CARING FOR YOUR M7
Below will find all the tips you may need to get the most out of your M7 transmitter and strap.
- Disconnect your M7 transmitter from the strap when you are not using it
- After each use, fully disconnect the transmitter from the strap, wipe off the back of it with a towel, and store in a cool, dry place away from anything that is conductive. If you’re worried about losing it, there are many different small storage cases available online, such as on Amazon.
- Human sweat can be very corrosive. Leaving the M7 transmitter attached to the strap when not in use and/or not wiping it off after use can lead to issues related to charging the battery as well as powering on, connecting to apps or devices, and maintaining accurate heart rate.
- The picture below on the left is a transmitter that is only 10 months old and usage was 3-4 times per week. It was removed from the strap when not in use most of the time but was never wiped off. It is dirty and corroded and stopped charging and stopped working well. After it was cleaned with warm water, baking soda, and a small wire brush, it started charging again and works perfectly.
- The picture below on the right is a transmitter that is 3 years old and usage has been 6-7 times per week. It was always removed from the strap and wiped off; and it looks and functions like it is brand new.
- Charging your M7 battery
- When the M7 is fully charged, it can get up to 200 hours of active battery life. This means that you do not need to charge it very often. Ideally only charge it when it has dipped below 50% battery life remaining.
If the M7 has 10% or less battery life remaining, when you snap it onto the strap, instead of blinking white while it searches for your heart rate and then blue when it finds your heart rate, it will blink red.
- IMPORTANT:
- Use ONLY the USB-A to USB-C cable that comes in the box or one like it.
- DO NOT use a USB-C to USB-C cable to charge the M7.
- Make sure to use a standard USB 5V power adapter to charge the M7.
- The use of non-standard, higher power chargers or cables, like those that are designed for charging phones and tablets, may damage the M7.
- When you connect the M7 to the app for the recovery test or for training, you will see its remaining battery life in the upper left corner of the app.
- When the M7 is fully charged, it can get up to 200 hours of active battery life. This means that you do not need to charge it very often. Ideally only charge it when it has dipped below 50% battery life remaining.
- Cleaning your M7 heart rate strap
- It’s important to clean residue from sweat off of your heart rate strap.Heart rate monitor straps need to be free of non-conductive residues to sense the electrical activity of your heart and send that info from the strap to the transmitter. If the electrode area of the strap and the connection ports that the transmitter snaps onto get too dirty, then they need to be cleaned.A simple rinse under warm water and a gentle pat/wipe dry with a towel is usually enough. And then hang it or set it somewhere to finish drying by air. Also, wiping off the pins on the back of the transmitter is a good idea.Every so often (maybe once per month or more if needed) we recommend a deeper cleaning of the strap.Ideally, do NOT put the M7 heart rate strap in a washing machine or a drying machine. It could get damaged and it’s not worth the risk. If you must wash it this way, do so with a load of laundry so that it does not clank against the edges of the machine during the wash. Wash with cold or warm water using a gentle wash cycle method. Also, be sure that it is clasped together.
Below is a protocol that works really well without using a washing machine.
Fill a bowl with warm water and some dish soap (like Dawn) or laundry soap. Place the chest strap in it and let it sit for a few hours or overnight.
*For dish and laundry detergent: they don’t have any moisturizing additives that leave non-conductive deposits behind. The whole point of washing is to get rid of the non-conducting oils. Some hand soaps have moisturizers in them which makes them not a good choice for this job.The “crud” that builds up on the electrodes and makes them non-conductive is a mix of greasy skin materials. Sweat is bad for your heart rate monitor strap when it remains on the strap for long periods of time because sweat includes oils and salts. That combination loves to stick to smooth, rubbery surfaces like the electrode pads on the skin side of the strap. This is a primary factor that you may stop getting accurate readings consistently. Dish and laundry detergents will wash the oily crud away.
After you remove the strap from the water, rinse off all the soap/detergent.
You may also choose to use a q-tip or something similar to very gently swab the inside of the ports on the strap. Be careful not to damage the horizontal bars that hold the transmitter pins into these ports when you attach the transmitter to the strap.
Gently pat the whole strap dry with a towel and then hang it or set it somewhere to finish drying by air.
- It’s important to clean residue from sweat off of your heart rate strap.Heart rate monitor straps need to be free of non-conductive residues to sense the electrical activity of your heart and send that info from the strap to the transmitter. If the electrode area of the strap and the connection ports that the transmitter snaps onto get too dirty, then they need to be cleaned.A simple rinse under warm water and a gentle pat/wipe dry with a towel is usually enough. And then hang it or set it somewhere to finish drying by air. Also, wiping off the pins on the back of the transmitter is a good idea.Every so often (maybe once per month or more if needed) we recommend a deeper cleaning of the strap.Ideally, do NOT put the M7 heart rate strap in a washing machine or a drying machine. It could get damaged and it’s not worth the risk. If you must wash it this way, do so with a load of laundry so that it does not clank against the edges of the machine during the wash. Wash with cold or warm water using a gentle wash cycle method. Also, be sure that it is clasped together.
Q: Can I order just a strap or a new charging dock/cable?
Yes! Please see the links below.
If you need two or more separate items, please email support@trainwithmorpheus.com for assistance with placing the items into a single order so that you don’t have to pay separate shipping fees by ordering them separately with the links below.
Size XS-S Strap for M7
Wearable size (XS-S): 20″ to 28″ (51 to 71 cm) with max stretch to fit 30″ (76cm)
Size M-XXL Strap for M7
Wearable size (M-XXL): 24” to 36” (61 to 92 cm) with max stretch to fit 60″ (153cm)
Q: Can I connect the M7 to other apps and HRMs?
