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Heart rate is completely inaccurate only with specific profiles

The HRM readings on my va3 seem accurate while not in an activity profile, while running, doing weights, etc.

However, when I'm in cardio mode the HRM is completely off. It often reads around half of my actual heart rate. When I change profiles while doing the same exact thing (eg: change from cardio to run profilex or even no exercise profile) suddenly my readings jumps to reasonable values.

It seems like a bug to me. I've tried positioning it differently, tighter, looser, other wrist, on the inside of my wrist, and occasionally I can get it working but it cuts out again with any movement. Whereas I never have this issue in other profiles.

Had anyone experienced similar situations?

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0 Former Member over 4 years ago

Every workout, unfortunately. Like you, it lowers my heart rate so I'm not getting the intensity minutes. I'll palpate my pulse showing around 160 and the watch shows 45? Tried wearing it in many different positions without success. Frustrating since it's worn to help with medical insurance premiums.

0 boyter over 4 years ago

Did anyone find a fix for this? I am training with 2 profiles, bike and indoor bike. Both work fine when performing their respective training programs but I'm also having to use indoor bike for strength training and general cardio training as everything else I have tried simply reads WAY too low.

0 Natalie over 4 years ago in reply to Former Member

This also happens to me! It’s so frustrating and always puts me in a bad mood for no reason! You are not alone!

0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to Natalie

Mine has consistently gotten worse. Maddening. I wear a chest strap in f45 class but also wear my vivo3.

I hadnt heard of trying another mode. Will try tomorrow to see if better results. Stupid of garmin not to fix.

0 2963205 over 4 years ago in reply to Former Member

Did anyone find a solution to this. It's driving me nuts, as soon as I select strength the heat rate drops and rarely reads at normal. It worked maybe once, or twice but that's it. Works fine for running on a treadmill on treadmill app, mountain biking is occasionally variable but I'll put that down to bumps. Rowing is ok. Seemingly just strength that consistently fails for me.

0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to 2963205

Only solution I’ve kept seeing is chest heart rate monitor strap is needed. Another expense:(

0 1274822 over 4 years ago in reply to 2963205

Just started happening to me as well. I think tomorrow I'm going to do a factory reset and see what happens. I'll let you know if it does anything.

0 hhasert over 4 years ago in reply to 1274822

It seems a generic issue for the first part of a session.

0 6044014 over 4 years ago

I thought my va3 music was broken as doing the stairmaster heart rate registered 92bpm, wearing a heartrate strap and taking heart rate readings off the stairmaster was giving me 180bpm. sent mine back and got a replacement, Garmin said they had not had this issue before, obviously its a common problem.

0 7509843 over 4 years ago in reply to 6044014

I have a new va4 and it's totally of the charts inaccurate for me. When I just wear it normally, the hr is fine. As soon as I set it to cardio, it doubles my hr and suddenly I go from 80-100 bpm just walking and standing to 160-180 for the same activities in cardio mode. It has to be a software issue with the way it handles the data for the sport profile.

Did your new replacement still have the same issue? How is it working now?