[109jb]

I have a MC-80 treadmill motor controller that I am trying to hook up.. There are not too many connections on the board and they are clearly labeled, but I have a couple questions. The connections are as follows.

In the picture, on the left side of the board is a 3 pole connector labeled L W H which is where I have a 5K pot hooked up. W to the center terminal of the pot, and the L and H to the others. No problem here.

On the right side of the board are 6 spade lug connections, 2 for AC input, 2 for the DC motor connection, and 2 for the choke connection. The AC inputs are labeled hot and neutral and I am sure I have those correct. The DC motor connections are labeled + and -, but that won't matter except the motor might run backward. No problem there. So that brings us to the choke connections and the questions.

I don't have a choke for this controller but have read elsewhere that you don't really need one. Is this true?

If so, what do I have to do to run without a choke?

Do I run a jumper between the 2 choke lugs, or leave them not connected?

Haven't plugged it in yet. Don't want to fry it if I do it wrong.

Thanks in advance

[Al_The_Man]

I see there is a link out there for a modified version of the MC-80 that mentions disconnecting the choke?
Is one terminal of the choke common to one motor terminal? If so it is probably a series choke.
You could whip one up with magnet wire over a steel stub of some kind, the alternative is if you have a transformer handy with a low voltage secondary, 6 - 9 v, use the this secondary to try it to be on the safe side.
Al.

[lwill]

I have a tread mill motor and control removed from an actual tread mill. (not an MC-80) It has a large coil, or "choke" that looks like a good size transformer with only one set of windings in series with the hot AC line in. It is inline with the wiring, not connected to the board. Looking at your picture the connections are right next to one another, can you tell from the PC board traces if they are connected?

I have no idea what value the choke may be, but it would not run without it if this is the case.
I may be acting as a current limiter in case of a stall, or just for transient line filtering.
In that case if it is left disconnected, nothing will run, but I do not know what effect shorting it will have.
I can post a picture it would help.

If it helps, the numbers on the coil are:
719C2
EIA-19-9110
831 B3

I was planning on putting it on my POS HF 3in1 some day.

[109jb]

Ijust checked and one choke terminal is indeed common to one of the motor terminals when I put the meter on it. I can also see the circuit board trace on the underside of the board that directly connects these 2 terminals. As you suspected it looks like it is a series choke. would trying it with just a jumper on the choke terminals fry the controller? The reading I have done makes it sound like it would not and that the choke is just to clean up the power going to the motor. That might save the brushes a bit and make it run smoother but I'm thinking I could at least test without a choke. What do you think?

[Al_The_Man]

Normally in DC drives the choke is used with low impedance motors, if you have the matching motor, it may be prudent to come up with some sort of choke such as what I described, if you try without it with the choke terminals shorted, bring the rpm up slow and run off load.
Al.

[109jb]

Well I decided that I would just go ahead and buy a choke for it instead of risking it. I do have a roll of 22 gauge wire I could try and fab a temporary choke, but I bought one off of e-bay for only $10. I can wait a few days to try it. Heck it will probably be 2 months before I actually get it mounted on the machine.

[Al_The_Man]

One thing that came to me as to why they may have used a choke with the motor is on these T.M. motors, a large pulley was used which initially posed a high start current.
I suspect the loading for the average CNC application, the total loading may be alot less?
Also I assume they have changed the control method from the MC-2100 version which was PWM control, not analogue/Pot?
Al.

[109jb]

Al,

I will eventually be getting another TM motor and speed control for my lathe. You mentioned that the MC-2100 is PWM controlled which I would think would be advantageous for software control of the spindle. Having said that, do you know how that would need to be hooked up? Could it be controlled directly from an output pin on the BOB?

BTW, Thanks for you insight.

[Al_The_Man]

I have the schematic of the MC-2100 somewhere, but I am not sure if it is an Isolated PWM input? Which if not, could cause an issue.
Al.

[109jb]

I have the schematic of the MC-2100 somewhere, but I am not sure if it is an Isolated PWM input? Which if not, could cause an issue.
Al.

If it isn't isolated would it be possible to add opto-couplers to do so? Maybe on a little separate circuit board?

[Al_The_Man]

You could maybe used a opto for isolation.
I will see if I can find the schematic tomorrow.
Al.

[Al_The_Man]

These PDF's have not been verified for accuracy so you may want to confirm before hooking up.
But the MC2100 appears to have a 5v supply isolated from the main supply but re-referenced to ground, so you may not require isolation?
Also the other PDF is for a design for PWM using manual control.
Al.

[109jb]

Awesome. Thanks Al.

[109jb]

May have seen in my other thread that the controller I bought from e-bay was dead. It was a dead short across the AC input terminals. The vendor was really good about it though. I told him how I had it hooked up and about testing across the input terminals and he said he would send another one out. I got it today and hooked it up and it works great. He didn't wan the bad one back so I sent it over to my father-in-law (electronics type guy) so he can try fixing it.

The controller runs the motor very smoothly, as expected for a treadmill setup. With the choke in there it really ramps up quite slow to full rpm. It would work the way it is, but I just think the ramp up could be faster. If my father-in-law gets the other controller fixed I think I may try running one without the choke to see how the startup is then.

[mdaweb]

Hello I have a board like this, and I have the same problem with Choke, do not know what to put, can you tell me what was the choke you bought?
[]'

MDAWEB

[109jb]

I just searched for treadmill choke on e-bay and bought one.

[wellrope]

Try this guy's solution.....
https://sonsofinvention.wordpress.co...or-controller/
https://sonsofinvention.wordpress.co...eter/#more-389

[Al_The_Man]

I don't think you will find much difference with or without choke, Most series of T.M. controllers have a ramp up, some a ramp down also, this is built in electronic feature because on the original purpose you do not want immediate stop and start.
Also with the large flywheel fitted to the original motor, power up and down fast can damage the controller.
The choke is mainly for smoothing for the motor applied power.
Al.