Now you got a new treadmill for your regular home workout. How to power the treadmill with electricity at home is one thing to you should be concerned about. I often want to plan how to power my walking or running machine so that it can perform safety. The question is, can i plug my treadmill into a regular outlet?
Treadmill power requirements vary slightly, depending on the model or brand. If you compare two treadmills, you’ll see they don’t have the same amperage because of their wattage difference. Some treadmill can be powered from a 15-amp circuit, while others can perform well only on a 20amp outlet.
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So, can i plug my treadmill into a regular outlet?
Yes, it is safe to plug your treadmill into a regular outlet with 15 amp to 30 amp circuits. However, not all outlets are good for your fitness equipment. In my apartment, the wall outlet has a 15-ampere circuit and I can plug in a low power, like 1200W.
But, based on the electricity requirement of treadmills in your home gym, some machine may not run on the 15-amp circuit. If you check your treadmill manual and see that your treadmill requires a different wattage or amperage, you got you use a treadmill outlet adapter.
Can you plug a treadmill into a 15-amp circuit outlet?
You want to connect your treadmill into an outlet with 15 amp? It is ok and safer if the treadmill wattage is at least 1000 watts. Circuits that are 80% efficient would make your machine run on less than 15A current.
Can I plug the treadmill into a 20-amp circuit?
A high engine treadmill manufacturer recommends 2A circuit outlet for such a treadmill. An appliance with electric motor rating of 3HP or over can work on 10A outlet, – risk of fire or burn out.
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Can i plug my treadmill into a GFCI or AFCI outlet
NO!. Treadmills and other trainer use ground prongs and do not work compatibly with GFCI or AFCI outlets. Today in US, some residential homes have GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) and AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets. What is common with these outlets is that they trip when they detect a fault in the home’s wiring.
When there is excess power flowing in the house, the GFCI or AFCI outlets flip their breakers. Plugging a treadmill with a ground plong into a GFCI outlet will probably trip the breaker and shut down the treadmill. I guess you don’t want that to happen. Electricians recommend you operate your home treadmill on a dedicated circuit.
If you find that your treadmill is tripping your home breaker when connected to an AFCI outlet, consult a local electrician, use another king of wall outlet, or using a noise Tripp lite isobar.
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What are your Treadmill power requirements?
In the manual, the manufacturer must state the electrical requirement for your treadmill.
- Low-wattage (less than 1000W) treadmills are good to be powered from a 10amp circuit.
- For treadmill power ratings over 1.2kilowatts(KW), the recommended circuit amperage is 15 amps. This ampere is widely used by home treadmills.
- High wattage treadmills run on high voltage and consume more energy than low-watt machines. If you got such a power-hungry treadmill, don’t connect it to any regular outlet with less than 20-amp circuit.
How do you know your treadmill is high of low wattage?
The high the motor horsepower, the more power it needs. For example,
- 1-1.5HP treadmill motors can run on 10-amp circuits.
- 2 horsepower motor can be powered by a 15-amperage circuit
- Any treadmill with more than 3 HP is considered high engines and you can only power them from a 20-amp circuit outlet.
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Tips for safely powering treadmills at home
Can i plug my treadmill into any outlet? No. Treadmills have different ratings and will draw different currents. Follow these safety tips to power your treadmill without causing danger.
Use a 3-prong wall plug
You can power your treadmill through a 3-prong wall plug. To avoid danger of electrocution, use a surge suppressor to ground your plug indirectly. Connecting the treadmill to a Ul 1449 surge protector for the treadmill will keep your family safe from irreparable harm like short circuits incidents. I have used a Standard 120V plug to power a treadmill some years ago.
Don’t share the outlet with any device
One specific recommendation I usually get from electricians is not to share a wall plug that supplies your high current device like a treadmill. Don’t connect other electrical power hungry machines on the same standard plug with your treadmill. If you have another electrical fitness equipment, use a separate circuit.
