Another Treadmill Conversion

A late update: As of today the mill and motor drive is still working, no problems. But... looks like there's a much easier way to control the MC-2100. I needed a speed control for some old computer fans (they also take a PWM signal). I was ready to do the Arduino thing again, but then I got to thinking, "with all the cheap Chinese electronics around somebody must make a simple adjustable PWM generator." Didn't take long to find this cheap PWM signal generator that should do the same thing as the Ardudino circuit... for under $10 with no additional components required. I didn't try it with my mill but it worked perfectly with the fans so it should work just as well with a MC-2100.
 
FanMan, thanks for the link. I just ordered one for myself.
 
hello folks , I have been reading & rereading this post to learn how to control a treadmill motor for my mill & lathe . where I'm getting lost is , is there a way set rpm & then get feedback (I think that's what I mean ) to keep the motor at set rpm under load ?so I guess that would mean that I need a Tach circuit added to my Arduino ?
tks
animal
 
What you are describing is feedback compensation, it measures the motor current and armature voltage and adjusts the power delivered to the motor to keep the speed constant
KB controllers and others have these features- old fashioned op-amp technology but it works well
mark
ps most treadmill controllers have these functions built-in- a voltage divider and current sensing resistor to monitor armature voltage and motor current
 
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That's a hefty looking motor. None of mine look that 'commercial'.
I should have thought of re-purposing old UPSes. I took a box full to the scrap yard a couple of months ago. :bang head:
 
markba633csi said:
What you are describing is feedback compensation, it measures the motor current and armature voltage and adjusts the power delivered to the motor to keep the speed constant
KB controllers and others have these features- old fashioned op-amp technology but it works well
mark
ps most treadmill controllers have these functions built-in- a voltage divider and current sensing resistor to monitor armature voltage and motor current
Click to expand...
Thats what I was looking for . I would like to find out how to do that with a arduino & instead of using the pot use a pair or buttons , for the speed control to increase & decrease the speed & use the speed switch that was on the treadmill which I think is HD7 on my MC2100
tks
animal
 
Fanman I think I'm bout ready to get started on this project , just wonderin how your motor & controller have been holdin up , still happy with the conversion
tks
animal
 
animal12 said:
Fanman I think I'm bout ready to get started on this project , just wonderin how your motor & controller have been holdin up , still happy with the conversion
tks
animal
Click to expand...

Still working just fine. I've thought of doing the same for an old Atlas 618 lathe I acquired, but the belts on the lathe are far easier to shift than the mill so I haven't bothered yet. Maybe if another treadmill falls in my lap...

It shouldn't be difficult to alter the Arduino code to look at a couple of pushbuttons connected to the digital inputs instead of the pot for speed control. Not something I'm going to bother to do though, it works just fine as it is.
 
thanks , do ya by any chance remember what size pulley ya put on the motor ?
tks
animal
 
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