I tend to replace the strap every year & wash them once a week (Have a new strap ready to go on for 2025)
Previously the unit has used roughly one battery each year (Energizer Lithium CR2025)
Just before Christmas, the unit started reporting low HR values whilst on TR/Zwift via ANT+. Ive seen that before when the battery is going low so swapped out the battery and all was fixed. Fast forward 2 weeks (New year) and its doing it again. Thought it could be an already discharged battery (pulled out of a blister pack so I know its new) so tried another one, so once again fixed.
Hopped on the bike last night and this time, the unit connects to Zwift (ANT+) but shows a HR of zero. Opened TR & connected via BTE, however connection would not hold for more than a second or so before dropping off. Installed Polar Beat app to check status and whilst it can see the monitor, it could not form a connection via BTE.
Put another new battery in & once again it works fine.
The unit is always dried & disconnected from the strap when not in use.
All I can think of is either the unit is now faulty & is burning through batteries for fun, or the pack of batteries are discharged (The pack states a 10 year shelf life and was bought last year).
For now ive kept the previous discharged battery, the one that stopped working last night & the new one. Ive also removed the battery from the unit until I do some voltage checks with a meter on all three batteries to see whether the batteries are coming out the pack pre-discharged.
Has anybody else experienced similar with the H9 & did they find a fix ?
When it wouldnt connect to the Polar Beat app whilst being visible, I tried removing the battery and holding the two metal studs with my fingers for ten seconds last night. I believe this is Polars standard procedure for resetting, however afterwards is continued to do the same available but wont connect faff.
It might be worth reaching out to Polar Support about this issue if you haven’t already – they should be able to help you out or perhaps give you a replacement HR monitor if necessary!
My Polar H10 seems to go through phases of burning through batteries. All I can think is that it must be trying to/be connected to something even though I disconnect after every use?
IDK, but my HR strap started doing similar so I removed the battery and left it open in a warm place so any moisture that might have gotten inside could dry out. That fixed it.
had something similar… first battery went dead really quickly, started disconnecting the unit from the strap with the second battery, 2nd battery also pretty quick… but disconnecting that much killed the strap pretty quickly on 1 of the buttons… figured batteries are cheaper then straps, so kept it on except for washing af course and now it’s all fine…
never had this with garmin straps
The H9 is probably similar to the H10 in that Polar in the instructions tell you to detach the pod from the strap after every ride. I’m not sure how you were killing straps quickly. I got mine Aug 22 and I’ve only had to replace the stap for the first time in Aug 24.
Think ive done all the testing I can for now & its over to Polar to try and work it out.
Three batteries, first one that went in before christmas is now 2.81V. Second that depleted in a fortnight is 2.83V.
I tried a third battery, confirmed it was 3.26V before inserting and placed it in the unit. 4 days later without being connected to a strap or used at all, it is now 2.83V
Some form of parasitic drain even when not connected to a strap.
