Polar FT7 is making me mad!!!!!

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tnkhart
tnkhart Posts: 72 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I guess the battery keeps dying. I'm constantly getting a "check transmitter" message during my workouts. I now have a collection of 3 straps and 3 transmitters that I've gone through. I guess it's time to try something different, something that works!!

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  • theresao68
    theresao68 Posts: 13
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    I just bought a Polar FT4. I hope I don't start having the same problem. It is been good so far. My daughter and son in law have the Garmin. They love it.
  • TodayYesterday
    TodayYesterday Posts: 42 Member
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    I had the sam problem - I think mine is a FT7 too. Changed batteries, washed the strap regularly. Very frustrating. Stopped using it.
  • xxnellie146xx
    xxnellie146xx Posts: 996 Member
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    It's not the battery. You need to shift/move/readjust the placement of the transmitter. It's not reading your heartrate and it's alerting you.
  • tnkhart
    tnkhart Posts: 72 Member
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    I've tried that and unfortunately it hasn't helped. It really was fantastic while it worked.
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
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    That would happen every once in a while with mine...don't know why. I noticed that when I moved the battery off to my side (against my ribs) the reading was off. Once I moved it back to the center of my chest the readings were once again accurate. I've had the Polar HRM for about 5 years now or so. When I got my latest one, I actually read the info that came with it. Turns out I killed my last one by letting the chest strap soak for too long and it killed the battery attachments on the strap and the watch wasn't receiving the info from the battery on the strap. I don't know if that's what you're doing or not...but now just rinse the strap and blow off the excess water in the battery holes and let it air dry.
  • tnkhart
    tnkhart Posts: 72 Member
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    I think we've pretty much just wipped ours down with a wet cloth and let dry. We may have done what you did Sarah. The H7 is their newest product and looks very interesting.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    if you're sure the battery is fine then i also agree with checking the strap placement and tightness. i found the strap picks up reading best when it's very snug against my skin. the only problem is that the band stretches as i work out.
  • klbaierwalter
    klbaierwalter Posts: 309 Member
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    Oh no! I hope that doesn't happen to mine :-( I absolutely LOVE my FT7! I had issues the first two workouts because I tried to put my strap under my sports bra and my sports bra would shift, and the little transmitter would come unsnapped from the strap. Once I realized it, I didn't have any problems. So I'm sure that's not what happened to yours as you are a man and I highly doubt you are wearing a sports bra :-P
  • karint74
    karint74 Posts: 131 Member
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    I have a Polar FT4, and my readings started getting screwy when the weather got cold and dry. The electrodes are having a hard time reading the signal because it's too cold and dry to get/stay sweaty enough, and static electricity also interferes with the signal. I bought a cream you can use to improve conductivity. Seriously, such a thing exists. Today was my third day using it, and it solved the problem--no more readings of 00, "check transmitter!" or 208+, or freezing on one number forever even when you up your pace. Wrote a blog post about it here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/karint74/view/hrm-screwy-this-fixed-it-487932

    Hope this helps!

    <edited for typo>
  • azrrt76
    azrrt76 Posts: 59 Member
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    I have a Polar FT4, and my readings started getting screwy when the weather got cold and dry. The electrodes are having a hard time reading the signal because it's too cold and dry to get/stay sweaty enough, and static electricity also interferes with the signal. I bought a cream you can use to improve conductivity. Seriously, such a thing exists. Today was my third day using it, and it solved the problem--no more readings of 00, "check transmitter!" or 208+, or freezing on one number forever even when you up your pace. Wrote a blog post about it here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/karint74/view/hrm-screwy-this-fixed-it-487932

    Hope this helps!

    <edited for typo>

    Thansk for that info! I'll have to try it. I have the FT4 and its driving me nutso. I keep getting the same messages. Its very distracting and for the money I paid, I want it to work!
  • alyssa92982
    alyssa92982 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    I'm going to also check out your blog I have the FT4 also and it reads 00 I've done all the trouble shooting too:( very frustrating
  • Mrc1974
    Mrc1974 Posts: 75 Member
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    Oh I hope this is not the sign of things to come, I have the FT7 and I love it! I don't put the strap under running water, I place water on my finger tips and wet the material that way :o)

    Fingers crossed that your FT7 recovers from its miss behaviour and mine holds out!
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    Make sure you've wet the strap enough and also make sure the bit that snaps onto the strap is on properly.
  • tnkhart
    tnkhart Posts: 72 Member
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    Very interesting Karin. Thank you for that information.
  • azrrt76
    azrrt76 Posts: 59 Member
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    I ordered some of that "buh-bump" cream....I sure hope it fixes the problem!
  • semi75
    semi75 Posts: 7
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    One thing to add for those like me that didn't read the manual:

    THE BATTERY WILL DIE OR NOT TRANSMIT CORRECTLY in a couple days if you do not unsnap the transmitter from the chest piece as soon as you are done. It took a lot or cursing and the third battery before I realized you have to do that. About every third day I would start loosing signal all the time and then I realized my mistake. OOps. It works fine for me now.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    are you wearing technical fabric? (wicking)
    it's not compatible with the polar HRM because of the static charge it generates.
  • tnkhart
    tnkhart Posts: 72 Member
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    It's on bare skin. No shirt. I just ordered Spectra 360. It's supposed to help the connetions and is used by many hospitals for their equipment. We shall see!!!!
  • peterdt
    peterdt Posts: 820 Member
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    buy another one... return the old one that is not working.
  • PennStan
    PennStan Posts: 14 Member
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    Just bought an FT7 from Amazon Saturday and waiting for delivery. To do: 1. read instructions.

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