Seek help from a local electrician
You want to rewire a new wall plug outlet for your treadmill?. Don’t try if you have little to no electrical skills. Ask help from an electrician especially if you plan to change or add an electrical circuit. Trust me, you are gonna be surprised they know treadmill circuits better.
Change fuse if the outlet cannot power your treadmill
If you purchased a high-end treadmill like NordicTrack, and it can’t run from a 10-amp or 15-amp regular outlet, go for a higher fuse. A high wattage treadmill needs more current and bigger fuses rated at 20-A or 30-A would help to raise the current (ampere) level in the circuit. Be extra careful here when choosing to replace a fuse. Check your treadmill manual and find what is the highest current specification for your walking machine.
Connect your treadmill closer to the circuit breaker box
The least to think about when crossing electrical cables is the distance. The farther you keep your treadmill from the circuit breaker panel, the more likely the circuit would get problems supporting the treadmill. Distance causes current or voltage drop (energy dissipation) which can drastically limit the power output of the circuit.
Install an appropriate circuit
If your treadmill comes with a powerful engine, sat 4HP, you risk damaging the equipment if you connect it to a 15amp circuit. I advise you to install one if you don’t it at home.
Add a surge protector
A surge protector stands as a treadmill overcurrent suppressor and would stop excess power from passing into the equipment. During storms, a sudden surge of power in your home can be deadly. That is where a surge suppressor protects your treadmill.
Also called a surge suppressor, it has a UL suppressed voltage rating around max 400 volts with power rating of 120V, 15A. To protect your machine, simply plug the suppressor into the earthed or ground outlet and all is ok.
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Treadmill Powering FAQs
Some questions about connecting treadmills to outlets
Does a treadmill need a dedicated outlet?
YES. Most manufacturers have recommended a dedicated outlet with about 20-AMP circuit for your treadmill. This is sure way to avoid electrical problems. But what is meant by a “dedicated” circuit? A dedicated treadmill outlet means that no other appliances, lamps, TV or any other fitness or household equipment should be connected on that circuit.
Why does a treadmill need dedicated circuit?
A dedicated circuit for a treadmill allows your machine to draw 100% electric power it needs to operate. If you share the circuit, that is an undeniable way to starve the treadmill of power. As a result, you will experience treadmill’s delivering poor performance, and a reduced longevity (how long the treadmill lasts)
Can you plug your treadmill into a 220-240V outlet?
Yes, you can connect your treadmill into a 220V outlet. A 220V outlet is common in some areas of united states and UK. If you own a treadmill coming from outside the US, you will find that it comes with 2-prong power cords. They work very well on a standard 220V outlet.
Can you plug a treadmill into an extension cord?
An extension cord is only safe to use if it can support the high voltage potential and therefore the power drawn by the treadmill. Again, if the extension cord can readily and safely handle current fluctuations, that is pretty a good one for your treadmill. Remember, treadmills take in 10 to 20A currents, if the cord can handle this amount of amperage, they are good to go with.
Can I plug my treadmill into a normal outlet?
Yes, a direct (3-prong) or a normal wall outlet that is well grounded is safer for plugging treadmills. You can connect the treadmill with or without a surge suppressor.
Can I plug my treadmill into a regular outlet in UK?
Unlike USA, UK has her own voltage set to about 220-250V. Can I plug my treadmill from US into a regular outlet in United Kingdom?. YES, only if the socket has the dedicated circuit with amperage that c the treadmill can support, if not, you risk damaging your expensive treadmill.
What is a grounded outlet and why plug a treadmill into it?
Sorry I didn’t explain what grounding means in sciences. To prevent short circuits and reduce chances of user getting electrocuted from using an appliance, the grounded outlet helps to connect one cable to the earth.
Imagine you have a high-power appliance like a treadmill or TV at home. If live current flows into the touchable parts of the device, you’re at serious risk of harm if you mistakenly come in contact with the equipment.
