on the Elliptical to warm up, after about 2 minutes I look at the watch and it says to check the Transmitter. *sigh* Off the elliptical, back to the ladies room, wet the strap again, check the watch, good to go, back on the elliptical. Reprogram my info and off I go. Check the watch, still has a heart rate, good to go, huff puff, huff puff, check the watch, I still am alive. Woohoo. Finish my 15 min warm-up, check the watch, and it says calories burned 34. #$%^ Now I am a hot mess, sweating, breathing hard and I know I burned more then 34 calories, the machine itself says 176. I know the two will be a tad different but 142 calories?? Ok...move on to my strength training, did't bother with it. Now for my 1 mile walk, I wet the strap, check the watch I am good to go. Half a lap in, I check the watch and I need to check the transmitter again, back to the ladies room I go. Anyone who happened to see me must think I have a bladder issue. Wet the strap, reposition the chest strap, check watch we are good to go. Walk my mile, all the while elated that I have a heart beat. When I am done I check the watch, no data gathered. I*^&^$@# So frustrated!!!

When I work out I sweat, but mostly from my face and head, not so much on my back or my chest. I am wondering if that is causing an issue. Also I wonder if my bra is absorbing what sweat I am producing. Is it possible to put the transmitter and strap under my bra, a little off center where I do sweat a bit more?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to get the most accurate reading I can for calories burned, and also have a workout that is not spent in the ladies room dousing my chest in water.

Replies

  • Daniloveshockey94
    Daniloveshockey94 Posts: 348 Member
    Bump, maybe someone can help you!
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Maybe contact Polar and see if they'll replace it?

    Mine has worked fine since I got it. Maybe yours is defective?
  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
    First I'd like to ask, what do you mean 'program your info'? Is that not done already at the time you set up the watch?

    Wet the 2 parts of the strap that goes and measures your heart rate, but ideally not the rest of of the strap. Then attach the sensor. THAT shouldn't be wet. I put mine under my sports bra, right under my breasts, and the sports bra holds if fast. Now here is where it may differ from yours. I have FT 40. I click start and then make sure I'm seeing heart rate on the screen. Then I'll start the actual training (you have to press Start a second time).

    If that still fails, then maybe you need a new battery. I've heard of instances where devices were sent w/ bad batteries.

    Try it out at home and get to know it.

    Here's full instructions if you didn't have them.
    http://www.polar.fi/e_manuals/FT7/Polar_FT7_user_manual_English/manual.pdf
  • yallcallmedeb
    yallcallmedeb Posts: 294
    I wear mine just under, or at, the bottom strap of my sports bra. I don't bother wetting the strap. It is only on a rare occasion that I have to wet it and when I do, I just wet my fingers and wet the sensor area, not the whole strap. Every so often, my HRM will act up and I just have to stop the recording and re-start it. I cannot fix it without stopping it (could also be me as I have not read the users manual) Overall, I am very pleased with mine.
  • slimmergalpal
    slimmergalpal Posts: 235 Member
    I use a Polar 7 also, but I do not wet mine, nor do I put it over any clothing. It sits right at the base of where my sports bra band is~ under it, actually. I strap it more towards the center due to my chest being rather large. It is a very accurate tool for me, and has been great. Sweat does not seem to bother mine, and I sweat a ton ! Keep working with it. Try it at home, or when you go food shopping and get use to it. After a while, you will not notice it at all. If you still have problems with it, I would also suggest calling them, or looking online for similar issues. Remember you can wash the strap when it gets gross, just follow directions =)
    Good luck on your journey !
  • Talus731
    Talus731 Posts: 56 Member
    @lawtechie - I enter my weight and height and duration on the Elliptical. Most the time I don't even get a heart rate, it just shows 00. So I restart it, and try again. If that doesn't work I go and get it wet again.

    Thank you for your advice, I will try it later on my home elliptical wearing it under my breast and bra. On that note, is it possible that my underwire is effecting the transmitter?

    Thank you again, will let you know how it turns out.
  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
    Maybe the Polar isn't compatible with the exercise eq you're using? Just use the watch for the calorie burn -- it's all dependent on your heart rate.

    RE: the underwire. I honestly don't know. My sporta bra isnt underwire and I've not worn it when I'm not exercising. Test it out while not exercising though just to see if you get reading on the watch.
  • DterMined2012
    DterMined2012 Posts: 540 Member
    i can't get my f7 to work right either ......was always losing signal ....would display my HR as 200 :noway: ....it drove me crazy :grumble: I was disappointed with it :mad:
  • Wade406
    Wade406 Posts: 269 Member
    @lawtechie - I enter my weight and height and duration on the Elliptical. Most the time I don't even get a heart rate, it just shows 00. So I restart it, and try again. If that doesn't work I go and get it wet again.

