HELP! Polar FT1 abnormal readings problem
 

I got on the bike for ride today and and my month old FT1 said 130 bpm. When I got the corner, 50 yards at at real slow pace, it read 190. On the MUP it locked in at 240 for a while and, typing at my desk now, it reads 136 when it would normally read about 60. Normal range would be 90ish leaving the house and riding on local streets and 125-135 riding hard with a max about 150.

I've washed the transmitter,and taken the wrist thingy off the bike and in the house. No change.

My FT1 got the fever. Any one here got the cure?

your battery needs to be replaced..

You think so ? Its a brand new HRM. Which one?

polars many time use strange watch batteries, you need to check manual.. Make sure the chest strap is firm against the chest and if you ride near high power lines you will get odd readings..

I tried it again this morning and it says60 bpm sitting at my desk.

I have had a Polar for years and have had this problem occasionally. The problem is not the battery but the chest band. The instruction manual mentions (assuming they still provide manuals) that the band needs to be rinsed after every use and washed every couple of uses. This is accurate advice as I have found out by not washing the band. I now wash mine after every use with Dr Bonners hand soap and every few weeks put it in the washing machine with my wool laundry and use woolite (place it in a small laundry bag or a sock), and never have the problem, even with low batteries. The problem and solution has also been discussed on the Polar forums.

OK. So I stared washing it religiously after every use with soap and water and, voila, it worked fine.

That was until yesterday when it pegged my efforts at between 30 and 60 bpm -- even during a long, hard interval. Then, today, it had my heart pumping at 120 bpm sitting still and more than 240 for most of a mild effort ride so, either I'm going to be the first senior citizen on the pro tour or my HRM is having a major psychiatric event.

Now what ?

So, I put it on yesterday and today and and it worked fine. Huh????