Yes! The M7 is compatible with any mobile app using Bluetooth and any HRM watch that uses ANT+ and/or Bluetooth, such as Garmin.
To pair the M7 to other devices using ANT+, please see the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the ANT+ compatible device you are trying to connect to.
IMPORTANT: Garmin and some other 3rd party devices allow a device to be paired through either Bluetooth or ANT+.
If you pair the M7 to another device using Bluetooth, then the Morpheus app may not be able to find the M7 when you try to sync the workout later because it can remain connected to the other device. If you must connect the M7 to something via Bluetooth, you will need to ensure that you disconnect it when finished. If it remains connected via Bluetooth (to an Apple Watch for example) you will not be able to connect it to the Morpheus app.
An easy way to make sure you are pairing via ANT+ is that it will only display the 5-digit M7 ID as seen in the images above.
It will NOT show the device name M7 – before the ID.
If you see “M7 – ” before the 5-digit ID, do not pair as this means you are about to use a Bluetooth connection.
Q: How do I use the internal memory of the M7?
The M7 has about 10 hours of internal memory will record every workout that you do. It will record workouts whether you are using the Morpheus app for real time training or whether you are not.
It will start recording the moment that you snap the transmitter onto the strap and it picks up your heart rate.
It will stop recording when you fully disconnect the transmitter from the strap.
It will only record a workout if the duration is greater than 5 minutes.
The intention of the internal memory is to allow you to workout while NOT using the Morpheus app on your phone to record the workout in real time and then SYNC that workout to the Morpheus app after it has been completed.
For more information, please see the “With the M7 but WITHOUT the Morpheus app (Offline mode)” section in the article here.
Q: Why am I losing connection during my workout?
If the M7 loses connection to your phone or other device, it’s most often because either the strap is losing skin contact or your device is out of range.
Tighten the strap to ensure that it will not move around during your workout. Add water or electrode gel to the rubber-covered electrode area of the strap to improve connectivity.
Make sure that your phone or other Bluetooth device is within ~30ft (~9m) of the M7. It can begin to lose connection if this range is exceeded or if there are objects in the way of the signal.
If you have owned the strap for a while and used it a lot, the electrodes can begin to wear out and you may need a new strap. Skip to the “Normal wear and tear” section below for more info.
Also, any of the reasons below in the section below could also be reasons for disconnections.
Q: Why do my heart rates seem inaccurate at times?
Placement – The M7 should be placed directly underneath the pectoral muscles with the sensor over the bottom of the sternum. It’s also recommended to put the chest strap on before snapping the sensor into place prior to each workout.
If your activity prevents you from wearing the sensor on your sternum, it can be placed on your back instead of front. However, make sure it is not directly on the spine, and you may need to flip the sensor upside down.
Skin Contact – To get the most accurate heart rate reading during all types of training, the M7 strap needs good skin contact. It’s important to make sure the strap is tightened to fit snugly.
If the strap is too loose, it may move around when you’re training and lose skin contact. If you get into a deadlift or bent-over row position and can feel the strap coming away from your skin, it’s not tight enough. If you tighten it all the way and you need a smaller strap, contact us at support@trainwithmorpheus.com for assistance.
Depending on your activity, you may choose to use waterproof tape to keep good skin contact throughout your workout.
Moisture Pt 1 – Before training, you should always add either water or electrode gel to the rubber sections that cover the electrodes of the chest strap.
Put the strap on your body first, then put the water on it using your fingers so that the water also gets on your skin, and then snap the transmitter onto it when you’re ready to train.
Moisture Pt 2 – If the environment you train in is cool and dry and/or you wear moisture-wicking training shirts, you’re less likely to have moist contact with the chest strap.
This means you may often get incorrect or sporadic readings. So adding moisture to the electrodes of the strap becomes even more important to ensure the best connectivity and highest level of accuracy during training.
Dirty heart rate strap – Heart rate monitor straps need to be free of non-conductive residues to sense the electrical activity of our heart and send that info from the strap to the transmitter. If the electrode area of the strap and the connection ports that the transmitter snaps onto get too dirty, then they need to be cleaned.
Normal wear and tear – The M7 strap is made from nylon, spandex, and rubber, which eventually wear out over time.
Routine wear-and-tear isn’t always visible, since the electrodes are covered by rubber strips and may lose effectiveness below the surface.
If the electrodes are not working properly, they cannot accurately measure your heart’s electrical signal.
Replacement chest straps are inexpensive and often universal, working with various brands of snap-on transmitters that can be found online.
If you want an extra strap or a replacement strap you can purchase directly at one of the links below.
Size XS-S Strap for M7:
https://eza.infusionsoft.com/app/orderForms/m7-replacement-strap-small
Wearable size (XS-S): 20″ to 28″ (51 to 71 cm) with max stretch to fit 30″ (76cm)
Size M-XXL (standard size) Strap for M7:
https://eza.infusionsoft.com/app/orderForms/M7-strap-regular
Wearable size (M-XXL): 24” to 36” (61 to 92 cm) with max stretch to fit 60″ (153cm)
Q: Can I use the M7 while swimming or other water activities?
- Make the strap very tight
- Wear a tight swim top or wetsuit material top to keep the water out as much as possible
- If swimming facedown you can actually flip the middle transmitter piece upside down and then turn the whole thing so that it’s on your back instead of your front…maybe help keep water from flowing between the skin and the strap.
Reach out to us at support for assistance or if you have any questions about heart rate straps.
Q: I still have a problem or question – how do I get more help?
If you need additional help with your M7, please don’t hesitate to contact us by sending us a support ticket from the Morpheus app, or by clicking here to submit a support ticket.
We answer all support tickets and email within 24 hours Monday – Friday and are happy to help make sure you’re getting the most out of your M7.