I am having trouble with RFI to my wife's treadmill. The treadmill is a
top-of-the-line model, with programmable exercise routines, elevation
control, heart rate monitor, etc.
There is no on/off switch on the treadmill, instead there is a magnetic
kill switch that is tethered to the user. When the kill switch is
pulled out of the socket, the treadmill stops. With the kill switch
removed, the treadmill appears to be powered off, but the internal
electronics is powered whenever the line cord is plugged in.
The problem occurs when I transmit on 20 or 40 meters, using high power.
The treadmill buzzes, and the elevation motor raises the track. It
keeps on raising until the leadscrew coming out of the motor binds, well
beyond the maximum of 15 degrees track elevation. To get the track
elevation mechanism working again, I have to take the treadmill apart,
and manually turn the leadscrew.
I tried installing torids on the line cord and on the control wires
going to the internal pc board. I also tried a line filter on the power
line. I tried moving the treadmill to the other side of my house.
Nothing seems to help.
I don't think unattended operation of the motor is very safe. Is there
a government agency I can contact, to try to get the manufacturer to fix
the problem?
I wrote to the manufacturer, their reply is attached. Subsequent emails
to them have been ignored.
Ron Dohmen N0AT
> Ron Dohmen
> 04/09/03
>
> Mr Dohmen
>
> The problem is not with the treadmill but the proximity of the
transmitter -
> which through the air (as opposed to coming through the line cord)
induces
> a signal which is activating the elevation circuit. The simple
solution
> would be
> to unplug the treadmill from the wall outlet when not in use, and when
in
> use do not
> operate the transmitter.
> The other possibility would be to relocate the treadmill. This may or
may
> not be effective
> depending on the strength of the signal
>
> Yours in good Health,
>
>
> Bill Osbun
> Aerobics Inc
> bosbun@pacemaster.com
>
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