Hi to all
I've ordered a new treadmill. The manual says:

1) be sure to plug the unit into a surge suppressor receptacle.
and
2) to unplug the unit after using-plug it in again next time you use it.

I asked the sales guy if I could just switch off the surge suppressor (killing power to the treadmill). After looking puzzled for a second, he said "no you need to unplug the unit"

My question:
Is there any reason, electrically speaking, that 'unplugging" would be different than switching off the suppressor? (How would the treadmill "know the difference?)
Thanks in advance!

 

If surges are the concern, then unplugging probably does provide a bit better protection than flipping the switch off. A surge of high enough voltage could pretty easily jump across the contacts of a cheap switch, whereas that would be pretty tough to do with the plug laying on the floor. It may also be a safety suggestion to prevent kids from accidentally turning it on and getting hurt, etc. Personally, unplugging wouldn't be a big concern for me.

Make sure the surge protector unit you use is actually rated for the electrical load of the treadmill. The cheap plug strip style not only provide very little surge protection, but also are not usually rated for more than 10-12 amps.

A good panel mounted surge protector will do a much better job than a plug-in unit, and it has the added bonus of protecting everything in the house instead of just one appliance.

The variable speed drives in treadmills are pretty sensitive to electrical problems like surges so investing in a protector is a good idea. The manufacturer is not exaggerating the risk of damage from bad power.

 

A surge suppressor receptacle installs in a wall box like a more conventional duplex receptacle and does not have an "ON"-"OFF" switch. I'd follow the instructions and install the proper receptacle and unplug the unit when not in use.

 

Thanks for the info.
BTW, my surge suppressor strip ( not the one in question here) does have an on/off switch. (The info in the TM info did mention a suppressor strip as okay to use, but did not mention shutting it off.)

Follow up question: If the surge suppressor was mounted/plugged into a receptacle controlled by a wall switch, could the current also "jump across the contacts"?

In either event, I guess that I'll just unplug the TM.
Thanks again.

 

Some lightning encounters will cause arc over. This should be obvious, since the strike may have jumped a mile in the sky on the way to your wiring! But, more typical appliance motor induced surges/transients won't jump any decent switch. Funny, but at work this AM, we engineers were debating the value of creepage distance on PCB's for resistance to 3kV surge tests. This is validated by test equip. that we use regularly at work. If you send me a switch, I'll tell you exactly what voltage it will hold!

 

On PCBs? Surely you don't mean polychlorinated biphenyls?

 

naw. printed circuit boards.

 

I suspect they tell you to unplug it so a child does not accidentally turn it on.