Rowing Machine Monitor Won't Turn On: A Fix-It Guide

A dead or flickering monitor is the most common rowing-machine complaint - and in the large majority of cases it's a battery or a loose sensor wire, not a broken unit. Work through these steps in order before assuming the worst.

1. Replace the batteries first

Most performance monitors (including the Concept2 PM5) run on two AA batteries, not the spinning flywheel. A blank screen, faint display, or a monitor that won't wake on the first pull is almost always flat batteries. Swap in a fresh pair - and note that the monitor often appears to "work" off flywheel power while you row, then dies the moment you stop, which fools people into thinking the batteries are fine.

2. Check it wakes when you row

Most monitors are motion-activated: they wake when the flywheel spins and sleep after a few minutes of inactivity. Take a few strokes. If the screen lights up while rowing but won't turn on at rest, that's normal behaviour combined with weak batteries - replace them.

3. Inspect the sensor cable

A thin sensor wire runs from the monitor arm down to a pickup near the flywheel. If the monitor powers on but shows no stroke data, distance, or split, this cable is the usual culprit:

• Reseat the connector where the monitor clips onto its bracket - these work loose over time and with transport.
• Follow the cable along the monorail and check for pinches, kinks, or a connector that has popped apart at the flywheel end.
• Look for damage from being trodden on or rolled over during storage.

4. Reset the monitor

If the screen is frozen or behaving oddly, pull the batteries for 60 seconds and reinsert them to force a full reset. This clears most software glitches.

5. Still nothing?

If a fresh set of batteries and a reseated cable don't bring it back, the monitor or sensor may genuinely have failed. On reputable brands the monitor is a replaceable part and customer support can supply one - you rarely need a whole new machine. Have your model and serial number ready before you contact them.

Prevent it happening again

Use fresh alkaline batteries, store the erg somewhere dry, and avoid leaving it stood on end where the monitor arm takes the weight. A two-minute battery check every few months saves most "broken monitor" panics.