Anyone have a Polar HRM? Anyone else have this problem?

sshap21712
sshap21712 Posts: 139
edited December 22 in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone with a POLAR HRM have this problem?

I have an FT40. While working out, it will work fine for about 30 minutes. Then, as i ramp up my heart rate, it will start skipping around. It will spike up to (for example) 175, then 2 seconds later, up to 185, then 211 then 136 then145 then 180 etc. All of this within 5 seconds of each other. When I calm my heart rate down it will eventually also calm down.

I had an FT 7 for a while, and also had this problem. I thought it was because I swam with it and it had water damage, so I got rid of it and bought this more expensive one. I now know its a problem across all of them.

Anyone else have this problem?

Replies

  • superstarcassie
    superstarcassie Posts: 296 Member
    Maybe its the chest strap? Mine would get all weird and show super high heart rates. I made sure I really scrubbed and washed my strap well and it seemed to help! Maybe even get a new strap (around 20 on amazon).
  • Amara15
    Amara15 Posts: 211 Member
    i'm not having exactly the same problem but i am having problems. when my heart rate gets high it with either sometimes stop recieving the signal, or other times it will say my heart is still up in that high zone even though i have stopped running or whatever and began stretching and i know my heart rate has started to go down.
  • Katiemarie4488
    Katiemarie4488 Posts: 242 Member
    Yes, i have the same one and have the same problem. I took it back to ****sSportingGoods and wanted to exchange it, and they said I had to contact Polar directly. Im lazy when it comes to doing that, so I have just been esitmating, as my results are ususlly in the same general area on my current training schedule. But, I know I need to get it fixed / replaced. Let me know if you have any luck
  • GreatPNW
    GreatPNW Posts: 2
    Maybe replace the battery in the chest strap.
  • shoover10
    shoover10 Posts: 32
    I have a polar HRM and mine will skip around if I do not have it tight enough. I think it loses contact with my skin. I also have a few sports bras that the band will get between the chest strap and my skin, but only just a littl bit and that cause it to jump up and down. Dunno if any of this is the problem for you, though.
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
    I'd be scared to swim with it regardless...

    I have had a Polar FT7 and now have a Polar FT60 --- saw this happen only once, and it was during crunches.
    I figure its because the chest thingy probably was in a weird spot on the "up" crunch. Never notice this during zumba, kickboxing, weight lifting, walking etc...
  • jonski1968
    jonski1968 Posts: 4,490 Member
    Yes, i have the same one and have the same problem. I took it back to ****sSportingGoods and wanted to exchange it, and they said I had to contact Polar directly. Im lazy when it comes to doing that, so I have just been esitmating, as my results are ususlly in the same general area on my current training schedule. But, I know I need to get it fixed / replaced. Let me know if you have any luck

    Argue the toss with the store and tell them as you purchased it from them, your contract is with them..It is up to them to sort out the problem..IF its still under warranty..
  • mightyminerva
    mightyminerva Posts: 145 Member
    I thought it was just me!

    Mine was working okay the first few weeks I had it, but recently it's been working the first bit of a workout, then drastically going up or down. I have mine set to beep when I'm not in my target heart rate zone, and the beeps aren't as frequent as they are supposed to be or are nonexistent.

    Most times the HR will vanish from the display and the clock will appear again. Sometimes I can hear the beeping continuing, and I can always see the little heart on the front (indicating it's receiving the signal). It's so frustrating, and my HRM is only about a month old!

    I don't know if a new strap would help in my case, as the HRM seems to be receiving the signal fine; something in the display or in the watch body is screwy, I think.

    Mine is a Polar FT2.
  • tryinghard71
    tryinghard71 Posts: 593
    I had this problem when I first started using it. I think it was because I was not getting it wet enough. I started really getting it wet. Running it under the water right before putting it on. I also wear it as tight as I can without being uncomfortable. Then the problem went away. I also rinse it really well when I am done and hang up to dry. Hope this helps. It did with mine.
  • beth_816
    beth_816 Posts: 19
    This is a remote possiblity.

    Do you feel palpitations? Does your heart rate (pulse) feel regular or irregular?

    You can get those irregular beats per minute with something called atrial fibrillation.
    I think when folks with A Fib wear heart rate monitors it won't give you an accurate output because the rate is so irregular.
    It will only show trends.

    If you feel any kind of palpitation or the sensation that your heart is 'racing' you should go get checked out by a cardiologist.
    The risk for clots and subsequent stroke increases with this rhythm.
  • ❤lindsay❤dawn❤
    ❤lindsay❤dawn❤ Posts: 443
    I have a F6 and it does that when I lift, but I'm thinking it's because it may lose skin contact... Make sure Your Strap is snug and if it's stretched out, buy a new one ($17 on the Polar Site) or safety pin it and wet with water or the electrode lube on the electrodes prior to putting it on as Mine seems to stay put better when I do that... Hope this helps...

