Easy treadmill motor wiring with off the shelf parts

[@gregfisk1327]

I know this is late but if you look on youtube there are several people who have shown how to use the controller that comes with the motor and treadmill. They are easy to hook up once you understand how to do it.

[@CuriousEarthMan]

Thanks for posting this! I know it's 2 years later now, but did you find more solutions you were looking for? Here is a video of an inexpensive way to do it, seems like your way but much cheaper parts and simpler (pwm controller of adequate size with potentiometer and bridge rectifier together under $15 I think) Also, wouldn't a double throw cheap switch be good enough to reverse direction? And when you do, your flywheel may just unthread on its own. I'm glad to see you put it under load to show us. maybe all these parts are cheaper even after a couple years. I hope this helped!

[@MichaelJohnson-jt5cu]

A basic MC-60 treadmill control board used with a 5K potentiometer is a simple way to control a DC motor. You can also use a 10000W SCR controller with a bridge rectifier to turn the AC voltage into DC.

[@Bethnchris]

I read that but didn't have a mc-60... my controller board was different so I had to figure out something else that would work...

[@dblbhd]

if you haven't figured it out yet, (i'm viewing this a little late). if you reverse the motor the pulley/ fan assembly will unscrew itself. possibly you might have to use the towel to create some resistance. just my $.02 worth. keep up the great work and awesome videos. Terrific audio and video.

[@ycmdill]

On your treadmill motor. To develop high voltage and current for your motor you can rectify 120VAC and use a series high current zener to acquire the desired voltage. It would be safer to find a transformer for isolation but will work without it. So to get your voltage and current you need a big rectifier and zener. The old treadmill controller should have had the rectifier.

[@Bethnchris]

yeah its there but it's soldered really well... and I don't have a rework station... this setup seems to work ok... I wish I could find a 100v pwm motor controller... that didn't cost an arm and a leg...

[@maxprophet2401]

3hp (momentarily) is at max rpm + flywheel inertia I think you're well aware. 100 volt dc is max motor voltage(?) dc voltage is 1.4 times ac voltage. boost converters increase voltage and decrease current, so no gains in power. ycdmill is right about the bridge rectifier on that board. I've been up and down this road many times so If you want a horse it'll cost you 745 watts. wattage=voltage times amperage. That's a great motor and it may surprise you when you feed her watt she wants

[@superrodder2002]

I would use an arduino to produce an adjustable pwm signal and send the signal to the treadmill circuit board. The pwm signal would be connected to the gate of the mosfet or igbt that controls the output to the motor. This way you have a power supply meant for the treadmill motor being controlled by an arduino and you can use the same arduino to read the rpm also

[@NavigatedChaos]

That motor is scary awesome looking.

[@FixNewsPlease]

I have three DC treadmill motors for various projects. I have one of those projects completed. I put a 1.5 hp motor with an analog pot for the speed control onto a Rockwell/Beaver 11X36 wood lathe. The first time I used it was with 2" maple and it worked perfectly. My second project was a 6" pine blank 24" long with the corners knocked off on the table saw before going between centers. When I presented the tool and the load came on the motor, it overcompensated to the point the lathe and cast iron stand vibrated across the floor because it winds up so fast. Can I adjust the "feedback?"

[@emeltea33]

On the commercial power supplies (kb, I believe, but I have looked at so many...), there are speed up and speed down settings, to dictate in seconds. Think it was the pwm types, not sure if it was exclusive to it. Just ordered KBWT to get my treadmill motor going...

[@matttaylor3677]

Is it possible the transformer could be removed from the control board and used that way?

[@robertatwood2503]

there is a small circuit Transformer to run the electronics in these things the larger what you're calling Transformer is not a Transformer it is an induction coil that coupled with a capacitor take the ripples out of Rectify DC so at Full Throttle you'll be getting around 100 volts DC from a 120 Outlet AC I'm going to Fry's now we'll do a video on it later tonight

[@FixNewsPlease]

The biggest problem I'm encountering with using treadmill motors is metric treadmill pulleys .v SAE based machine shafts. I can't find metric bore pulleys anywhere...nor conversion bushings.

[@Bethnchris]

I wonder if you can get them direct from china or Europe.

[@tankcrazy8513]

what treadmill was this I need that motor :)

[@Bethnchris]

Sorry I do not know what treadmill it came out of...