I wanted to ask the Garmin tech support what diagnostics I can run on my HRMM transmitters and straps but Garmin tech support is notoriously unhelpful.
Nothing worse than getting all set to start a workout only to have "tech failure" (all too common with Garmin stuff.... as much as I love it)
I have a piles of Garmin HRMs and an equal number of straps from over the years. Some of the HRM's are the "old" standard HR only but I also have a newer HRM-Run module and even the Swim and Tri-Swim straps. It appears pretty well accepted that the garmin premium HR straps "die" after 1-12 months of use no matter how well they are cared for. I use mine most days and after a work-out, often removed the HRM transmitter and then bring the strap into shower to rinse well and leave it hanging there to dry (out of sun). Next time I grab whatever module/strap is around unless I am going to be running and try to grab the HR-Run.
Over time, as one set-up stops working I grab the next until strap or module and now have a pile of straps and HRMs where "none" seem to be working. The problem is, I don't know for sure if it is the strap or the module? More than once I had assumed it was the battery and found it to be 3.3V. Sometimes I will replace it anyway (since I've already gone that far) and still don't know if it is working. I will try one HRM on multiple straps and one strap (the "good" one, I am thinking) with multiple modules but can't get a reliable pair.
I saw a comment that the "normal" impedance on strap electrodes is 1.5 kOhms. Except, not exactly sure where to measure that. I placed one probe in the metal (female) snap and the other on the correspond smooth, black electrode (skin side) but can't reliable measure ANY impedance.
I've tried the "cut the strap between the 2 snaps" trick which didn't do a thing (well, it did and then it didn't?)
Is there a way to use a multimeter on the transmitter to see if it is definitely working?
One other BIG concern I have is that the strap on the Tri-Swim HRM looks very similar to the Premium strap except that the HRM module is NOT removeable (same with the Pool Swim strap). I paid close to $200 for this pair of HR-swim straps. They haven't been out that long but have people been having the same issues with them? Not something that a $20 Polar strap will resolve!
Nothing worse than getting all set to start a workout only to have "tech failure" (all too common with Garmin stuff.... as much as I love it)
I have a piles of Garmin HRMs and an equal number of straps from over the years. Some of the HRM's are the "old" standard HR only but I also have a newer HRM-Run module and even the Swim and Tri-Swim straps. It appears pretty well accepted that the garmin premium HR straps "die" after 1-12 months of use no matter how well they are cared for. I use mine most days and after a work-out, often removed the HRM transmitter and then bring the strap into shower to rinse well and leave it hanging there to dry (out of sun). Next time I grab whatever module/strap is around unless I am going to be running and try to grab the HR-Run.
Over time, as one set-up stops working I grab the next until strap or module and now have a pile of straps and HRMs where "none" seem to be working. The problem is, I don't know for sure if it is the strap or the module? More than once I had assumed it was the battery and found it to be 3.3V. Sometimes I will replace it anyway (since I've already gone that far) and still don't know if it is working. I will try one HRM on multiple straps and one strap (the "good" one, I am thinking) with multiple modules but can't get a reliable pair.
I saw a comment that the "normal" impedance on strap electrodes is 1.5 kOhms. Except, not exactly sure where to measure that. I placed one probe in the metal (female) snap and the other on the correspond smooth, black electrode (skin side) but can't reliable measure ANY impedance.
I've tried the "cut the strap between the 2 snaps" trick which didn't do a thing (well, it did and then it didn't?)
Is there a way to use a multimeter on the transmitter to see if it is definitely working?
One other BIG concern I have is that the strap on the Tri-Swim HRM looks very similar to the Premium strap except that the HRM module is NOT removeable (same with the Pool Swim strap). I paid close to $200 for this pair of HR-swim straps. They haven't been out that long but have people been having the same issues with them? Not something that a $20 Polar strap will resolve!