When buying a new
treadmill it is good to take a look inside and watch some technical
data in addition, in order of importance:
1) Has the engine a
diameter of at least 8 cm (better 10 cm)?
2) Is the rated
voltage at least 160V?
3) Is the speed less
than 6000 RPM?
4) Is the brand
reliable, such as Turdan, Te Wei or Lemmar? Or the motor is no brand
and is present only the label of the treadmill manufacturer?
If you have said yes
to all these questions certainly are doing a good deal, the engine is
of good quality and probably other components (board, belt, deck) are
too.
Let’s see in
detail why:
HP (horsepower)
motor of a treadmill is probably the most known figure when a
consumer searches for the purchase of a new treadmill. Usually we
believe that the larger the value is, the better is. However, the
truth is that the numbers can be confusing and eventually turn out
incredibly misleading.
Terms such as "Duty
Treadmill", "PHP" (Peak HP) and "Duty Peak",
different classes of thermal insulation and duty cycles were used in
the past to deceive consumers and to increase the valuation of
certain equipment at the expense of others. What does each of these
mean?
- Duty Treadmill: measures the power for an average user of treadmill using at an average speed over an average time period. But since it is an average, is not a real representation of the real power.
- Duty Peak = PHP: theoretical maximum power that a motor can achieve when working at the maximum. This is a theoretical measure and sustainable only for a short period. It is measured a “peak” at the highest possible speed with minimum load. But an engine does not keep high rpm for all the time (you don’t keep running at max speed), so this is not an accurate measurement.
The most reliable
standard of measurement is the so called "continuous duty".
It measures the maximum power supplied once is reached the thermal
regime of the engine. It’s used for commercial-grade equipment and
applied to the treadmill used in gyms, health clubs and in the
domestic high-end treadmills.
Unfortunately, often
even this value is affected by uncertainly. This happens because
different assessment on the maximum operating temperature (insulation
class) or test mode at bench make this value subject to the
discretion of the engine manufacturer or the imagination of the
treadmill brand, which sometimes increase some values in order to
attract more customers.
Another aspect to
consider, are the revolutions per minute (RPM). They are really
important in the design of a treadmill engine. The ratio of
continuous power and RPM is the torque. This is the most important
factor in determining the best motor suitable for your needs. The
lower the nominal number of revolutions of an engine, the more torque
is. Especially at low engine speeds required for a person using the
treadmill for walking or for rehabilitation.
At the same user
speed, an engine with very high rated speed will be subject to more
intense adjustments and thus greater wear. It is therefore
recommended when possible to select motors with a rated speed within
the 6000 RPM. This allows the engine to last longer.
Since the mains
voltage in Europe is 220 / 240V you should also avoid, whenever
possible, the purchase of treadmills with motors with rated voltage
of less than 160V. In fact, this involves an extra adjustment effort
of the controller. It has to adjust heavily the voltage supplied to
the motor, which is very far from the one supplied by the network.
A very practical
selection methods available to everybody, is to consider motor size.
The power of the motor mainly depends on the size of the armature, so
the engines with a larger diameter will have a greater useful power.
They will also tend to dissipate heat more effectively and so last
longer.
You should avoid
motors with a diameter of less than 8 cm. The best DC motors have a
diameter of 10 cm or 12 cm.
One final aspect is
the brand. Engines built with cheap materials, in fact, tend to
deteriorate easily over time. The best brands are Turdan and Te Wei
(the two leading brands in this market) and Lemmar.
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