Can This Treadmill Be Saved? Part 2
For those of us who have a daily exercise routine in the comfort of our own homes, a treadmill holds a place of importance. I had my Vision Fitness T7200 treadmill for over twenty years. When it broke, I started feeling desperate.
Examining the Motor and Console
I decided to see if the treadmill issue was fixable. I am a DIY-er whenever possible. I thought the motor was likely shot and I looked on-line to find one for the model. I found a used one for $120. But would I be able to replace the old motor with the new one?
I took off all the black plastic parts, which on this model were under the deck. I then vacuumed everything before I looked at the motor and the circuit board. I noted that the red wire from the motor was burned off the circuit board. A wire can likely be reattached. Maybe I would not have to replace the motor.
Then I watched a YouTube video of someone working on a treadmill circuit board problem. It looked like a lot of work, and he was an electronics expert. Then, at the end of it, he started up the treadmill and again smelled burning. Apparently, he could not fix the issue. Fixing the treadmill circuit board was definitely out of my league.Sigh.
Treadmill Repair Technician's Advice
The business where I bought the treadmill had been acquired by a new company years earlier. If I called the new company, they would just want me to come into the store where they would try to sell me a new, very expensive model instead of trying to repair equipment this old. The next step, then, was to find a local independent treadmill repair technician who might have the experience and tools to fix a circuit board. I found good reviews for Bob. I sent an email that day which explained the issues I had found, and I asked whether he could repair it.
Amazingly, he called me that very afternoon. He explained that the wire burned off because the machine was running hot due to friction between the deck and the belt, and I would probably need to replace the deck as well as a motor and circuit board. All of that would be much more expensive that buying a new machine. He recommended that I get rid of the old treadmill and get a new one.
Disappointment
I was disappointed. I wanted to save the old Vision Fitness unit that had just what I needed. I don’t like the idea of adding to the waste stream. Treadmills are large. They are expensive to get rid of. Like many people, I do not like change.
This was not a situation I appreciated. But maybe I could learn something.
To be continued.
--Kim