Where there is a current leak (into the device), the grounded cable provides a path of least resistance to carry away the electricity. That keeps users safe from electric shocks.
Should I plug my treadmill into a surge protector?
Treadmills can be highly vulnerable to electrical surge damages when they draw much power. Always plug your treadmill in to a grounded outlet or surge protector. This helps to minimize damage from electrical currents.
So should every treadmill be connected to a surge protector? If possible, yes, I advise you to connect your treadmill to a dedicated circuit to protect its electronic system. Treadmills like NordicTrack are manufactured to have surge protectors.
If you have a different brand, it is likely that your treadmill doesn’t come without a surge suppressor. In that case, you can get a surge protector for the treadmill at home depot or Amazon. I use Ul 1449 transient voltage surge protector for my treadmills. They work incredibly, for overcurrent protection.
Any need for a special outlet for your treadmill?
Not really. Any regular outlet is just fine. The only rule is, your treadmill wattage should stay below your outlet wattage.
My treadmill trips the breaker all the time. Why?
First, can a treadmill trip a circuit breaker? Like any other overcurrent devices, a treadmill can trip a breaker when connected to power. If a treadmill trips breakers, it does so only when it is been used for many hours and it has drawn more power than the breaker circuit. For overcurrent protection, the circuit has to trip.
What should I do when my treadmill trips the breaker? One solution: buy a new circuit breaker.
Can you plug a 20 amp plug into a 15 amp outlet?
No!. Putting a 20amp plug into a 15-am outlet is dangerous. It can overload the outlet and lead to potential fire hazard at home.
How do I tell if my wall outlet is 15 or 20 amp?
Here is how to identify if your outlet is 15 or 20 amp. The 15amp regular outlet has three prongs, while the 20 amp regular outlet has four prongs. Also, you’ll find a small hole just over the two larger holes in a 15 amp outlet. A 20 amp outlet doesn’t just have any hole.
How much electricity does a treadmill use?
Apart from maintenance, one of the cost of running motorized treadmills is how much you pay for a kilowatt hour (KWh). A walking treadmill with a 2HP engine rated at 1500 watts can consume around 750watt hour (0.75kWh) per week if you are using it for moderate intensity exercises. In many parts of united states, this power consumption of a 2HP motor treadmill can be about 10-20 cents per week and $5 to $10 per year (based on kWh price in United states)
Using a horsepower watts calculator (Horsepower x 746 = Watts).
| Treadmill model | Motor HP rating | Wattage (KW) |
| XTERRA Fitness TR150 Folding Treadmill | 2.25 HP | 1.670KW |
| NordicTrack Commercial 1750 | 3.75 HP | 2.790KW |
| ProForm Pro 2000 Smart Treadmill | 3.25 HP | 2.424KW |
| Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T7515 Smart | 2.2 HP | 1.64KW |
| NordicTrack T Series Treadmill | 2.6 HP | 1.95KW |
| Welso Cadence G 5.9i Treadmill | 2.25 HP | 1.68KW |
Of course, many factors account for how much electricity a treadmill uses.
- Higher intensity treadmill workout consumes more power
- Long duration of using a treadmill consumes more energy
- Power consumption gets higher when you increase the treadmill speed
If you understand how the numbers play, you can be able to reduce your treadmill’s power consumption and electricity costs by following a few tips.
Gearon is undergraduate (BSC in Physics), co-founder at TASI GYM, a runner, and a hands-on web developer . He is so passionate about getting fit.
His Science background, unbreakable zeal for fitness and value driven mindset, gives him an unusual discernment to determine if a treadmill meets expections of customers with varying fitness levels and health status or not. He tracks innovative changes in fitness world and uses customer feedback, manufacturer data, running experience, experts/coach interviews to make insightful reviews that uncovers value that guides Getfitsmartly community make right Personal fitness decisions with visible results.
