The black lead on the motor showed a shortcircuit to the motorhousing. Took the cap off the motor that holds the carbon brushes. Found a build up of carbon dust making a connection between the carbonbush holder and the housing. Gave it a good clean and reinstalled everything. Runs as good as new now.
Grerat instructional video - I've been searching for a straight forward layman's explanation of using the meter, and this is it. I haven't done these two test yet on my suspect motor, but will let you know what I get. Many thanks!
Hi jon any help would be greatly appreciated i have a 3hp nordictrack treadmill motor ive had the motor control board repaired and the guy says the damage points to a faulty motor the first test is reading 002.7 and second test is ol
Hi, i have a T3 life fitness treadmill motor 3900 rpm 130vdc 21.5 AMP 3hp...this put me on the voltímeter 3.8-4.0 my problem Is that when I start the machine appears on console Fet error AND couldn't start 😮💨😪...I have a doubt,about this motor when I put 12V without motor belt, registered 0.54 AMP constantly(start in 0.92 AMP AND then go down to 0.54 amps ) without resistance, it's a bad motor? Or the drive transistor board failled? Thanks a lot, the motor smell Little like burning
It could be a faulty motor especially if you can smell burning. The drive board may also have failed. The root cause could be too much friction between the running belt and deck. My experience is that the running belt and drive board are the most likely to need to be replaced. Hope this helps.
@@charteredengineer thanks I appreciate to you, I have one more lquestion, what's the AMPS that one good motor need to work whithout people, chanrge or motor belt put in...I mean a good AMP work, some people say that Is 0.21-0.29 AMPS constantly in this kind of treadmill motors no matter what voltage put for work after 12V, But always need to be that? Thanks for all, good Day AND thanks for the videos 💯🤜🤛
Is there a way to tell the brushes are bad. I’m currently troubleshooting a radiator fan motor. I got a resistance of 350k ohms between the terminals. I wonder if the windings are bad or is it just worn out brushes. Thank you
I have an old BH Fitness treadmill. I smelled some burning then the treadmill died. I see the burn mark on the control board. I replaced the control board and the treadmill works now, but i thought i smelled some burning again. Even though the motor runs and seems fine, could it be the cause of why the control board got burnt out? What do i need to check now? thank you
The same problem happening again will be due to there being too much friction between the running belt and deck. This happens due to either lack of lubrication or just wear and tear. You need to replace the running belt and perhaps the deck too. Maybe time to look for a new machine.
OK, since that conversation, I hooked up 18V from a drill battery and the motor worked, I'm guessing the power board? I'm not getting any DC volts off the board to the motor leads. Thanks
Yes I agree - sounds like the power board that has failed. Check the running belt and deck for excessive friction - this is often the cause of the circuit board failing (overload!)
Hi. My treadmill has died and tripped the circuit breaker. I did get an electrical burning smell just before it went wrong. The casing of the treadmill was quite hot and directly underneath was the motor. I took the motor out and have done this resistant test. I get 2.6 ohms (180v motor, 5.5 amps). I did the chassis test and I’m not getting a reading. I can buy a new motor but not 100% confident it is the motor
Hi Simon - electrically your motor is testing ok although it could have suffered heat damage to the windings. I suspect your motor control board has failed and is causing the tripping. Most likely the root cause if high friction between the running belt and deck. These could also need replacing. Hope this helps. Best wishes, Jon
Thank you. I attached the motor to an 18v battery from my portable drill and the motor is turning. Now to see if I can check the motor control board you mention. The motor seemed easy to buy….whether I can but the control board remains to be seen 😬. Thanks again
Hi - yes I think the motor is shot. There should be a low resistance between the red and black wires and OL indicates that there is no connection so windings could be burnt out. The blue wires are to a thermal switch which is separate - a Nordic Track or Proform treadmill presumably. Best wishes, Jon
morning Jon im getting a reading of 14 ohms at the motor and a reading of 166dc to the motor from the board. i have an E1 error the screen lights up and goes through the start up cycle the time starts to count when i press start but at no point does the the belt turn. then after 8 secs the board clicks and the E1 error appears any advice would be great
1st test it says 0.1 and 2nd says just 1. Means nothing to me but whats your take on this ? New treadmill. Had this nordictrack about 15 yrs and just cuts out when i press any speed buttons after its turned on. Incline etc works fine.
