Polar FT4 erratic reading?

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denakg2004
denakg2004 Posts: 7 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have had my FT4 for about two years. Several months after I got it it started giving me erratic readings every now and then. Like 250 when I was standing still and 75 when I was working very hard. I thought maybe something was interfering with it and it happened only every now and then so I just dealt with it. But the problem is getting worse and worse. I read some threads on here and some people suggest a good cleaning of the strap but I am not sure that is the answer. And I do rinse it after every use and wash it in the washer after several wears. Today I wore it in my cycle class. For the first 15 minutes of class it was all over the place. Then it suddenly started working and was accurate for the rest of class. Then I took a body sculpt class and it said my hr was 250 the entire time and I burned 409 calories. Um, impossible. I am so frustrated over this thing not working. I am not sure if I should get a new one and if so I am not getting another one of these.

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  • luckydays27
    luckydays27 Posts: 552 Member
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    Is the strap tight enough around your body? I find mine goes a bit wonky (usually lose the signal entirely) when its too loose.
  • denakg2004
    denakg2004 Posts: 7 Member
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    I think it is. And like I said, it sometimes will start working so I figure I am wearing it right.
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
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    Other than the other suggestion of the band being tight enough, is it possible you are due for a new battery??
    That would be my only other thought.

    I dropped my sensor in the toilet around Christmas, I was off after surgery at the time so I didn't use it for a month or so. When I did, it seemed to work, then got erratic that it would read your HR, then not... so finally I gave up and ordered a new sensor. Low and behold the day it came in my old one would take a HR reading.. LOL!!! unreliable buggers.
  • Takes2long
    Takes2long Posts: 367 Member
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    I'd say wash it, but you've already done that. Maybe the batteries need changing? Mine started getting all weird and I thought maybe the wires inside the strap were pinched or just broken. I changed the batteries and it still was all weird. No HR, or super high HR. It was all over the place. THEN I realized that I need to wash it!! Yup…started working again. I hand wash mine(now :laugh: ). I'm worried the washer would be too rough with it. I hope you get it working again!!
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,607 Member
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    I had the same problem. Sometimes I would get zombie readings of zero, and other times 150% of max heart rate when I was walking at a leisurely pace to the gym. I sent mine back to Polar and got it fixed on warranty. They informed me that the transmitter is fragile and can be damaged by erosion, especially if stored near moisture. I used to throw the rinsed, wet strap, watch and transmitter into a bowl on the counter. I now store the transmitter separately

    The Polar warranty is 2 years, so you will probably need to buy a new transmitter. Prior to doing that I would try washing the strap, wetting the strap, replacing the batteries in both the transmitter and the watch.

    If you are still under warranty, go to the Polar website and report the problem. They email back instructions on how to send the product in and register it for repair. Their customer service has been great. I would typically get my HRM back within two days of sending it in. Makes me suspect they just sent me a new transmitter as soon as they got the email of the complaint.
  • escapepod
    escapepod Posts: 68 Member
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    You might try buying a tube of Spectra, Buh-Bump, or some other brand of electrode gel. I find I get much better, more consistent readings when I use a gel.
  • denakg2004
    denakg2004 Posts: 7 Member
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    I will give washing the strap by hand a try. I haven't replaced the battery in the transmitter. The transmitter is stored in my dresser in my bedroom so no water there.

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