Polar HRM stops during workout?

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OneBryteSmile
OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello,

I have a Polar FT4 HRM and during some of my workouts it has suddenly stopped. The message that pops up on the screen says something like "Check your Heart Rate Transmitter" or something to that effect and the heart rate just says "00". I don't know why this keeps happening and I'm wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if you can please tell me how to prevent this from happening. I usually have to just stop the workout and stop the watch and restart which messes up my calorie count. I don't know if it's happening if my heart rate gets too high out of range or if the strap is getting loose or if something else is causing this to continue to happen.

Please help.

Replies

  • SexyCook
    SexyCook Posts: 2,253 Member
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    Girl I have a FT7 by Polar and honey I gave that thing up...I could never get a good burn and it always went to that message...I was informed to wash it in a sock and it would possibly work..That didnt...Now mind you I paid 80 bucks for this thing and from the reviews that brand is the best. I end up getting a brand from Wally World and check my heart rate every 3 minutes and honey my burns and my weight loss have been tremendous...So you are not alone...I really want to sale mines on ebay..HMMM may do that...Just didnt work for me but I am not knocking the brand because I know plenty that it works for...
  • dittiepe
    dittiepe Posts: 557 Member
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    Make sure there is a snug fit, and that you've put water on the leads on the chest strap.
  • miovlb6
    miovlb6 Posts: 339 Member
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    This was happening to me up until a few days ago. I replaced the battery in the heart rate transmitter part (not the watch) and that seems to have fixed it. Also, have you washed the strap in the washing machine? I wash mine by hand after every use then in the washer once a week. I've been told that not doing so will cause the "Check your Heart Rate Transmitter" problem.
  • whitejessamine
    whitejessamine Posts: 166
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    If you're well-endowed and wearing a chest strap, that could be the problem. I've talked to people who had that issue for that reason...it's one reason I won't get a chest strap model HRM. (I'm a GG cup)
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
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    Girl I have a FT7 by Polar and honey I gave that thing up...I could never get a good burn and it always went to that message...I was informed to wash it in a sock and it would possibly work..That didnt...Now mind you I paid 80 bucks for this thing and from the reviews that brand is the best. I end up getting a brand from Wally World and check my heart rate every 3 minutes and honey my burns and my weight loss have been tremendous...So you are not alone...I really want to sale mines on ebay..HMMM may do that...Just didnt work for me but I am not knocking the brand because I know plenty that it works for...

    LOL, well I'm glad to know I'm not the only one this is happening to. I've followed all the instructions. I rinse it after every workout and I went the parts that I'm supposed to wet before I put it on. Maybe I need to wear it tighter as the other poster says so I will see if that helps. I haven't heard the washing in a sock thing. You mean wash it like as in your laundry with detergent and everything?
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
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    This was happening to me up until a few days ago. I replaced the battery in the heart rate transmitter part (not the watch) and that seems to have fixed it. Also, have you washed the strap in the washing machine? I wash mine by hand after every use then in the washer once a week. I've been told that not doing so will cause the "Check your Heart Rate Transmitter" problem.

    I really hope it's not the battery because I've only had the thing for two months. I haven't done the washing thing but I rince by hand after each workout. When you wash it in the washing machine, do you have detergent in there or do you just put it in by itself with just water?
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
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    Make sure there is a snug fit, and that you've put water on the leads on the chest strap.

    I will try to make it tighter and see if that helps. Thanks!
  • CarolynB38
    CarolynB38 Posts: 553 Member
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    The only time I had that problem was when I wasn't getting particularly sweaty (i.e. walking) or when I was at rest and my HR went below 40bpm (it didn't seem to read below 40 :/ ). Wetting the contacts so that they make good contact with the skin should help. You can get gels that provide better contact but to be honest just dampening the contacts and making sure it is snug against your skin should help.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
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    If you're well-endowed and wearing a chest strap, that could be the problem. I've talked to people who had that issue for that reason...it's one reason I won't get a chest strap model HRM. (I'm a GG cup)

