Since purchasing Concept2 rowing machine has become a permanent feature of both my home and my life.
A few days a week I find myself rowing so hard you would think I was being chased.
There is little more satisfying than the thrill of watching my progress with the screen interface in front of me.
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It allows me to track distance, intensity, time, and critically, speed.
Shamefully, I would say that I use it as a benchmark of my day’s success.
The better I perform on the machine the better I feel about myself and my gradually improving level of fitness.
However, I have encountered the frustrating experience of tightening my training shoes to the foot straps on the machine ready to take on the challenge of the day, only to find that as I begin my session the screen is not tracking my progress.
Sometimes, if there is no resistance you can feel when pulling the chain, there might be dislodgement which affects the rower to not start the counting.
It appears as if this is a common problem, from which I have devised a step-by-step guide on how I rectify it.
Related:
- Concept2 rower not tuning on issue troubleshooting
- How to check the age of the Concept2 rowing machine
Fix Concept2 Rower Not Counting Issue
1. Cable Connection
Firstly, it is important that I tackle the most obvious issues and the easiest to fix.
In this case, it will be to ensure that the generator cable is attached to the rear of the PM5 display panel.
I know this is the cliche, however, embarrassingly, I have fallen victim to this classic mistake many times over the years.
Considering the number of vibrations and power being pushed through the machine it is no wonder that the cables get dislodged from their fittings.
You just need to take out the cable and reconnect it to the PM5 monitor.
Besides, if this is not working, you might also want to check if the other end of the cable is connected tightly.
The other end of the cable is connected to an electronic board, which you will need to remove the cover to check it.
2. Faulty PM5 Monitor
If you have owned the Concept2 rower for quite a long time, in that time of rugged daily use, you might have damaged the PM5 display unit.
In these instances, you have had to order a new PM5 monitor if you are 100% sure the PM5 is broken.
Please check this PM5 monitor troubleshooting guide before you order the new PM5 monitor.
This guide might help you to solve the common PM5 monitor problems and save you some bucks from ordering a new PM5 unit.
3. Monitor Compatability
Sometimes, upon using the rowing machine again, the display worked, but none of the units would move from 0.
On the main menu, I can select:
More Options > Utilities > More Utilities > Product ID
From here, you can see the Model of your Concept2 Rower.
In my case, my Concept2 rower’s model is D/E.
Next, select:
More Options > Utilities > More Utilities > Erg Model Type
At this point, I select Change Units three times, and then it moves to the Set Rower Type Menu. Now it is time to select the correct letter that corresponds with my module which would be D/E for my indoor rower.
Typically D and E are the most used types and can be used with a variety of Concepts 2s products. Each time I have replaced the screen I have had to complete this process.
4. Battery Change
Sadly, Concept2 does not have a rowing charger option that would theoretically power the screen whenever the rower is in use.
Therefore, the display batteries have to be changed periodically depending on the level of use.
I have noticed that when my batteries are running low that the unit counter on the screen will begin to malfunction.
Essentially, it will become less accurate as the batteries slowly die. Therefore, it is critical that I replace them far earlier than I necessarily have to.
You may check your PM5 monitor battery level before changing the new batteries.
More Options > Utilities > Battery
If the readouts aren’t accurate, I will never know exactly how hard I am pushing myself.
When I replaced the batteries I noticed that it reset the entire system.
In this case, I follow the above steps to ensure that the correct model type is selected. It is fairly simple after I did it once.
Here are the steps on how you can change the PM5 monitor battery easily
- Unscrew and open the back cover
- Replace the old batteries with new D-Cell LR20 batteries
- Close the back cover and screw it back
Conclusion
When my rowing machine fails to inform me of how spectacular my training session is then what is the point?
Fortunately, I have several tried and tested processes that will always resolve this frustrating issue and get me quickly back to training like my life depended on it.
