Possible fix for Garmin Heart Rate Transmitters

pprendeville · 27-11-2014 2:26pm #1

My Garmin HR transmitter was acting up recently. Bought a new strap and this confirmed that it was the transmitter that was the problem. Bought a 2nd hand transmitter on eBay recently and when I got it it wouldn't work but there was a troubleshooting guide on the ebay shop homepage which I think is worth sharing here.

So for anyone who thinks the transmitter is giving problems, try this before getting a new one:

Firstly change the battery on your Garmin heart rate monitor (HRM2-SS). The change itself is not that difficult – only remove the 4 screws at the backside, open the cover. If you have a battery tester check the battery. If it registers 3.25 to 3.5v then a low battery is probably not the problem. If you have a dud battery, change the old one with a new CR2032. Sometimes after that, the heart rate may not show up in your Garmin after you have checked or replaced the battery.
Two steps will probably fix this.
- Step 1: remove the battery, get a paper clip or a short piece of bendable wire (I used a staple and hooked one end round the 2o'clock prong and lay the other on the centre prong s). At the centre of the battery holder you will see two ‘copper’ prongs and on the edge at about 2 o’clock you will see a silver contact. Bend your wire and connect the prongs in the centre to the contact at 2 o’clock. Hold it for a minute or so. This ‘short circuits’ the HRM. Replace the battery and replace the back cover fastening carefully with the four small screws.
- Step 2: Put the HRM on your chest, taking care to ensure a good contact but wetting the contacts (plastic bits on inside of strap). - Search for your HRM on your Garmin. To do this on an Edge 800 preset the power button quickly, tap the HR symbol and tap search. HRM should then start transmitting and unit displaying HR if the transmitter is working again.

I now have 3 working transmitters.

mossym · 27-11-2014 2:36pm

same concept as the often recommended trick putting the battery in upside down. discharges any residual charge stored in capacitors in the HRM.

when my hrm was acting up this appeared to fix it, but the problems returned shortly afterwards.

seamus · 27-11-2014 2:48pm

Yeah, had the "not working" issue on my strap recently after changing the battery. After having already replaced the strap once, I wasn't willing to go again, so I googled and found a Garmin article which noted that if you just pop out the old battery and stick in a new one straight away, this can cause an "overload" (their words) which causes the strap to not work.

The fix was basically what was mentioned above, but a bit simpler - take out the old battery, stick a 10c or 20c coin (I guess 5c would be good too) into the battery slot and make sure it's touching both contacts. Leave it a couple of minutes to kill the stored charge and then put in the new battery.

Worked perfectly for me, and I'm surprised they don't put this on the back of the strap or something.

Unfortunately I had already butchered and disposed of my first strap, so I couldn't go back and resurrect it.

Welshkev · 27-11-2014 4:10pm

Mine seems to act up around half way through any Turbo Trainer session - it always works fine when I'm out and about, and for the first 20 - 30 mins on the Turbo it's fine, then it just seems to stop working. Anyone come across this before? I'm hesitant to try the above steps as it always works fine otherwise

seamus · 27-11-2014 4:13pm

Strange. Overheating, perhaps? Out on the bike, even on a hot day, there'll be a certain amount of air cooling on your front, so the strap will probably never exceed 25 degrees for more than a couple of minutes.

On the turbo, especially if you have a jersey on, there'll probably be a "fog" of heat around your body in excess of 30 degrees. Try using the turbo with no top on?

fat bloke · 27-11-2014 5:07pm

Kevinleeowen wrote: »

Mine seems to act up around half way through any Turbo Trainer session - it always works fine when I'm out and about, and for the first 20 - 30 mins on the Turbo it's fine, then it just seems to stop working. Anyone come across this before? I'm hesitant to try the above steps as it always works fine otherwise

Mine did that too. - Not all of a sudden, but the HR would start to drop lower and lower and eventually either read zero or stop transmitting.

Welshkev · 27-11-2014 5:19pm

seamus wrote: »

Strange. Overheating, perhaps? Out on the bike, even on a hot day, there'll be a certain amount of air cooling on your front, so the strap will probably never exceed 25 degrees for more than a couple of minutes.

On the turbo, especially if you have a jersey on, there'll probably be a "fog" of heat around your body in excess of 30 degrees. Try using the turbo with no top on?

Avert your eyes, but I already do it with no top on! I have the kitchen doors open, but I do sweat like a b'd on it!
Think it might be something to do with the heat though, although other than a fan there's probably little that can be done I suppose

ashleey · 27-11-2014 5:33pm

The falling heart rate readings are due to sweat build up in the strap changing its conductivity. The transmitter gets confused as it can't read the original heart rate signals in the same way. You need to wash the strap. Best advice is leave overnight in a bowl of mildly soapy water (washing up liquid). Next day rinse thoroughly and then use when dry. Garmin advise washing but I've never put mine in the machine

Sr. Assumpta · 27-11-2014 8:40pm

fat bloke wrote: »

.... the HR would start to drop lower and lower and eventually either read zero or stop ...

I think that means you're dead.

Unknown Soldier · 27-11-2014 10:09pm

seamus wrote: »

Yeah, had the "not working" issue on my strap recently after changing the battery. After having already replaced the strap once, I wasn't willing to go again, so I googled and found a Garmin article which noted that if you just pop out the old battery and stick in a new one straight away, this can cause an "overload" (their words) which causes the strap to not work.

The fix was basically what was mentioned above, but a bit simpler - take out the old battery, stick a 10c or 20c coin (I guess 5c would be good too) into the battery slot and make sure it's touching both contacts. Leave it a couple of minutes to kill the stored charge and then put in the new battery.

Worked perfectly for me, and I'm surprised they don't put this on the back of the strap or something.

Unfortunately I had already butchered and disposed of my first strap, so I couldn't go back and resurrect it.

How does that fix the "strap"? My strap stopped working and I am using a polar one now, which is fine.

I'm wondering, how do I fix my old strap?

seamus · 28-11-2014 10:07am

So just give the instructions above a go. Pop out the old battery, pop a coin in its place (make sure it's touching both contacts) and leave it there for five minutes.

Pop in a new battery and then try the strap again. You might need to do a rescan for the strap on your devices, especially since they've been paired with another strap.

Possible fix for Garmin Heart Rate Transmitters

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