Forums >Off the Beaten Path>Treadmill trips circuit breaker
Runs in the rain
I just purchased a treadmill and after running a third of a mile on it the circuit breaker tripped and it stopped. I moved it to a different outlet where nothing else is on the circuit and the same thing happened. Note that both these circuits have GFCI and looking on the internet I see that treadmills may not work well with them. I'm looking for an answer that does not involve rewiring the house. One solution presented is to purchase a surge protector and recommended is one of the Tripp Lite brand. Has anyone had experience with this and what are your thoughts?
Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?Get up, get out, get out of the door!
Well no feedback from members here so far, but I did contact the manufacturer of the surge protector. They cannot categorically state that it will help with GFCI issues but indicated they had some reports from customers who said it solved the problem. I'll wait a while to see if anyone here has something to say on this subject. Then I might just order the surge protector, if it does not fix the treadmill issue I'm sure it will be an upgrade for protecting my computer.
an amazing likeness
For a few dollars and 15min time, you could replace the GFCI outlet with a standard, non-gfci outlet is your local building code doesn't require gfci in that location.
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
Milktruck - It's not an outlet, the circuit breaker is in a power box in the basement. I could swap out the breaker with just a regular one, but since it also covers the bathroom where there is water I don't think that a good idea for safety reasons. I know that I should have a dedicated circuit, but usually nothing is using power in the bathroom. I do have a tiny amount of experience with running electric lines from working a construction job for a few weeks, but I'm looking for an easy solution.
Didn't catch that you noted it was a GFCI breaker (not outlet), which on re-reading you clearly did...sorry 'bout that. Seems like an interesting issue from reading a few articles on it...the static discharge from the treadmill trips the gfci...wonder if installing a grounding wire from treadmill to another ground to stop the static 'back driving' the gfci is a possibility?
Might have to find a non-gfci outlet.
https://www.electriciantalk.com/threads/pelaton-treadmill-tripping-afci-gfci.276970/
I would try the surge protector.
And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx
Rob
I have purchased the surge protector to try and see if it fixes the problem, should get it Friday. I'll report if it works or not!
What's the amp rating on your outlet? Probably 10. You can check your treadmill but we had to upgrade ours to 15 amps, problem solved.
if your treadmill belt is not well lubricated that will draw excess power as well, which will cause the breaker to flip and ultimately damage the treadmill circuit board and cause the treadmill to fail. Make sure the belt is just tight enough not to slip and lubricate it regularly following manufacturers instructions.
Born: 1973
Marathon PR: 3:44 (2000)
5k PR: 22:02 (2022)
1 mile PR: 6:09 (2022)
Goals:
5k - 21:42
Mile - 5:59
400m - 1:10
While you avoid rewiring the entire house, consider consulting a qualified electrician. They can assess your electrical panel and see if adding a dedicated circuit (without GFCI geometry dash lite) for the treadmill is feasible. This is a safer and more reliable long-term solution.If your home has outlets that aren't GFCI protected (typically in basements or garages) and those circuits can handle the treadmill's current draw (check the manual), that might be a temporary solution. Caution: Ensure the outlet and circuit are rated for the treadmill's amperage.