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Cybex Choke / inductor various "Q" models
#1
Hello Everybody,

I'm new to this forum. I signed up looking for help, and hoping I may have some useful information that I can share. For several years now I have been trying my best to get a Cybex Q25 ci and a Q20 ci working to my satisfaction. They are solidly built machines made when Cybex was headquartered in Woodinville Washington, around mid to late 1990's. Maybe I am a bit crazy this way but I feel these machines should be able to do everything they were able to do when they were built, excepting mechanical wear and breakdown. I also have the luxury of being retired and persistent as the two years will attest.

I will tell you what I am asking of these machines. I want to be able to do an hour or more (1 1/2 at most) of walking at from 1 MPH to 2.5 MPH. I am 64 years old and weigh between 175 and 185 pounds. My pace isn't the most uniform as I broke my hip in the middle of my attempts to force these machines to accept me as their master. They will do it too! However the chokes (some call them Inductors) on both machines overheat within 20 minutes. Half an hour with a strong 6 inch blower duct right on the choke coils. I have changed every bearing in the machines. 2 motor and 4 roller in each. I flipped the decks and inspected the walking belts. One belt is very good the other perfect. Waxing the decks and belt bottoms. The current draw without load is 2 amps at 2 MPH and 15 to 18 amps pulling me. Too much I know. I don't blow breakers and I do have a circuit dedicated to only the treadmill, everything within current electrical code and no extension cords. I have managed to find both owners and service manuals though they show little of technical detail electrically. I bring my own little bit rusty but quite valid electronic and mechanical experience to the table and can find no problems.

I am looking for another choke, for these machines. I already have three but a fourth will allow me to create one large choke with the same electrical specifications as the one original but 4 times the surface area for cooling and 4 times the mass to slow down the overheating. These chokes are huge at 10 pounds each and about the size of a cube 5 inches on a side.

For my part I have copies of the manuals, pictures and measurements of parts ect. and if I can get one machine working then parts from the second machine will become available. I am quite happy to share what I have learned and Information I have with anyone who may have a use for it.
 
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#2
15 to 18 amps is way too high you should try slip coating the deck with landice slip coat it will reduce your amp draw greatly should be 10 to 15 range maximum
 
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#3
(03-27-2015, 11:44 PM)extra miler Wrote: 15 to 18 amps is way too high you should try slip coating the deck with landice slip coat it will reduce your amp draw greatly should be 10 to 15 range maximum

I agree amps too high. Bottom line here. But I have worries about using a silicone lubricant on a cotton backed rubber belt. I don't want to have to replace the walking belts and or the decks (I have two of each) until near the end of my time on this planet. The Cybex manuals say use nothing as nothing is required. The other side of the coin is that if the machine could do what I want to do when it was new, why can't it do it now using the same technology. I have given the belt a coating of paraffin and the deck had a factory coating of wax when I flipped it. I bought one machine in practically new condition. Seriously from the grand-daughter of a rich old man who had Cybex come in to do all the service. It hadn't been used since he died. I bought it for parts because mine overheated but his overheated too, and there is nobody from Cybex who was around during that era and Cybex now doesn't want to talk about it.
By the way Extra Miler, thanks for your reply. If you know that the use of silicone isn't necessary please let me know. I feel sure it would help. I have also considered a product called Fluid Film, it's made with wool oil. I am waiting for a reply from the company if it would damage the materials in my machine. My other thought was a dry teflon spray from Dupont.
 
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#4
dupont tfl 50 dry lube you can use it it wont reduce the friction enough to matter. i have been a certified technician for 21 years.i have used slipcoat before on cybex treadmills when running belt was having excessive friction problems like what you are experiencing, it reduced amp draw in half.the down side, it can cause belt to stretch or slip on the rollers then you would have to tension running belt more.using the treadmill with excessive current draw will burn out your drive motor. game over
 
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#5
(03-28-2015, 05:20 PM)extra miler Wrote: dupont tfl 50 dry lube you can use it it wont reduce the friction enough to matter. i have been a certified technician for 21 years.i have used slipcoat before on cybex treadmills when running belt was having excessive friction problems like what you are experiencing, it reduced amp draw in half.the down side, it can cause belt to stretch or slip on the rollers then you would have to tension running belt more.using the treadmill with excessive current draw will burn out your drive motor. game over

Thanks again for getting back to me. It is nice to get ***** from someone with experience.

I am not too worried about the phenolic deck with the silicone but I would like not to have to replace the belt if possible. I am retired now and could afford it but have other uses for the money. My TV just died.

