How to Use My American Treadmill on 220 Volts

In the United States, electrical appliances are manufactured for use in 110-volt power outlets. In most other parts of the world, however, electrical appliances require 220-volt power outlets. Plugging U.S. electrical equipment, such as a treadmill, directly into a 220-volt outlet can destroy the device by overloading it with incoming electricity. You can still use a U.S. treadmill in a location with 220-volt outlets if you connect a voltage converter to the outlet before plugging in your treadmill.

Determine the wattage of your treadmill. “Wattage” is a term used to describe the amount of power used by an electrical device; the higher the wattage, the more power the device uses. You can find the wattage on the sticker listing technical information about the treadmill located on the back or bottom of the base of the treadmill. If you cannot find the sticker on your treadmill, refer to your owner’s manual or consult the manufacturer.

Select a voltage converter that can handle a maximum wattage at least 20 percent higher than the wattage of your treadmill. For example, if your treadmill uses 2000 watts, choose a voltage converter with a maximum capacity of at least 2400 watts. Treadmills often produce a surge of power that exceeds their maximum wattage when you first turn them on. If the wattage used during the surge exceeds the maximum wattage of the converter, the converter and your treadmill could be damaged or destroyed. Choosing a converter than can handle wattage higher than the maximum wattage of your treadmill will avoid this problem.

Purchase a “step-down” or “step-up-down” voltage converter. A “step-down” converter is designed to allow use of 110-volt American electrical devices in foreign 220-volt outlets. A “step-up-down” converter allows interchangeable use of 110 and 220-volt devices in any type of outlet. You can buy voltage converters at major electronics retailers, such as Radio Shack or Best Buy, as well as online at Amazon.com or voltageconverters.com.

Select “220v” on the input selector of your voltage converter.

Plug your treadmill into the jack on the front of the converter.

Plug the voltage converter into a power outlet and turn on your treadmill.

Warnings

The voltage on the input selector of your voltage converter should match the voltage of the wall outlet, not the voltage required by your treadmill. Therefore, if you are using a voltage converter in a location that has 220-volt outlets, select “220v” on the input selector; if you use a converter in the United States, select “110v.” Selecting the wrong input voltage can destroy your treadmill and create a fire hazard.