POLAR FT4: How often do you have to wet the electrodes?

Emagineer
Emagineer Posts: 21
in Fitness and Exercise
How can I use it for a long hour walk? Do you have to keep the electrode wet ALL the time?

It's hard to sweat at this weather unless I'm wearing 4-5 layers of clothing. Today I walked for 4 hours at a speed of 3.5mph and I hardly sweat at all.

Replies

  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    i have the ft7. i just wet it once when i put it on. thats just my 2 cents.
  • gymboreejunkie
    gymboreejunkie Posts: 25 Member
    I wet the electrodes/chest strap right before each workout.
  • AlicesNirvanaHealthWellness
    AlicesNirvanaHealthWellness Posts: 111 Member
    Bump, still trying to decide which one to get, so I would like to see some of your replies
  • Chellellelle
    Chellellelle Posts: 595 Member
    You're supposed to wet them when you put the chest strap on, no need to worry about it during your workout. As long as it's showing your heart rate, you're good to go.

    I have a FT4 and I have never had to re-wet them.
  • Tiernan1212
    Tiernan1212 Posts: 797 Member
    Same as everyone else, just wet them when you first put it on, and I have the FT4 as well.
  • feltlikesound
    feltlikesound Posts: 326 Member
    LOVE my FT4 hasn't given me a bit of trouble other than one battery change in the watch portion since I bought it a year and a half ago. It has been a real godsend when it comes to my fitness.

    I wet the electrodes fairly generously (hold under the warm tap) before my workout, and even if the workout isn't a sweaty one it has always maintained connectivity for me. The only issue I have is sometimes the lower elastic in my bras push the strap up/down/off of my skin and disrupt my connection. This depends on the bra, and might have to do with my body type (extreme hourglass) and where I wear the strap.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    I'm almost afraid to even say it in this forum, but I use KY instead of water. I wet the chest strap once before my workout and have never had any problems.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I have an FT4 and have never hat to re-wet it during a workout.
  • armymom5
    armymom5 Posts: 115
    I have the FT4 and love it. like everyone else, I just wet it prior to my workout and I'm good to go.
  • ashleyinthecold
    ashleyinthecold Posts: 89 Member
    Love my FT4. Only ever have to wet it once before my workout. And I usually get ready at work and then drive to the gym, so there 45 minutes of inactivity and it's still find when I get to the gym and start working out. Not gonna lie, I usually spit on the electrodes. Water just beads around too much.
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    What happens if you don't? Sometimes I forget to get it wet and it still seems to work fine?
  • spersephone
    spersephone Posts: 148 Member
    If it's working, it's fine. But if it needs wetting, you'll find the heart rate stops, goes to "00" and it's annoying. I've only ever had to re-wet it when I haven't wet it enough for it to work. So I try to remember to test it by letting it find the HR then cancel out of it. If it's found it, it's probably going to be fine when I start my workout (within half an hour or so).

    I have the FT60, but the principle is the same.
  • Leaping_Lemur
    Leaping_Lemur Posts: 121 Member
    I have an FT4, and I never need to re-wet it. If it's hot or if I'm already sweaty I don't even bother wetting it at all. (I tend to sweat very freely.) When I bought it, I also bought two tubes of some electrode gel with it -- I forget the brand name but there are plenty of options, less than five bucks for a very large tube. It's the same stuff they use for ultrasounds at the doctor's. If you don't sweat much you might want to buy one of those.
  • Panguin
    Panguin Posts: 3
    Usually, you only need to wet it once right before putting it on, then it's good to go. Even if you don't sweat during your workout. The water is just to have it stick to your skin to get your pulse.
  • rhoule76
    rhoule76 Posts: 217 Member
    I have the Polar H7 and only wet before working out. I've never re-wet it.
  • CMGoodie
    CMGoodie Posts: 93 Member
    I have the FT 4, and only wet it when I put it on. Once it's on it reads until you take it off, or it falls off (forgot to adjust the strap :laugh: )
  • bubblybabeuk
    bubblybabeuk Posts: 216 Member
    I have an FT4 but I use ultrasound gel and it works like a dream. I put mine on before I leave home and it dries out if I only use water before I get to class.
  • MrsCurvyFab
    MrsCurvyFab Posts: 46 Member
    i wet before i put it on also.. i dont re-wet.. i believe i have a 4? lol maybe you should ask someone else...

