treadmill motor

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- engineman1
  
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posted
18 years ago

Sat, Jul 30, 2005 5:14 PM

Several years ago I bought 2 treadmill motors from Surplus center after hearing about them on this NG. I put one on my lathe and am using it now. The other one I saved for a spare but now I want to put it on my drill press.They are DC motors built by GE and they have variable speed controls with a magnetic tach. I don't have a good speed control for my motor (I must have used it when the lathe control gave trouble). I'm thinking of getting a Minarik-type speed control for it but I'm wondering how well it'll work because this is a series wound motor and most electronic speed controls are meant to be used with shunt wound or PM motors? Engineman1

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- Gunner
  
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posted
18 years ago

Sun, Jul 31, 2005 6:43 AM

This coming week, Ive got to go pick up (9) 2.5hp motors, new in box, that came out of the garage of a guy who was the engineer for a company that made treadmills, when he moved. He didnt want to take em with him.

Ill post details this coming week.

Gunner

"Considering the events of recent years, the world has a long way to go to regain its credibility and reputation with the US." unknown

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- Don Foreman
  
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posted
18 years ago

Sun, Jul 31, 2005 3:44 PM

A small Minarik controller (23102) works fairly well on a series-wound sewing machine motor, so a larger one might work OK on a treadmill motor -- but it won't be as "stiff" as a controller that uses tacho feedback.

Some treadmill controllers are based on the TDA1085 chip, which is still available from Digi-Key for $1.68. THis chip has provision for tacho feedback. The datasheet shows a schematic and a board layout for a controller using this chip. You'd need some other stuff too, like diodes and SCR's.