Imagine being able to harness the energy produced during a workout to reduce the overall electricity consumption of your gym. Manual treadmills are making this interesting concept a reality, offering you a great way to work out while saving on money, space, and power. Unlike the typical electric version, manual treadmills are non-motorized. That means you don’t plug into any power source!
So, can treadmills produce electricity? The answer is yes, treadmills can produce electricity by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.
So, the next time you’re sweating it out on the treadmill, think about the potential electricity you’re producing!
Read on to learn how to produce electricity using a treadmill and save on bills using a treadmill.
The Working Phenomenon of the Manual Treadmill
The main difference in the function of a manual treadmill compared to a motorized one is that the manual treadmill comes with no motor. Rather, you power the belt by changing your speed. In simple terms, you are the motor of a manual treadmill. You are in total control of the belt’s speed.
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You might be thinking that the lack of a motor will make it hard for you to exercise. Surprisingly, it’s quite the opposite. The only things that you’ve got to do with a motorless treadmill is adjust your tension and change the speed.
In fact, it is recommended to use manual treadmills if you want to lose weight fast. That’s because, with these machines, you exert more pressure on the body, which results in burning more calories.
Can treadmills produce electricity for you at home? Yes. even more enticing is that you can generate electricity while burning the calories. Let’s get to the science behind this!
The Science Behind Treadmill Power Generation
Well, before we show you how a treadmill produces electricity, check out this. A treadmill is fitted with micro-inverters in place of the ordinary motor. Now, these micro-inverters are responsible for converting the kinetic power into usable form.
In functionality, the treadmill works just like a wind turbine or solar panel. The inbuilt inverter essentially harnesses the manmade power and converts it to grid-ready electric power. As people walk, run, or sled on the treadmill, it generates power, which can then be used by the gym’s network.
Non-motorized treadmills harness up to 74% of the kinetic power produced during a workout. This power is then converted into electricity, which is pumped back into the local grid, offsetting a significant portion of the energy consumption of gum.
Only one session on the treadmill can generate 200 watts per hour of electricity, while a full green circuit of equipment can produce 2000 watts per hour. That’s comparable to running a washing machine for six hours!
That’s quite some good news for gym operators who wish to reduce their electricity bills. In fact, it will also help them attract new members because two-thirds of millennials prefer buying from sustainable brands.
The idea of electricity generation from a treadmill may not make much sense in a home setting though. The average American uses up to 28,000 watt-hours per day. So a treadmill generating 200 watts per hour will only save you 2.4 cents. But the good thing is, it will save you the electricity power that would otherwise be used by a motorized machine.
How Does a Treadmill Produce Electricity?
The non-motorized treadmill doesn’t work like the typical treadmill that you see in the gym. Instead, it takes the shape of other power-producing cardio equipment that sends energy back to the grid following some intense workout.
The treadmill has a unique way of harvesting bio-power and converting it to usable energy. It is powered by human movements instead of a motor, and every stride you make produces up to 70% energy, or roughly 200 watts per hour.
The newly produced energy is then returned to the grid, reducing your carbon footprint. In fact, it also keeps track of how much energy is returned to the grid. As a user, you can see the volume of energy produced and returned to the grid. You can even control it using a smartphone app.
These features may have you thinking that the non-motorized treadmill is more focused on transforming calories into power. But that’s not the case. It serves all the functions of a normal treadmill, such as a speed limit of 10 mph, a running space, slatted belts, and a brake.
How to Choose a Treadmill that Generates Electricity
If you’re in the market for a treadmill that produces electricity, you need to know which types of treadmills produce the most electricity. Some treadmills use more energy than others, and depending on your home’s energy situation, that could mean higher electricity bills. In this section, we’ll take a look at the different types of treadmills and how much electricity they produce. We’ll also provide some tips for choosing a treadmill that produces electricity.
Running surface length
The lengths of treadmill decks range from 45 inches to 60 inches. Shorter lengths are suitable for walkers while long surfaces are better for running. Remember that you’re getting a manual treadmill that will support electricity generation. And to do that, the deck must be long enough to support running.
Function
Some manual treadmills are suited for interval training and sprints while others are designed for walking and low-speed resistance workouts. Treadmills designed for running or sprints are the best for electricity generation.
