Help fixing Precor Elliptical 5.23

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ocon11630

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I am hoping there is someone out there that can help with a problem I'm having with my Precor Elliptical 5.23.

I am getting an error code 30 (communication error). I unplugged the machine, removed the cover, and unplugged all the cables – then replugged everything and the error went away….for 30 minutes. Then it was back. I’ve gone through this routine about 5 times and the last time I got the error to disappear –after I hit quick start - the machine didn’t do anything but display ‘start pedaling’… I can’t get the minutes to display and there is no resistance.

I’ve had a repair guy out (at a cost of $160) who did the unplug/recalibrate thing and it all seemed to work… for about 30 minutes. When I called him back, he indicated it was the lift motor ($300 plus his labor) – that the diagnostics indicated this. I find this hard to believe because the machine has never gone into error 30 mode when the lift motor was running.

I spoke to Precor (very nice people) who said it sounded like the speed sensor and agreed it didn’t sound like the motor. I think I’m going to keep calling Precor to keep trying to fix it over the phone with them, but thought I’d check this forum to see if there is anyone with this experience who can tell me if they know what the root problem is or has any advice.
 
Yeah, I'd stick with precor. That's a high dollar machine and I wouldn't go monkeying around with it
 
Im a Precor Warranty Tech

I have 23 years experience fixing all types and brands off exercise equipment.
I also have a how to video page on fixing exercise equipment for do it yourselfers. I don't have this video yet, so maybe I'll have to make one.
See my profile for more info

I don't think it's the speed sensor or The elevation Motor.
Speed sensors normally tell you to pedal or pedal faster. The speed sensor turns on the upper electronics. If you read the error 30, then the speed sensor is working.It turned on the electronics. You may have confused the electronics and that is why you got no speed or resistance.
If you have a faulty cable, when you touch it it may make contact for a while then jiggle loose, loosing the connection. Get a 7' internet lan
cable. Remove the hood and upper display. Plug the new cable into the
upper board and lower board. Get it out of harms way then test the machine.
Elevation motors normally, Jam, get noisy, go past upper or lower limit switches, or have bad elevation sensors.
In my experience error 30's were normally an electronic board
Look at the error 30 code description below to get a better understanding.

Errors 30 through 33 all indicate the loss of communications or erratic communications between the microprocessors in the upper PCA and the lower PCA. The trouble shooting procedures for all of the are essentially the same. Error 30 is defined as upper PCA not receiving from lower PCA. Error 31 is defined as faulty data received from lower PCA. Error 32 is defined as lower PCA not receiving from upper PCA. Error 33 is defined as faulty data received from upper PCA Possible Causes

1.An upper PCA to lower PCA interconnect cable is bad.
2.The interconnect cable at the upper PCA was mistakenly plugged into the CSAFE connector.
3.A 5.17 EFX equipped with version 1.01 upper and lower software.
4.Mismatched upper and lower software.
5.+5VDC power supply is being overloaded by another component that is plugged onto the PCA.
6.A defective lower PCA.
7.A defective upper PCA.

Possible Remedies
1.
Substitute a know good interconnect cable between the upper and lower PCA’s to determine if the interconnect cable is defective.
2.
Remove the interconnect cable from the CSAFE connector and insert it in the correct upper PCA connector.
3.
Replace the 5.17 upper and lower software with the most current software versions.
4.
If only one of the upper or lower software is version 1.01, replace the version 1.01 software with the most current version of software.
5.
Unplug all components from upper and lower PCA’s leaving only the upper PCA, lower PCA, data cable, and the AC power going to the lower PCA. If the unit shows any other error instead of the error-3x, plug components in one at a time (cycle power when doing this) until the error-3x returns. Whatever component that caused the error-3x to return when plugged in IS the cause of the error.
6.
Substitute a known good lower PCA to determine if the lower PCA is defective.
7.
Substitute a known good upper PCA determine if the upper PCA’s defective.
Good luck I hope this will help.
You can also email me at markepeterson@austin.rr.com
 
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Return Tech

If your tech returns for the elevation motor make them guarantee they
won't charge you anything if it doesn't work. $0.00 for trip and everything.

You can also do this yourself. Sportsmith.net may have the parts you would need at better prices than a Servicer.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mr. Peterson, you mean to tell me that you or your company will return at no cost to repair a machine based on a miss diagnosis?
If you were the one that diagnosed the unit as having a bad elevation motor and the unit still did not work, what would be the next set of charges?

Would you then uninstall the new lift motor and install the old one with a new diagnosis?

Would you leave the new lift motor at no charge?

What would you do?

Also, how is the customer to know what systems are related and what aren't? As an example, how are they to know that the crank arms on the elliptical are not related to the display not lighting up?
 
Think Before You Shoot.
1st- Yea ! If I miss diagnose on something I've already charged her for,
the rest is free no matter how many trips I make or how many hours I spend on it.
If I order a different part, and it fixes it. She will only pay for the part not the labor.
Why should she pay because I'm stupid?

A Tech should have a stock of parts for the machines he cares for.
It's in Precor's Service warranty agreement that Warranty service Company's have parts on hand.

2nd - It's an error 30. Look at the info up top.
Were do you see speed sensor. No were.

She only got the pedal faster after a number of tries.
I bet she confused the upper PCA and by passed the error.

Yes ! If the new motor doesn't work it goes back in the box and back in inventory.
If the old motor is good, why charge her for a new one. TO MAKE MONEY !!!!
That's BS. Help her, don't jerk her.

Remember it's an error 30.
She touched the wires and it worked for 30 min. The tech that recalibrated it
I bet also touched the wires.
The display does like up. Error 30 remember. How could you read error 30 if it didn't light up.

how is the customer to know what systems are related ?
They don't. Thats why they depend on the service Companies to give them accurate honest answers.

Anything Else ?
 
Just Like I said

Well,
Finally I fixed a landice HR problem. I charged for the first trip to fix it.
It took 3 more trips to finally get it fixed for good.

The customer only paid once. AS IT SHOULD BE!!!

Yours in Service

Mark Peterson
 
problem with precor 5.23 elliptical- pedals wobble

Hi,

I am new to this forum and saw some posts about trouble with precor elliptical 5.23, just thought I'd see if anyone could help with a problem I've been having. There is a lot of wobble in both pedals, side to side as I am using this machine. I bought it used from a place that turned out to have hardly any customer service-probably a big mistake but there was nowhere I could find it new, precor had stopped making them. Maybe there is no hope and it is a defective machine, but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about what to do.

Thanks-
 
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I recently purchased a battery after my recumbent sat idle for a few months.
After installing the bike battery I had to really pedal extremely fast to get the machine to light up. Even after that, It would go dull as if its not powering properly. I did manage to see an error code 30. After reading posts on this site, I think I need to replace the wire from the screen down to where the computer (microprocessor?) is located. Is that the best place to start? I have read the previous comments and thats what I come up with. Any other advice? Thanks
 
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