    2nd polar question!!!

    where exactly do the ladies put the strap... right under the left boob... the heart area? or directly in the middle of the chest? also, do you put it under your bra, or directly underneath it? When I first put it on the other day my HR was saying it was 199 and i barely got out of my car to start walking, by the time i got going it seemed to be normal.
  • jmcowan42
    jmcowan42 Posts: 89 Member
    I've only had mine since Christmas, but I only have to wet it once. I love it!
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
    i wet before i put it on also.. i dont re-wet.. i believe i have a 4? lol maybe you should ask someone else...

    2nd polar question!!!

    where exactly do the ladies put the strap... right under the left boob... the heart area? or directly in the middle of the chest? also, do you put it under your bra, or directly underneath it? When I first put it on the other day my HR was saying it was 199 and i barely got out of my car to start walking, by the time i got going it seemed to be normal.

    I put the strap against my skin under my boobs with the clip on bit central not to the left, sometimes the vibrations of a car can mess with it, this has happened to me driving to the gym, if it seemed normal after you got out and walked for a bit you're wearing it correctly. :)
  • Emagineer
    Emagineer Posts: 21
    i wet before i put it on also.. i dont re-wet.. i believe i have a 4? lol maybe you should ask someone else...

    2nd polar question!!!

    where exactly do the ladies put the strap... right under the left boob... the heart area? or directly in the middle of the chest? also, do you put it under your bra, or directly underneath it? When I first put it on the other day my HR was saying it was 199 and i barely got out of my car to start walking, by the time i got going it seemed to be normal.

    Under, just like how it is pictured in the manual :)
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
    I actually sold mine on ebay. it worked great for 2 months, then it would not hold a HR for the entire work out. it would get so annoying id be in the middle of a set and see it was at 00. i bought a new strap, i bought new batteries, i cleaned it and tried everything. it was a huge disappointed. i guess for me anything that has to be contstantly monitored to see if it works just isnt for me. i want to focus on my work out not my monitor. jm2c.
  • Emagineer
    Emagineer Posts: 21
    I have an FT4 but I use ultrasound gel and it works like a dream. I put mine on before I leave home and it dries out if I only use water before I get to class.

    Thanks, will give it a try!
  • Emagineer
    Emagineer Posts: 21
    I actually sold mine on ebay. it worked great for 2 months, then it would not hold a HR for the entire work out. it would get so annoying id be in the middle of a set and see it was at 00. i bought a new strap, i bought new batteries, i cleaned it and tried everything. it was a huge disappointed. i guess for me anything that has to be contstantly monitored to see if it works just isnt for me. i want to focus on my work out not my monitor. jm2c.

    Same thing happened to me while doing my Insanity workout. Polar suggested me to make the strap tighter- will see tomorrow if that works.
  • b7bbs
    b7bbs Posts: 158 Member
    I wet the electrodes/chest strap right before each workout.

    Same. Right before each workout, I went the strap. I did have some complications a couple times. The watch told me to check my transmitter, so I had to restart the whole thing. But since I realized I had it for awhile, I ended up changing the battery and that did the trick.

    I have two Polar FT7's. The reason why I have two is just because they came out with a new dark blue/lilac color, and I found it so pretty, so it was a holiday gift to myself.

    I love my Polar FT7! I NEVER workout without having it on. It's been a gigantic help to know how many calories I am burning in order to know how many to consume. ***I have purchased my HRM through www.heartratemonitorsusa.com and I always use a coupon code from retailmenot.com.
  • SofaKingRad_II
    SofaKingRad_II Posts: 591
    I never washed mine when I had one and I would lick the electrodes every time. So salty!
  • SusanUW83
    SusanUW83 Posts: 152 Member
    If you're in the middle of a walk and you find your heartrate isn't showing any more, you can remoisten the band using your finger under your band. Water or spit even.
  • Hunnib23
    Hunnib23 Posts: 61 Member
    I have never had to with my FT4. If it loses your HR you should, but I have never had that problem, unlike some of the other HRMs I have had.
  • boymom75
    boymom75 Posts: 74
    Yikes! I haven't been wetting mine before each workout, is that bad? it seems to read fine?

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