subject: What Are Treadmill Motor Considerations? [print this page] What Are Treadmill Motor Considerations? What Are Treadmill Motor Considerations?
Treadmills are not all the same, and one of the ways they differ is in their motors. This does not mean the treadmill motor is the only thing you should consider when making a purchase, but it is a factor you will want to look into when researching treadmills.
Continuous Duty Treadmill Motors
When you work out on a treadmill you'll be using it continuously for a decent amount of time - likely 20 to 60 minutes (or perhaps longer if you're an endurance runner). This means you need a continuous duty motor. A continuous duty motor is one that is designed to continue running. This is opposed to intermittent motors which are designed to run for short period of times (much shorter than would suffice for a workout).
What About the Horsepower?
Motor power for treadmills is measured most often by horsepower. You can find treadmills with no motors (called manual treadmills) and treadmills with motors having up to 5 or 6 horsepower motors. Most treadmills have motors in the range of 2 to 3 horsepower. If you're more of a walker, 2 horsepower is more than sufficient. If you're a demanding runner, go for 3 horsepower.
What Type of Warranty Should You Expect?
There is no question that having to return a purchase, especially a purchase as large and expensive as a treadmill is a major hassle. You hope you never have to do it. The reason I list warranty as a significant motor feature is a good warranty is one element of judging whether the treadmill is of good quality. A good warranty for a motor on a treadmill is a lifetime warranty.
What's the Difference Between AC and DC Treadmill Motors?
Direct current (DC) motors are more quiet than alternating current (AC) motors. Noise, in my view is an important consideration especially if you like listening to music, watching television, or conversing with someone while working out. Also, don't neglect to consider the people living in your home - they'll appreciate a quieter treadmill as well.
Most of the treadmills you can buy for use in the home utilize AC treadmill motors. I realize that carefully examining treadmill specifications won't be much fun because you'll need to learn some unfamiliar concepts and terminology, but it can be time very well spent before you make your purchase. It only takes a few minutes to read about the characteristics of quality treadmill motors, and even more importantly, to determine the type of motor that will be best for your needs.