The resistance check on the black and red is fine. However, you need to slowly rotate the motor to check the rest of the commutator connections. There could be a short and there could be an open circuit.
Yes absolutely. It's a difficult test as a dc motor will generate a voltage as you rotate and test it which could confuse autoranging meters and give confusing readings to the average user!
The motor would only generate voltage if it’s rotated at a high speed. This would induce voltage due to the magnetic flux through the armature. However, if the motor rotated extremely slowly, then there wouldn’t be any fields generating induced voltage. Like a generator. This would then afford a continuity check between armature conductors. The DVM also being on ohms, wouldn’t be affected by slow rotation. As in one degree of arc per second.
0.7 ohms on the leads is good. "Nothing to ground" I assume this means you are not reading anything on the meter which is indicating a very high reading (over the range of your meter). If so then that is good. If you are actually measuring zero then that is bad because it shows a short circuit to ground. Best wishes, Jon
Hi Jon my mistake ,I was testing the wrong wires ,I have removed the motor and re tested ,the reading iam now getting is around 5 which is low ,I have also tested the motor on my car battery and it runs fine ,the machine is coming up with an E02 fault code ,the manual indicates that this is a motor failure thanks Jim
Hi Jon , I have a Reebok ZR10 with error E05 showing a few seconds after start up. Have replaced control board (first suggestion ) no good . Replaced speed sensor no good. Finally disconnected motor from drive by removing belt from pulley. Motor runs but pulses and then goes to E05. Checked motor as you suggest . on 200 ohm setting I am getting 23 ohms and on second test getting 1. When running the motor detached from drive I also have the speed sensor removed would this explain the pulsing of the motor and is 23 ohms a bit on the high side ? I should explain that I know E05 relates to running belt speed and tried many times to set correct tension on the track .
Hi Richard - motor results are good. It sounds like the console is not getting the speed signal. If you have replaced the sensor and the lower control board then you either have a console circuit board fault or a faulty cable. Hope this helps.
Hi Jon thanks for the video thanks for making it easy to understand. I'm having trouble with the Error code E-03 on a reebok Z9run treadmill, you say that the resistance should read around 1.7 ohms the number I have on my meter is 02.8/9 second test showing no movement on meter. Gordon Higgins
@@larrythompson5617 Probably a faulty controller. Possible excessive friction on the belt and deck too. Worth finding out what the root cause is before you start replacing parts. I can offer a remote diagnosis (online) for GBP49 if that helps. Best wishes Jon
@@charteredengineer Well you were right. The motor is fine. I attached a cordless drill battery and the track worked. Now there is power coming from control board but when I connect motor wires to the control board a red light goes off. So possibly the board is gone.
Thank you and I did get that motor running by hooking it to a 20 volt Craftsman drill battery. I was looking to see if that model had the fuse in it and I was hoping you could let me know
Motor tested arround 6 ohms. I’m repairing now treadmill olympia. I replaced parts in the board the mosfet and the rectifier. When i turn on it’s working. Then when I’m starting using. It’s suddenly blows the fuse then the mosfet was shorted and the rectifiers. What is the posible problem sir?
Get the motor insulation tested. Sounds like it has a problem that shows only when it is on-load. An insulation test will expose any short circuits in the motor that your multimeter can't find
Hi I’ve a nordictrack 17.2 treadmill that stops when you stand on the belt- motor number ZDY 116-MNT-077 PN F- 318100. I’ve followed you’re video the meter reading is 0.8 ohms and OL when testing to the motor- appreciate any advice you can give me thanks.Paul
Hi im going to try this when I'm off work in a few days. We just got a second hand treadmill (karrimor pace) and it seems to work OK but when in use even at 8kph for 10 minutes we get a horrible burning smell and it tripped the house breaker. After allowing it to cool I wanted to see if it still actually worked so set it off at 2kph with nobody on it and it seems OK. It just eventually gets extremely hot. I'm wondering if this is a sign of a bad motor?
