My Polar FT4 won't work in the water ?

NovemberJune
NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My HRM constantly loses my HR while I'm in the pool. If I stand still and press around on it, it will get my heart rate... until I start swimming again. But it also stops working like the instant I step into the pool, before I start swimming, until I press around on it. Any tips? It's not that it's too loose, it's definitely snug.

I know it's supposed to work.... :(

TIA

Replies

  • miller32807
    miller32807 Posts: 78 Member
    It still isn't working even when you have the watch and the chest strap on in the pool? I know it wouldn't work well if you kept the watch part on the side of the pool and only wore the chest strap because it would lose signal some, so it wouldn't keep an accurate recording. But wearing them together, it should work. If it's not working, I'd contact Polar and ask them about it and see what they say. Good luck!!
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    That's probably what I need to do. Yea I had the watch on and as soon as I got in the water, it said "Check Heart Rate Transmitter". I pressed around a while, it started working again. By the time I was to the other end of the pool, it wasn't working again. Pressed around some, started working, stopped working again. Pooey. ;(
    At least I could get a little HR reading between laps but I'd love to have an accurate calorie estimate for the whole workout!
  • Nikkilynn32710
    Nikkilynn32710 Posts: 256 Member
    i read the instructions on mine and it said it can't be submerged in over 50 m of water....but to not work as soon as you step in the pool is a bit odd....sounds like polar would be getting an email from me. Or you could google the question and see if anyone else had this issue with theirs and what had to be done. I know I google a ton if my phone or something messes up and I don't want to contact at&t.
  • fitphoenix
    fitphoenix Posts: 9,673 Member
    As I understand it, despite their saying that it should work in water, it doesn't necessarily because the signal is transmitted wirelessly between your heart rate monitor chest strap and the watch. Anything that can disrupt the signal means you won't get a reading--and it's harder (or more easily disrupted or something) to transmit through the water to your HRM than through air. That's what I got out of reading the manual on mine, anyway....

    But I'm sure Polar could give you the best advice on how to maximise your results.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    you might have to tighten the strap a bit since it expands in the water. also dont press buttons on the watch while it's wet because water can get inside the unit if you do. that's something they say not to do in the instructions
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    Thanks you all. Lots of comments online say that theirs won't transmit the signal through the water but then lots of other people say theirs works just fine! I'm going to try to tighten it super tight today and see if that works.... Otherwise I suppose I'll email Polar and see what they say. :)
  • miller32807
    miller32807 Posts: 78 Member
    I didn't even think of that!! I just went on their manual saying that it was supposed to work in water. lol I've got the same one, but I've never tried it in water yet.
    As I understand it, despite their saying that it should work in water, it doesn't necessarily because the signal is transmitted wirelessly between your heart rate monitor chest strap and the watch. Anything that can disrupt the signal means you won't get a reading--and it's harder (or more easily disrupted or something) to transmit through the water to your HRM than through air. That's what I got out of reading the manual on mine, anyway....

    But I'm sure Polar could give you the best advice on how to maximise your results.
  • mandamaern
    mandamaern Posts: 2 Member
    Did you every get this resolved? I am having the same problem. Mine stops working in the water also.
  • 916lude
    916lude Posts: 305
    The transmitter on the wearlink when submerged in water will not work. Bummer. I found you can use this other polar chest strap and it will work with the FT4 for swimming. It's the Polar T31 coded chest strap. You can find it on Amazon.

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