New batteries or new HRM?

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twooliver
twooliver Posts: 450 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a Polar F6...bought it a couple of years ago and started using it religiously around the first of Feb. It is now giving me problems...for instance; my HRM use to calculate more calories burned than the treadmill did; now it is over 40 calories lower than the treadmill for a 30 min walk. I've also noticed my heart rate being erratic on the display - sometimes 0 sometimes over 200...so I no longer trust what it says about how many calories I'm burning. Yes, I've adjusted my weight as I've lost and tightened the strap - doesn't seem to help.

so do I need new batteries or just invest in a new HRM?

thanks!

Replies

  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
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    Bump... I'm having somewhat of the same problem with my Polar FT4. I have been using it for about 2 months now, and I have used it alot! The last couple of weeks it's calculating my heart rate much lower than it did before, doing the same activities and exerting myself just as hard. I don't think I suddenly got THAT more fit, ya know? I'm wondering what is going on.
  • RProhofsky
    RProhofsky Posts: 32 Member
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    Battery! Battery will cause those problems even before the indicator shows low battery.
  • sassylilmama
    sassylilmama Posts: 1,495 Member
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    Haven't had it happen myself but have seen people say they ran into this and had to tighten the strap. With their weight loss it wasn't tight enough to get a good read anymore.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    I'm willing to bet the battery is MUCH cheaper than any new HRM. :laugh:

    You kind of answered your own question on this one. :tongue:
  • jmijaressf
    jmijaressf Posts: 215
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    It's either the battery or your Wearlink. Try replacing the battery first. If that doesn't work then you need a new Wearlink strap.
  • JenBrown0210
    JenBrown0210 Posts: 985 Member
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    It could be a bad connection. I use a little bit of dishsoap and water for me to get a better connection.
  • twooliver
    twooliver Posts: 450 Member
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    Thanks everyone...I found that I have to ship my Polar out to get the battery checked and changed. One battery is 12.95...if they change both batteries it'd be 26 plus shipping....

    lordy....what a hassle...
  • jmijaressf
    jmijaressf Posts: 215
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    Once the warranty service is up, you can change it on your own. I've done it several times with my RS800CX and the Wearlink batteries.

    Also, keep in mind that if you wash the Wearlink strap often by tossing it in the washing machine, over time the round contacts will corrode. When I figured that was damaging the strap, I started hand washing mine instead.
  • ladybug91254
    ladybug91254 Posts: 232 Member
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    My HRM is only about 4 months old and I am having the same issues. How do you know if it is the watch battery or the strap battery? I have the FP4 and it looks like you just turn the back of the watch to get the battery out of it. I really don't want to send it off...I can see if being gone for weeks!
  • jmijaressf
    jmijaressf Posts: 215
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    My HRM is only about 4 months old and I am having the same issues. How do you know if it is the watch battery or the strap battery? I have the FP4 and it looks like you just turn the back of the watch to get the battery out of it. I really don't want to send it off...I can see if being gone for weeks!

    I can't go without mine either, which is why I change the battery myself.

    What I've noticed is that, at least with my Polar RS800CX, when the battery is starting to go, it takes a lot longer for the watch to get a heart rate signal, and also the display dims for a few seconds when I start it.

    When the Wearlink is bad, I'll get really erratic readings consistently throughout the exercise session, like heart rates into the 220s or so. Or... The display will just show 00 or it won't pick up a signal from the Wearlink at all.

    I've been using Polar for several years and I went through three Wearlink straps in one year before I realized that throwing it into the washing machine was what was damaging it.
  • blakgarnet
    blakgarnet Posts: 343
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    my polar F6 is about a year and a half old and I've had the same problem. turned out my chest strap wasn't making a good connection with my skin (it would "behave better" once I started sweating, and now that I get it more moist with water from the tap it works perfectly. I would try moistening it more before trying to change the battery.

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