@@charteredengineer what would cause that then? I'm new to the treadmill scene so would I be correct in saying the belt it too tight and needs loosening?
On the first test I'm getting 4.2 ohms and on the 2nd test 87.7k ohms. This treadmill is tripping the circuit breaker. Replaced a burn out belt last month. Is the treadmill unrepairable?
My motor is the Greenmaster GMD82-04-18 1.5hp continuous duty, 180v DC Max, my ohm reading is 6.5, I’m not getting anything from the second test just the multi meter making a beep sound, can you determine if the motor has failed
Just touch the two multimeter probes directly to each other - does your multimeter make the same beep sound? If it does make that beep sound, that probably means that you have a short circuit in your motor.
@@charteredengineer I have seen various others on youtube testing the motor with a 9v. However when I connect mine it does not move. Would you say that is a reliable test or the reading from the multimeter is enough? Thanks so much!
@@michaelwoiten7072 a 9V battery is not a reliable test. However motor should turn slowly provided it is not under load (ie. drive belt must be off and motor free to rotate in fresh air)
Hi the first reading (red and black) read 26 ohms and the 2nd reading (red on connection and black on metal of dc motor) read OL. I'm taking it that the motor is good?
I have PMDC treadmill motor. Model is ZY90-2 1.5HP VOLTAGE 180DC DIRECTION C W SPEED 4200RPM I am getting 0L when testing from red or black to motor body I am getting 4.6ohms between red and black on multimeter Is this motor OK?
@@charteredengineer brilliant, I connected the motor to a drill battery to test its functioning OK and it seems to run perfectly fine. Is it normal to not have much torque when connected to a battery? Just seemed too easy to stop it rotating with my hands (the motor was removed and lay on a work bench)
If its on a treadmill then its probably 90V if you're in USA or 180V in UK and elsewhere. Only way to be certain is to check manufacturer’s label on the motor itself.
Hello, i have a Reebok i run re14301 - DC Motor - GreenMaster GMD118-1 - my friend has run both tests you suggested - the first reading he gets is 4.7 and the 2nd test 0.L are these reading for a working DC Motor ?
I did mine red and black and it reads 8.9 and it beeps. Second test the entire motor is painted I was wondering If the copper inside the motor will also work for the test if so it reads about 7 also it beeps?
Is it possible to get a normal ohm reading but when the motor is running at highspeed it shuts down because of excessive carbon build up from the motor brushes or the motor brushes are bad. Issue: Treadmill runs at low speed fine with weight on it, board is in good condition and belt; however once you increase speed to 6.0 or higher the entire system shits down and has to be reset to get power. Replaced the control module and the problem still exist.
Hello. I’ve a proform pf3.8 treadmill. The belt has stopped on machine, and when I do your test I’m getting 0.003 on the machine. I’m guessing this means the motor is broken? Any advice on cheapest way to repair/replace? Thank you
Thanks for your video! I have a Tunturi T40 with 180 VDC motor. The motor driver board starts. When I press the start button, the motor starts to turn but the driver board immediately gives an error and stops the supply to the motor. I want to determine if the motor or the drive board fails. The resistance from the motor is 2.2 ohms with a Fluke. Between each wire of the motor to the chassis I have open loop. Do you think this is normal?
Hi! Great video. My motor is reading about 50ohms between the red and black leads. No continuity between chasis and red lead. Is it good or it need to be repaired?
Hi - Just run this test after my running machine failed to drive the belt, I also get an E1 code! Tested as above and the first reading says 02.2 and the second 0.L please advise.
