Drag factor set but not matching the workout?

[Reeko]

Hello. I am a newbie on the rower and Concept 2. An experienced friend told me to set the drag factor to ~115. I went on the PM5 to the drag factor monitor to see what it is in real time. It tells me to start rowing and I get a number on the display. I am rowing at a 18-19 rate for 30 seconds or so. At a damper setting of 4 I was showing 113 drag factor, that seems about right from what I have read. I have done two 5 minute rows at the same rate and power (~2:20/500m) but after finishing the session, ErgData log says drag factor was 56 for both rows. So I am confused as to why it is saying 56 when I thought I measured it at ~114 with damper at 4. Any insights would be helpful. (I did try using the search but I didn't see anything that matched what I am experiencing).

[Reeko]

With a little more experimentation I got it working. I removed the fan shroud just to take a look and all is very clean. Back together I checked the drag factor and it said 995 (???). I checked it again and 995. I went away to do some online checking and then came back with no real clues. I reset the PM5 to Erg/Model E/Model D. It should have been set there before when I set it up the first time. I checked and set the drag factor on the PM5 and it was reading correctly now. The damper was just over 4 and it said 114. iPhone ErgData opened and went to display live drag factor on one of the screens. Started rowing and it was showing 110. I nudged up the damper setting to get to 114-115. I will keep an eye on it now for future rows. Seems to be working. As a side note, the effort never felt different when the earlier workouts said drag factor of 56. I can only believe I did not have the PM5 set for the correct model or it got confused somehow.

[Citroen]

What you do to set drag factor is start rowing and see what the PM5 tells you. You then move the damper lever up to increase the drag number. Or move the lever down to decrease the drag number.

When it shows a value you like; you leave the lever alone; reset the monitor and program it for your workout.

Next day, you do the same again. Until it becomes a habit.

Then when you're convinced that the drag factor is set to the value you want you leave the PM5 alone and just program it for your workout. This depends how ocd you are about the drag factor number.

About a month later you check the drag factor hasn't moved and is still around the level you set it at a month ago.

If it's changed, significantly, you may need to open the fan cage and remove the dust bunnies that have collected in there. Or move the lever a small distance to get it back where you like it.

There's no way to define what drag you need to use as it's purely personal (unless you have a rowing coach who's prescribing a drag value).

[Dangerscouse]

As a side note, the effort never felt different when the earlier workouts said drag factor of 56. I can only believe I did not have the PM5 set for the correct model or it got confused somehow.

That sounds about right, especially if it didn't feel any harder

[JaapvanE]

At a damper setting of 4 I was showing 113 drag factor, that seems about right from what I have read. I have done two 5 minute rows at the same rate and power (~2:20/500m) but after finishing the session, ErgData log says drag factor was 56 for both rows. So I am confused as to why it is saying 56 when I thought I measured it at ~114 with damper at 4. Any insights would be helpful.

There is/was an issue with the ErgData/PM5 connection that sometimes that the data reported was a total mess. It happened to me once last year: I got a total idiotic number of strokes and a weird DF. Might have happened to you as well. Updating your PM5 might solve it. This could be the underlying issue explaining your experience.

Looking at the DF reported, it is weird. A DF of 56 is way below the normal range (which stops around 68), so if it was measured by the PM5 when the flywheel was set to position 4, you'd have to encounter a lot of dust. AFAIK, on the other side of the spectrum, a cage removed tends to result in a DF around 330 (some have rowed with this, they might have a more accurate measurement). So, I'd keep a keen eye on that PM5.

[Willy.VdW]

I recently had 3 faulty DF values in my logbook, even 2 in a row.
The values listed were always 16 instead of 116.
PM5 firmware is up to date.
I updated ErgData (android) but have yet to do a workout.