What's the right way to check a NordicTrack motor at high and low speeds?

[Thomas Martinez]

Was reading up on treadmill motor diagnostics and thought I'd toss something out for discussion. NordicTrack make a habit of checking if the motor runs at high and low speed, which makes sense as motors that will run at a low rpm may not do as well at high rpm and vice versa. Fans is also often checked for treadmill motors as overheating issue are typically the result of either the fan not spinning or spinning but not moving air. The controller board is also another common issue for treadmills; the motor is often assumed as the problem rather than checking the controller board to make sure its functioning proper.

 

[Biblical Chicken]

board first, every time. Ive seen way too many people drop $300 on a motor when it was a blown mosfet on the controller. Amp clamp on the motor lead tells you almost everything you need to know before you even pop teh motor cover.

 

[Tough Turtle]

Order of ops for me is: visual on the board (look for burnt components, bulged caps, scorch mark around the relay), then fan check, then load test the motor under walk speed and again at 6+ mph.

 

[Stormy Stag]

dumb question but how do you actually load test it without someone walking on it? do you just stand on the belt and resist or is there a proper way

 

[Distinct Dugon]

nordictrack controllers is garbage anyway just buy a MC2100 and move on

 

[History of the Karate]

dumb question but how do you actually load test it without someone walking on it? do you just stand on the belt and resist or is there a proper way

You can use a clamp meter on one of the motor leads while someone walks at increasing speed. Under a 180lb walker a healthy 2.5hp motor should pull around 4-6 amps. If it's pulling 12+ amps or the motor act strange with the walker the issue is with the motor (brushes dry bearings) or the controller telling the motor what to do via the pwm signal. Otherwise doing the motor test with no one on the treadmill will give you nothing.

 

[Stormy Stag]

You can use a clamp meter on one of the motor leads while someone walks at increasing speed. Under a 180lb walker a healthy 2.5hp motor should pull around 4-6 amps. If it's pulling 12+ amps or the motor act strange with the walker the issue is with the motor (brushes dry bearings…

gotcha that makes sense. Follow up on that last post just to make sure I'm understanding correct though, does it matter if the clamp is on the red or black lead? do you get the same reading?

 

[History of the Karate]

gotcha that makes sense. Follow up on that last post just to make sure I'm understanding correct though, does it matter if the clamp is on the red or black lead? do you get the same reading?

Same reading, its a series circuit so current should be the same anywhere along the circuit. Just pick whichever lead work better for getting the clamp on.