General > General Technical Chat

GFCIs and Treadmills

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tom66:

--- Quote from: Sal Ammoniac on May 01, 2024, 08:47:25 pm ---The belt on a treadmill looks very similar to the belt on a Van de Graaff generator--could the treadmill be using the power cord's ground line to dump the static electricity generated by the belt and that's what trips the GFCI?

--- End quote ---

Even if it was doing something like this, a GFCI looks at the imbalance between Line and Neutral.  It does not usually measure current through the PE (there are exceptions such as for EVSEs but not the case here.)  I can't see how such an imbalance can occur in such a scenario.

I agree with others, the likely problem is a leakage from the motor to the chassis, the product has a fault.  Using a non-GFCI outlet shows no fault, but risks harming the user.

Kasper:
Any chance it is AFCI that is tripping, not GFCI?

Is she standing on the treadmill when she turns it on?

Does it trip if she is not standing on it when she turns it on?

EPAIII:
The problem with discussing a problem like this in a web group is it is almost impossible to know all the circumstances. Everything could be perfectly OK or IT COULD BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I don't know which and neither do any of the others who have responded. Some general advise:

If it is a NEW treadmill, I would RETURN it as DEFECTIVE. It either has an actual ground fault and there is a real danger or it is a bad design. In either case, a new item should not trip any of the GFCI devices PERIOD! If it does it is defective in some way and should be returned.

If it is a used treadmill then your choices may be more problematic. You could try to return it, but the seller may not wish to take it back. Or you could have it examined by a competent repair technician and possibly have it repaired.

A third idea may be to have a qualified (licensed) electrician examine the treadmill and the wiring in your garage. It is possible that your existing GFCI devices may have deteriorated and become defective over the years.

A word of warning. The GFCI device is only one type of protection against shocks. Another and probably more important one is the ground wire in the cord/plug or the use of double insulation in the design of the device. DO NOT alter either one of these in an amateur attempt to "solve" the problem. You could easily make it a lot more dangerous.

dferyance:
Read the manual. My treadmill manual specifically says not to plug into GFCI protected outlet. This is not great as it is generally convenient to keep treadmills in places that require GFCI. I've tried it with GFCI and sure enough I get random shutoffs. So I have my treadmill connected to a non-GFCI outlet even though code requires one where it is located.

Interesting about different GFCI class ratings. Maybe I'll look into that. The manual just says no GFCI at all.

dferyance:
For example:
IMPORTANT: The treadmill is not compatible with GFCI-equipped outlets

PROBLEM: The treadmill circuit breaker trips during a workout.
SOLUTION: Verify the following: • Make sure the treadmill is plugged into a dedicated 20-amp circuit. • Verify that you do not have the machine on an extension cord or surge protector. • Confirm that the machine is not plugged into a GFCI-equipped outlet or on a circuit that has a
GFCI
-equipped outlet on it.
• Lubricate treadmill deck if necessary

https://content.johnsonfit.com/inc/uploaded_media/735ad83e7ab78941e8045cc7faad3510/owners_guide/3f10af8d9932e71dee9fd0299c13b634.pdf

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