Hi Jon, firstly thank you for your video. The first test shows a reading of 0.01 ohms with the Meter set on 20k This result does go up if I rotate the motor not sure if that helps aid in in answer. Second result I get a 1. screen on the Meter ( note this is a really cheap Meter) I have put an 18v battery to it and seems to run fine I have seemed to check over quite a few things and the seem all ok The issue , when i put power to the treadmill it start the motor for a split second then trips the breaker I'm guessing it's either the circuit board or motor? Have tested breaker and other components seem all good.? Thank you for you help
Hi Elias, I have the same problem when the motor starts. Did you already figure out what caused the issue with your treadmill? the first test gives me 1.7 - 2.0 ohms and the second one OL. so the motor wiring seems to be fine. I also replaced the entire control board but the problem persisted.
i have an igbt 40N60 shorted on control board and a reading of 3.8K♎ between red & black rated at 180 DC motor wire. Meter reading between DC motor wire and it's body reads OL i tried powering this Motor externally with a 12v 6.5mha ups battery is spins after u give a tug. Do v replace this motor?
Hi there I have 29.3 on the first test, and 40.7 on the second test. Does the second test show problem with motor? My treadmill is currenty shorting each time I put it on. I changes the MCB, but still shorting.
Hi, my treadmill died and I had the control board repaired. When it was refitted it still didn’t work! The repairer says motor fault. I’ve tested using your video and get 2.6 from test one and 1 from test 2 (if I connect the two wires I get 0.00 so assuming a “1” for test 2 is good?) Is there any other tests that can be done on the motor or does it point to still being fault in control board? Thanks
Hello I have done the checks as stated in your video, My red & black wires on Omz give a reading of 2.5 My 1 multimeter wire touching the motor metal part gives a reading of 0.L Could you please tell me if the motor is working or needs replacing Thank you
@charteredengineer John, Thank you so much for your reply. Do you have any other suggestions as to why my treadmil belt is not starting? The incline and all other other buttons seem to except the treadmil belt. Thank you
My meter reads 0.7 Ohms. In some positions I can get it to read 1.0 Ohms. It reads an open circuit to the outer case. The motor is a Turdan 90V 18Amp motor. So I would expect the coils to read 5 Ohms = 90V/5 Ohms = 18Amps. So I would think the coils are shorted out somewhere? Or is that normal?
I was told my motor might have a short. On test 1 I get 07.1 on a 200 ohm setting and 007 on a 2000 ohm setting, is this too low? And on Test 2 there is no short. Many thanks.
The test is a pass. Sometimes a short can exist which is intermittent on only exposed on load. Your multimeter cannot detect every possibility and I would recommend you gave the motor professionally tested if there is any doubt in your mind
Hi Jon, Thanks for the nice video. My treadmill motor keep blowing the fuse (13A at power cord). So, I follow your video with cheapo meter. First test, the resistance is 1.1 Ohms (on 200 ohm range). Second test is 1 (OL). The reading will be fluctuating (1 - more than 100) if I rotate the motor pulley Any clue?
"OL" doesn't mean out of range it means open loop which suggests there is no continuity which means there is no path for electric current to flow i.e no short circuit to ground or between phases :)
Hi, in my case, between the terminals I get a reading of 1.7 ohm which seems ok... but, between any of the terminals to the chassis I get around 35k ohm. BTW, I'm testing the motor because when it's connected to the control board it trips the differential fuse. So, could it be the motor insulation the problem?
@@charteredengineer , Thanks for the tip, I fixed the problem! I opened up the motor and inside it was saturated with this really thick “dust” coming from the wear and tear of the brushes… this was “short circuiting” the terminals with the chassis. Never saw something like this before. So, I cleaned it up, put it back together and finally no reading between any of the terminals to the chassis, like it’s supposed to be. Again, thanks for the tips, very helpful video!!
my meter has a variable ohms setting, on 2000 my reading is 4, and when testing on the chasis the meter says 1... I hear the motor try to run when I plug the treadmill in and the control panel lights up, but there's no movement from the belt. When I plug it in and try to run it with the cover off and insides exposed, the circuit board has a red light that starts blinking, but I don't see the motor trying to move at all. I feel like my motor is bad :(
