[bas]

It was fine most of the beginning of the year - but now it seems whenever I sweat, and the plastic gets wet, it does up to 240 and is unreliable.

The sweat maybe also on the jersey. No 'jersey flap' ocurring. No problem with zipper because some times I had very short zippered shirts. It appears when it dries out it acts better.

This didn't happen last year at this rate.

There is no crud in the bands..and I even used some windex tonight to clean it out just in case.

So do they just go bad?

 

[MR_GRUMPY]

A heart rate of 240 usually means that you have some electrical interference.
On the other hand, it could be your HRM.

What model and how old??

 

[mprevost]

Batteries??

It was fine most of the beginning of the year - but now it seems whenever I sweat, and the plastic gets wet, it does up to 240 and is unreliable.

The sweat maybe also on the jersey. No 'jersey flap' ocurring. No problem with zipper because some times I had very short zippered shirts. It appears when it dries out it acts better.

This didn't happen last year at this rate.

There is no crud in the bands..and I even used some windex tonight to clean it out just in case.

So do they just go bad?

Check the batteries in the chest strap.

Mike

 

[bas]

A heart rate of 240 usually means that you have some electrical interference.
On the other hand, it could be your HRM.

What model and how old??

Timex..could be 5 or 3 years old.

 

[bas]

Check the batteries in the chest strap.

Mike

Put in a brand new energizer battery this spring. I'll change it again just to be safe.

 

[bas]

A heart rate of 240 usually means that you have some electrical interference.

Mountains of Misery ride:

Miles 0-80 had one glitch for like 5 seconds.
Miles 80-102 had many glitches. Out in the middle of BFE on a mountain climb.

Yesterday, My hill repeat ride was just bonkers last night.

 

[bauerb]

from time to time my Garmin gets weird. not super high, but will jump 10pts quickly, eg. I'll be spinning at 145, and it will jump to 165, then settle down again. this happens on my training and I wondered if my new headphones could be causing the trouble as the cord is near the HRM. My old polar used to spike in the gym if other polar users were near by, it used to jump to 240 etc

 

[CLTracer]

It was fine most of the beginning of the year - but now it seems whenever I sweat, and the plastic gets wet, it does up to 240 and is unreliable.

The sweat maybe also on the jersey. No 'jersey flap' ocurring. No problem with zipper because some times I had very short zippered shirts. It appears when it dries out it acts better.

This didn't happen last year at this rate.

There is no crud in the bands..and I even used some windex tonight to clean it out just in case.

So do they just go bad?

Never. It must be your heart.

 

[Einstruzende]

I've seen the opposite with my garmin. It will all of a sudden drop 40 or 50 points. Turns out it was because of low battery.

 

[Becky]

Are you rinsing the band after every ride? DH's HRM will go crazy if he doesn't rinse it, even if it doesn't look dirty. Mine never seems to be a problem...

Also, since you recently changed the chest strap battery, is it possible that the battery compartment isn't closed properly and moisture is getting inside it?

 

[multirider]

Could be electrical interference from power wires or transmission lines. Could be from other HRs; if you are riding with someone new, that seems likely. Think about what could possibly be different from when it worked fine -- batteries, riding area, other riders, shirt flapping, iPod or phone or ???

 

[bas]

Could be electrical interference from power wires or transmission lines. Could be from other HRs; if you are riding with someone new, that seems likely. Think about what could possibly be different from when it worked fine -- batteries, riding area, other riders, shirt flapping, iPod or phone or ???

battery new this february.
riding area - in mountains, regular group ride
other riders - no other riders around in the mountain
occassional shirt flap - but no flapping going up a mountain at 3 mph.
no ipod or phone.

only difference is when I'm sweating it goes bonkers - if the middle piece between the 2nd ends gets wet, it causes the problems. (humidity has finally started to kick in this year).

I just ordered a new one today after having 90% of my ride show 240 HR for 15 miles last night. and when it wasn't 240, it was down to 135 and way off.

I'm going to do 2 things. Wet it down and see what happens off the bike. see if it goes bonkers.

I will also use that 'new skin' bandage crap, and apply that to the middle section to see if that kills the electrical connection between the 2 ends.

 

[zoikz]

Move your strap

I've had dodgey reception from my HR monitor as well (SUUNTO) After doing everything you did, I had a hunch. One of the things I found was that I would lose my signal most often when I got out of the saddle to sprint. I presumed it had to do with the signal from the strap, but it turns out when I get out of the saddle I rotate my shoulders forward and my chest cavity comes in, increasing the distance between the pickup and the chest wall. Rather that have the center of the strap on your sternum, I have moved the strap it so the center of the pickup is under my pectoral muscle. Essentially a couple inches below your nipple. My HR monitor has dramatically improved since this change. Works like a charm and doesn't cost a nickel.

 

[bas]

I've had dodgey reception from my HR monitor as well (SUUNTO) After doing everything you did, I had a hunch. One of the things I found was that I would lose my signal most often when I got out of the saddle to sprint. I presumed it had to do with the signal from the strap, but it turns out when I get out of the saddle I rotate my shoulders forward and my chest cavity comes in, increasing the distance between the pickup and the chest wall. Rather that have the center of the strap on your sternum, I have moved the strap it so the center of the pickup is under my pectoral muscle. Essentially a couple inches below your nipple. My HR monitor has dramatically improved since this change. Works like a charm and doesn't cost a nickel.

I changed batteries. Wet it up. Let it dry.

I was just wearing it watching the hockey game last night ..and it was reading 240.

Got my head to read 30. My legs were around 60 which was correct, but then it also read 240 at times, but wasn't sure if it was picking up the pulse in my fingers.

But any position on my chest was 240.

New one should be here tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Einstruzende]

Well just last night I had the same issues. it was Humid, i was sweaty, and my HRM was telling me I was at 210 rate when I was doing about 13 mph on a smooth flat road. The max HR I've ever seen has been 178.

I took it off and sprayed with water (maybe some sweat salt on it), dried it with jersey, and it functioned properly after that.

 

[zoikz]

that daddy is toast.
the HR monitor leads pick up the electrical impulse as your heart depolarizes during contraction. Your pulse is a fluid wave and does not have any significant electrical signal; hence it should not pick anything up.

 

[bas]

that daddy is toast.
the HR monitor leads pick up the electrical impulse as your heart depolarizes during contraction. Your pulse is a fluid wave and does not have any significant electrical signal; hence it should not pick anything up.

I got my new TIMEX HR monitor last night and used it.

No 240 glitches.

It was hot and humid out..so it's working for sure.. and it wasn't me or any type of interference.

Not sure whats up with the old one.