I want to hear what Fluid Film has to say about their product. As a "natural " product I have hopes for it's compatibility with my belt. It is the best product I have ever used for a number of marine related purposes. It's fantastic stuff. If they can't come back with a "yes" then I will get the Slip Coat. I don't mind retensioning the belt just so long as I don't have to scrape it off the deck with a scraper.
I am suprised that the dupont spray wouldn't work but I will take your word for it.

I also don't totally trust my ammeter. It is an Amprobe AC/DC clamp meter I bought to increase the amp range of my multimeter. I haven't used my Fluke 87 in series because it is only good for 10 amps and because of the heat I suspected high amperage so I used the clamp meter first.

So you seen this issue with cybex before. Is it a problem with Cybex? Is walking a higher current draw than running? I can kind of see how it might be. Am I being unreasonable in thinking that a treadmill should be able to do what I want? Do You have any information on the technical side of this machine like a real schematic diagram or codes to get into the diagnostic modes? I have an owners and a so called repair manual, but whenever anything gets a little technical it tells me to call Cybex.

Again, thanks very much for your time and expertise.
 
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#6
slipcoat is a liquid vicosity of about 10w20 oil someof the cybex treadmills had built in ammeter in diagnostic mode i would have to go back into my notes and manuals for cybex this machine was built in early 90 s.the belts are very heavy and do not disperse heat very well due to size and ply thickness. newer cybex belts are alot better dispersion of heat thinner ply belts less friction and heat
 
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#7
(03-28-2015, 07:39 PM)oldandintheway Wrote:
(03-28-2015, 05:20 PM)extra miler Wrote: dupont tfl 50 dry lube you can use it it wont reduce the friction enough to matter. i have been a certified technician for 21 years.i have used slipcoat before on cybex treadmills when running belt was having excessive friction problems like what you are experiencing, it reduced amp draw in half.the down side, it can cause belt to stretch or slip on the rollers then you would have to tension running belt more.using the treadmill with excessive current draw will burn out your drive motor. game over

Thanks again for getting back to me. It is nice to get ***** from someone with experience.

I am not too worried about the phenolic deck with the silicone but I would like not to have to replace the belt if possible. I am retired now and could afford it but have other uses for the money. My TV just died.

I want to hear what Fluid Film has to say about their product. As a "natural " product I have hopes for it's compatibility with my belt. It is the best product I have ever used for a number of marine related purposes. It's fantastic stuff. If they can't come back with a "yes" then I will get the Slip Coat. I don't mind retensioning the belt just so long as I don't have to scrape it off the deck with a scraper.
I am suprised that the dupont spray wouldn't work but I will take your word for it.

I also don't totally trust my ammeter. It is an Amprobe AC/DC clamp meter I bought to increase the amp range of my multimeter. I haven't used my Fluke 87 in series because it is only good for 10 amps and because of the heat I suspected high amperage so I used the clamp meter first.

So you seen this issue with cybex before. Is it a problem with Cybex? Is walking a higher current draw than running? I can kind of see how it might be. Am I being unreasonable in thinking that a treadmill should be able to do what I want? Do You have any information on the technical side of this machine like a real schematic diagram or codes to get into the diagnostic modes? I have an owners and a so called repair manual, but whenever anything gets a little technical it tells me to call Cybex.

Again, thanks very much for your time and expertise.

I will let you know what happens with fluid Film or Slip Coat. In the mean time I would be happy to cover costs etc. if you should happen to run across any of that information that I can't find anywhere else.
 
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#8
I have a reply from Fluid Film that warned against using it to lubricate my walking belt. Maybe no big surprise. I haven't found a local supplier of Slip Coat near my small town, again no surprise but I am going to try the Slik Stik equivalent unless I get other advise not to. I will pick it up when I can get around to the 70 mile drive to Nanaimo. I need to go down there anyway. I also have a 4th replacement choke on order which I can use to make up one large choke with the same electrical characteristics as my single smaller choke but with 4 times the mass hence overheating 4 times slower, in theory. If that doesn't work I will move the choke out of the treadmill and into a chilled oil bath using items I have on hand. I can be quite stubborn and I am short of money. Thanks for listening.
 
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#9
more chokes might lessen the heat but high current draw will ruin your motor your motor will fry if you have unresolved belt deck friction. can you dead walk your running belt with power off that is a good test for high friction if it is difficult you have high friction issues if it is somewhat easy belt deck is ok.you can order slipcoat through landice 1-800-Landice it comes in 1 ounce blister packs

if you are forcefully holding the motor back that will cause the problem as well ive seen people do that
 
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#10
You can also order Slik Stik from FitnessRepairParts.com and have it delivered directly to your home.

http://www.fitnessrepairparts.com/cart/ViewItem/64119

I have ordered with them before and had great results.
 
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