    Hmm I think I've heard of the big boobs issue but I don't think I'm that big so I'm not sure. I try to put the strap so that the transmitter is just in between and below the boobs. I hope that's the right place. :(
  • tawnabanana
    tawnabanana Posts: 36 Member
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    Mine did the exact same thing yesterday and I've only had it long enough to use it for 4 workouts. I pressed ok and it reset and then did the same thing again. I finally recorded my time and calories, took it off, re-wet the strap and started over. It worked the rest of the time and I didn't have any problems today. I think I get it plenty wet and I sweat a lot. Also, I don't have enough chest to get in the way, so I know that wasn't my problem. I'm curious to see how it goes and how yours ends up working.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
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    Mine did the exact same thing yesterday and I've only had it long enough to use it for 4 workouts. I pressed ok and it reset and then did the same thing again. I finally recorded my time and calories, took it off, re-wet the strap and started over. It worked the rest of the time and I didn't have any problems today. I think I get it plenty wet and I sweat a lot. Also, I don't have enough chest to get in the way, so I know that wasn't my problem. I'm curious to see how it goes and how yours ends up working.

    Thanks. From all the advice I think I will try making it tighter and washing in the washing machine as I do everything else suggested, that is, wetting it pretty good before each workout and rinsing it after every workout. I'm waiting for one of the ladies who suggested the washing machine to let me know if they are using detergent.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
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    Just found out there is a tutorial video on the polar website.
    http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/tutorial_videos# (click "WearLink wear and maintenance")

    I wish I saw this video a long time ago as it gave me 4 reasons as to what the problem might be. I'm posting the link to the video in case someone else comes across this post and needs help. I wasn't washing the strap with soap after every use, I was only rinsing it with water. I didn't dry it after rinsing it. I have never rinsed the transmitter itself. Also, I have never washed it in the laundry machine and the tutorial says to do that after every 5th use. Well, I guess I will start doing these things and see if it makes a difference.
  • dgirllamius
    dgirllamius Posts: 171 Member
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    I had the same problem with my crappy HRM. Thought it was just me, that my boobs were in the way or something. Someone suggested to me to put water on the sensors and haven't had a problem since. It did say to do this in the manual, but couldn't read it as it was all in German/Dutch :-/ Got there in the end though, never loses my heart rate and finds it pretty much instantly.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    You can use detergent with the strap.. just not fabric softener and don't put it in the dryer.

    Whatever you do don't get rid of it like the other poster did and buy a 30 dollar one from walmart... thats just plain stupid.
  • miovlb6
    miovlb6 Posts: 339 Member
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    This was happening to me up until a few days ago. I replaced the battery in the heart rate transmitter part (not the watch) and that seems to have fixed it. Also, have you washed the strap in the washing machine? I wash mine by hand after every use then in the washer once a week. I've been told that not doing so will cause the "Check your Heart Rate Transmitter" problem.

    I really hope it's not the battery because I've only had the thing for two months. I haven't done the washing thing but I rince by hand after each workout. When you wash it in the washing machine, do you have detergent in there or do you just put it in by itself with just water?

    Sorry...forgot to check back for a couple of days. Yeah, mine is only 6 months old so I didn't think it would be the battery, they say it's supposed to last a year or two, but I changed the battery and haven't had a problem since. I had had a hard time getting the battery cover open, so I ended up bringing it to a watch store and they got it open and put in the new battery for about $8.
    And yes, use detergent when you wash it in the washing machine. I just throw mine in with my load of gym clothes for the week. Wash everything as usual, but don't put it in the dryer.
    Hope this helps!
  • marybell82
    marybell82 Posts: 122 Member
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    Same thing happened to me today while working out, i noticed it was working fine, but once my HR got up to like 183, it just reset itself and i didnt have the correct cals burned because i had to stop it completely to refresh itself. i thought maybe the strap was too wet from sweating, but still no luck. only worked after i stopped and started it up again. SUCKS! only reason i got my HR up so high is because i was trying to run at a faster pace. ugh so much for that!
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    Keep it fairly snug, keep it wet, and change the batteries if it acts goofy. This will solve most issues with this HRM.

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