Power numbers wacky during my first Xert ride

I did my first ride with Xert today. Paid membership, updated Xert codes on my ConnectIQ data fields. Had a bunch of Xert fields displayed on my Garmin Edge 1000. I use PowerTap P1 pedals on my bike. The issue I had was that the power displayed on my Xert field kept dropping to zero or very low numbers during the ride. I looked at the other, non-Xert Garmin screens and they were also showing 0W or very low wattage, sometimes with a wacky L/R power balance. I don’t know if the power meter went crazy, but it’s never done that before. Having just installed the Xert ConnectIQ apps, I was wondering if I may have run into some weird incompatibility or something. I’ll see if I run into the same issues on the next ride, but I wanted to use this forum for your opinion, as well. Thank you!

Just to add: I did have about 5-6 Garmins screens enabled during the ride initially. I thought that could have had to do with my issues, maybe the Edge was getting overwhelmed with all the computing demands. I disabled all but 2 screens, but it still didn’t change anything, my power problems persisted.

That’s strange. We haven’t had any reports of such before. Most people have multiple datafields on at the same time without issue. Check your PM batteries or for other PM issues. Our fields just runs calculations on your power data. Pretty simple.

Brand new PM batteries, used first on a ride two days ago with no power issues. But I will change the batteries again and report back after my next ride on Sat.

Yesterday’s ride wasn’t as bad as Thursday, but still had a few instances when power kept dropping every 20-30 seconds. Could it be that I’m having issues as described here?

"If you are seeing drops every 30 seconds and you have a Connect IQ data field that requires an external sensor that is not present then those drops are being caused by that Connect IQ data field.

The short term fix is to remove the data field from the training page. The author of the Connect IQ data field is specifying a high priority search. That should really be changed."

https://forums.garmin.com/forum/into-sports/cycling/edge-520-aa/126177-firmware-5-2-sensors-dropped-only-fourty-times-in-twenty-minutes?p=905058#post905058

Are you riding indoors?

No, outdoors. I did try to replicate the problem indoors to compare readings between these 3 different setups:

  1. Garmin Edge 1000 with PowerTap P1 pedals over ANT+
  2. Laptop with Zwift connected to Kickr power over ANT+
  3. iPhone connected to PowerTap P1 pedals over Bluetooth using the PowerTap iPhone app, to figure out if the Garmin Edge’s ANT+ radio is the culprit
    My short test was not conclusive, meaning I was not able to replicate the issue. I plan on doing more tests in the following days, but first I want to do a hard reset (to factory settings) of my Garmin Edge 1000. Although I didn’t have any issues using it with the PowerTap P1 pedals in 18 months, I want to eliminate this variable first, unless you have other thoughts or scenarios for me to test. As I mentioned before, it may be pure coincidence, but my power started dropping immediately after I installed the Xert data fields on the Garmin (although I used the What’s My FTP? data field with no problems for about two weeks prior).

Our CIQ field is pretty simple: just takes power data and runs a calculation. It it has any impact to the power data itself, this is something Garmin would have to look at. Try removing the datafield and if there is a change, let us know.

The power dropping issues continued even after a master reset of my Garmin and the removal of all Xert data fields, so it’s definitely a problem with the P1 pedals (most likely) or Garmin Edge 1000 (unlikely). It’s looking like it was pure coincidence that the P1 pedals started going bad at the same time I installed the Xert data fields & app on my Garmin. I contacted PowerTap and they will send me a replacement set of pedals. Will report back once I get the new pedals in a week or so.

I’m having same problem using Garmin vector 3 + Android App (galaxy S8). Today I exchanged the batteries but still the same.