Incline
Manual treadmills always have some degree of resting incline to make it easier to get the belt moving and keep it moving. Remember these treadmills do not have a motor so it completely depends on you to keep the belt moving. So choose one that has a desirable incline as it makes it easier to move, and in turn generate power.
What Types of Treadmills Produce the Most Electricity?
The Verde Treadmill
Can Treadmills Produce Electricity for you? The answer is yes and this is among the exercise machines that generate electricity. The Verde G690 is the industry’s first treadmill with the capacity to harness human power and convert it into utility-grade electricity. The treadmill is the latest cardio machine in the company’s which gathers human energy produced during workouts and turns it into utility grade electricity.
The Verde treadmill can generate approximately 200 watts of electricity per hour using an inbuilt micro-inverter. These are the same tiny devices used in solar panels and wind turbines to convert harnessed direct current (DC) power into alternating current (AC), which is sent to the grid. With the Verde, gyms can actually produce their own energy—and some already are!
The Verde also features:
- SA Well+ User App for tracking performance and watts generated
- Safe start Belt Lock
- USB Charger
- Smart Break technology
- Electronic speed and resistance control
N685 Treadmill
The N685 is a non-motorized treadmill also innovated by SportsArt. The treadmill generates its own power, eliminating the need for a power outlet. So, can N685 treadmills produce electricity? Yes!
The treadmill is completely self-powered and can produce up to 200 watts of electricity for every hour of a workout session. Its sleek design, combining supremely low friction with a flat-slat belt, creates an approachable unit that feels uniquely natural and comfortable. The N685 uses both mechanical and electrical braking systems, which allows walking, jogging, running, and sprinting. It also has sled-pushing features catering to a wide range of users—from beginners to elite athletes alike.
The N685 features:
- Sled-push mode
- Standard contact heard rate
- Optional SA WELL and workout tracking function
- Headphone jack with inbuilt volume control
How to Set Up a Treadmill for Power Generation
When someone’s running on the walking belt, flywheels run at 200 r.p.m. This flywheel rotation is what you use to generate electricity. So how do you go about this?
Weld in the Support
The first thing is to weld a support on which you will mount the electricity generator. You will then mount the electricity generator on it and fix a v-pulley on the generator shaft.
Connect a Multimeter
Not all manual treadmills come with a screen. So you might need a multimeter to monitor how hard you need to run on the treadmill. For you to charge the battery, you need to generate up to 14.5 volts. So, having your eye on the multimeter as you run will give you a good feel for this.
Connect the Inverter to the Generator
As earlier mentioned, a manual treadmill has an inbuilt inverter. Make sure the inverter of the treadmill you buy can handle the maximum load level that you anticipate. Loads are measured in watts, which is a unit of power.
Connect the leads from the inverter to the generator for the power to start flowing. You can now build a meter, install appropriate switches and sockets, and start powering your electronics when running on the treadmill.
You are now all set to exercise as you generate electricity. If you want to watch TV, make sure you check for specifications of it’s a treadmill that powers tv.
With the growing interest in renewable energy sources, people have started exploring the idea of using treadmills to produce electricity. While it may seem like a great way to produce clean energy, there are some limitations to this idea.
Limitations of using treadmills to produce electricity
Here are some of the key limitations of using treadmills to produce electricity:
- Energy output may not be significant: The amount of energy produced by a single treadmill is not very significant, and it may not be enough to power even a small appliance. This means that you would need a large number of treadmills to produce enough energy to power a home or a building.
- Not a viable option for large-scale energy production: While using treadmills to produce electricity may work on a small scale, it is not a viable option for large-scale energy production. It would require too many treadmills, too much space, and too much maintenance to be a practical solution.
- Inefficient energy conversion: The energy conversion from the treadmill to electricity is not very efficient, and a lot of energy is lost in the process. This means that you would need to use a lot of energy to power the treadmill, which would negate the benefits of using it to produce electricity.
While the idea of using treadmills to produce electricity is an interesting one, there are significant limitations that make it impractical for large-scale energy production.
Over to you
Exercising just got better with manual treadmills. The non-motorized treadmill produces electricity when in use, which can be channeled to power your premises. On the flip side, the electricity produced may not be significant for a home use but it makes a whole lot of difference for a gym set up. So get this equipment for your gym and watch your clients cut weight faster as you reduce your electricity bills.