    Thank you for your advice, I will try it later on my home elliptical wearing it under my breast and bra. On that note, is it possible that my underwire is effecting the transmitter?

    Thank you again, will let you know how it turns out.

    Its possible the underwire is affecting the readings, but not likely. The most important issue is your skin contact. You've moistened the contacts so you should be good. You may not be working hard enough to continue the moisture due to sweat. Work your *kitten* off super hard one time and see if it is different than what you've experienced. also, go easy and see how that turns out.
  • PhoenixRising7
    PhoenixRising7 Posts: 194 Member
    Have you entered your stats into the watch? If not, that may account for the low calorie burn. I have the Polar FT7, and you should be able to enter your stats on the watch (height, gender, weight, etc).

    I've never had any issues with mine, and I never really need to re-wet the sensors once I've put it on (my sweat keeps it plenty moist). I do wear mine right up against my skin under the band of my sports bra. All you should have to do is press start once and it should pick up your heart rate. Press start again to begin training.

    Hope you are able to figure out what's causing your issues.
  • Talus731
    Talus731 Posts: 56 Member
    @lawtechie - I go to the local YMCA and it has two floors of different machines, with a jogging track that circles around all of it. There could be lots of interference.

    @5ii - most of the time it doesn't even start or find my heart rate. But tonight is my night for my 40 min elliptical workout at home and if I can get it started I will see what the outcome is.

    Thank you for all the replies, muchly appreciated.
  • Wade406
    Wade406 Posts: 269 Member
    @lawtechie - I go to the local YMCA and it has two floors of different machines, with a jogging track that circles around all of it. There could be lots of interference.

    @5ii - most of the time it doesn't even start or find my heart rate. But tonight is my night for my 40 min elliptical workout at home and if I can get it started I will see what the outcome is.

    Thank you for all the replies, muchly appreciated.

    Yes its for sure skin contact then. I've had this same issue. Do you have the soft chest band or the plastic version? Since I bought the soft band and wet it under the sink before i go to the gym or ride bike or ski I haven't had the problem. It is probably a combination of low blood pressure and exercise intensity.
  • april_mesk
    april_mesk Posts: 694 Member
    I hate to tell you this but, I have had issues with my Polar FT60 since I bought it. It showed those damned "00" all the time. I have changed my batteries and this still didn't help. The gym I got to couldn't figure it out either. I may just need to buy a Garmin. I still use my Polar but, it does seem to work better if I shove it under my bra. I don't know but, I do need to check out Garmin. I think it's a better brand. Lots of people at the gym I go to have had issues with them too and it's not just at the gym. . It's anywhere. Frustrating. I bought mine when it was like 350.00. It's never really worked quite right.
  • Weebs628
    Weebs628 Posts: 574 Member
    I've only had that happen once and I think it was some sort of interference because it hasn't happened since then. Make sure the strap is on tight enough as well.
  • mimstero
    mimstero Posts: 119 Member
    Mine worked really well for about 6 months with no problem. Then, it was doing the check transmitter thing and I replaced the battery. Worked well again for a while. About two months ago, it started to act up again, I replaced the battery, and now it still doesn't work. Pretty disappointed overall because of it. I used to love it and live by it.........
  • rdunke
    rdunke Posts: 14 Member
    You can visit the local pharmacy and pick up a tube of the gel they use for ultra sounds. It provides better contact. May want to give it a try. The tubes are around $10.
  • Lexi507
    Lexi507 Posts: 79 Member
    When I first got my Polar I was having the same problem. What fixed it was tucking it up as high under the breasts as possible and putting the sports bra on over it. I haven't had a problem since I figured that out.
  • AnnaVee84
    AnnaVee84 Posts: 345 Member
    I've had the Polar FT7 since August and love it, not had any problems during regular workouts! (knock on wood)
    I wear it tight and right in between my breasts, covered by the sports bra - it's possible the underwire is affecting it or it is lifting up during the workout and not having contact with your skin.
    I hope you figure out what's happening, it's a great gadget!!!! :smile:
  • Amber1070
    Amber1070 Posts: 106 Member
    I love mine. I wear it just below bra. I always get it wet and once it's on put a little bit more water on sensors with my fingers. At first I always forgot to hit start twice. I haven't had any issues with mine

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