    : ))
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    It's probably the strap. Clean it good, wash it, dry it, make sure it's moist when you put it on.
  • ktbug1186
    ktbug1186 Posts: 266
    yes! make sure you tighten your strap. thats what happened to me! tightened the strap and good as new!
  • TheGsMama
    TheGsMama Posts: 80 Member
    New strap and batteries for the transmitter should fix it.
  • Jewel1201
    Jewel1201 Posts: 68
    Yep I had same problem. I contacted Polar and they sent me a new strap. I have only had it happen once since they sent me the strap. But it still seems to lose my heart rate every so often. I even make sure the strap is tight. I guess I will try new batteries next to see if it help. I have had it less than 3 months.
  • jillica
    jillica Posts: 554 Member
    Yes, clean it good. I wash the strap but remove the center clip and wash that using a toothbrush.
  • skeck
    skeck Posts: 46
    I have an FT4 and have only had problems in 2 situations:

    1. My strap wasn't wet enough when I put it on
    2. I was running alongside somebody else with a Polar HRM --- maybe some interference?

    Good luck!
  • LuckyAng
    LuckyAng Posts: 1,173 Member
    I'd be scared to swim with it regardless...

    I have had a Polar FT7 and now have a Polar FT60 --- saw this happen only once, and it was during crunches.
    I figure its because the chest thingy probably was in a weird spot on the "up" crunch. Never notice this during zumba, kickboxing, weight lifting, walking etc...

    I have the FT4 and it gets weird during crunches too.
  • allisonmrn
    allisonmrn Posts: 721 Member
    Mine used to do that when the battery was about to go. Replace the battery in the chest strap and you will prob see a diff. Also, wash it with warm soapy water. Sometimes when I sweat a lot, it would interfere with the readings, so I would wash it out really well and let it dry completely. Hope this helps.
  • rmk20togo
    rmk20togo Posts: 353 Member
    I had a similar problem and Polar told me to wash the chest strap in the washing machine and use a mid soap and toothbrush to scrub the back of the transmitter that snaps onto the chest strap. I also tightened up the strap and it work great.

    Good luck!
  • flyingwrite
    flyingwrite Posts: 264
    Wow. I have an FT4 and I've never had this problem. I agree that it sounds like a bad strap or one that isn't connecting properly.
  • bzmom
    bzmom Posts: 1,332 Member
    I have an FT7 and have had it for ove 1year without a problem. Im think possibly you need to wet the strap more before putting it on and not too loose or try washing it may need some clean up. Also for women if you wear underwire bra becareful it dosent knock the transceiver off the strap. Just my opinion if it is defective definitely get that checked. And I agree its the store responsibility to do exchanges and such not the customer walmart try to do that with a tv I had ordered from the website but I stayed my ground and yup they did the work not me! GL!
  • Perfectdiamonds1
    Perfectdiamonds1 Posts: 347 Member
    Just got mine this past weekend. Have not really had it long enough to notice any problems yet. So far it working fine. But just fine myself looking at the watch often to see if I'm in range. But will be on the look out for any problems.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    I am sick of my Polar hrm, I've sent it back to Polar twice now, the first time they said they replaced the battery and changed some electrodes in the strap. It worked for about 5 workouts when it went back to it's original problem, showing either no heartbeat or over 200.

    The second time they sent me a new strap, it's worked for about 10 minutes and the same problem happened again. Don't know if I can be bothered to send it back again. :grumble:
  • aaronf289
    aaronf289 Posts: 50 Member
    I quit using mine. I thought it was getting interference with some of the gym equipment.
  • Andybeth
    Andybeth Posts: 18 Member
    My FT40 has been going back and forth to Polar all summer. First it was the battery (or both batteries) then the strap was faulty and a replacement strap had a week connection. I was able to use my FT40 for less than a year with one replacement battery in that time and now Polar says all the pieces are good but it still doesn't work for longer that 5 minutes at a time. My FT6 on the other hand keeps on ticking away with no maintenance.

    I'm convinced their quality control must be non existent.
  • CLCinNOLA
    CLCinNOLA Posts: 82 Member
    I had this problem when I first started using it. I think it was because I was not getting it wet enough. I started really getting it wet. Running it under the water right before putting it on. I also wear it as tight as I can without being uncomfortable. Then the problem went away. I also rinse it really well when I am done and hang up to dry. Hope this helps. It did with mine.
    Never had any problems at all. Like the person I quoted, I run my chest strap under running water from the faucet just before putting it on. Try that and maybe it will help.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    1. Make sure the chest strap is cleaned good, I put mine in the dishwasher on the top rack and take it out when it hits the drying settings and hang it on a coat hanger to dry.
    2. When using it make sure the chest strap is tighten up... I have seen mine (FT60) lose contact when rowing,etc.. but once tightened up it was fine.'
    3. I have never just wet mine down, I use the Buh Bump electrode cream with mine, you can get it off Amazon. It does not gum it up, I simple rinse it under warm water when I get home and hang it up to dry. I put it in the dishwasher every 4 weeks or so.

    Here is a link to the cream;

    http://www.amazon.com/Buh-Bump-2-5-Ounce-Heart-Monitor-Electrode/dp/B000HZD2NU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345944987&sr=8-1&keywords=buh+bump

    Best of Luck
  • Andybeth
    Andybeth Posts: 18 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions. I just bought the cream and will give it one more try. I've tried every permutation of tightening the strap, wetting the strap, washing the strap so maybe the cream will be the magic potion.
  • jms3533
    jms3533 Posts: 316 Member
    It's probably the strap. Clean it good, wash it, dry it, make sure it's moist when you put it on.

    I agree to try this. I wash mine once a week, like the instructions read....
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