A Guide to a Good Electric Motor Service and Repair
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An electric motor in an important equipment in an industrial setup. It is used to drive different types of machines with the help of an electrical energy. It converts electrical energy into mechanical energy (rotational motion) through electromagnetic principles. This major contribution by Michael Faraday did revolutionize the electrical and electronics industry.
An electric motor service and repair is an essential procedure which will ensure that the motor operates optimally at all times. Motors, which are not maintained may break down to an extent that they cannot be repaired. Remember, purchasing a new motor is very costly as compared to the regular maintenance procedures.
Apparently, most companies have adopted the advanced motor repair techniques which aim at improving the electric motors performance. It is a systematic process which involves documentation, testing and inspection of every single component of an electric motor. This procedure ensures that the integrity of all the essential components of the motor remains unaltered at all cost. They have adopted computerized motor rewinding techniques which ensure that there’s both uniformity and accuracy. The electric motor armatures and stators are processed using trickle varnish machines which offer a number of advantages as compared to other conventional dip and bake techniques.
Troubleshooting an electric motor is an essential process. Adopting the best technique which can establish the exact fault in an electric motor is highly recommended. Before you begin the repair process, the motor should be isolated from the mains.
The electric motor service and repair program entails the following key process:
Power supply - in any electrical system, the troubleshooting process should begin by investigating whether the power supply is in good condition or not. Is the electric cable in good condition? Test whether all the controls to the motor are working by switching them “on” and “off”. If there’s no voltage, then the problem could be on the electric panel. Inspect all circuits to ensure that they are in good condition an all faulty fuses and circuits should be replaced. You should check the reset buttons to ensure that they are in good condition too. The terminal box of electrical motor should be in good condition too.
Visual inspection - it involves identifying obvious faults which can reduce an electric motor’s performance. It involves collecting all the vital historical information about the motor. You need to establish whether there were any repairs and modifications which had been conducted on the motor. Find out what exactly was done and the exact time frame when this process was conducted. Knowing exactly what had been done can reduce the troubleshooting time. At the same time, if this process was carried out by inexperienced persons, they can create additional problems which may require further maintenance procedures.
It is important to conduct an inspection process which is backed with background information about the motor. Remove the power to the motor and the starter. Record the motor nameplate, turn the shaft to ensure that the rotor rotates freely. During the inspection process, unusual noise, vibrations, smell or burned components or a feeling of excess heat are essential factors which should be established during the inspection process. Check for any loose connections and hot spots which can be identified by discoloration.
Further tests - in the electric motor service and repair process, there are certain faults which cannot be detected through visual inspection. The resistance in the stator should be determined using the meter. Under normal circumstances, it should be about 0.09 ohms or less. A megohmmeter can be used at this stage to test line the ground. This test can be used to identify the resistance of the stator to the ground.
An electric motor service and repair is an essential procedure which will ensure that the motor operates optimally at all times. Motors, which are not maintained may break down to an extent that they cannot be repaired. Remember, purchasing a new motor is very costly as compared to the regular maintenance procedures.
Apparently, most companies have adopted the advanced motor repair techniques which aim at improving the electric motors performance. It is a systematic process which involves documentation, testing and inspection of every single component of an electric motor. This procedure ensures that the integrity of all the essential components of the motor remains unaltered at all cost. They have adopted computerized motor rewinding techniques which ensure that there’s both uniformity and accuracy. The electric motor armatures and stators are processed using trickle varnish machines which offer a number of advantages as compared to other conventional dip and bake techniques.
Troubleshooting an electric motor is an essential process. Adopting the best technique which can establish the exact fault in an electric motor is highly recommended. Before you begin the repair process, the motor should be isolated from the mains.
The electric motor service and repair program entails the following key process:
Power supply - in any electrical system, the troubleshooting process should begin by investigating whether the power supply is in good condition or not. Is the electric cable in good condition? Test whether all the controls to the motor are working by switching them “on” and “off”. If there’s no voltage, then the problem could be on the electric panel. Inspect all circuits to ensure that they are in good condition an all faulty fuses and circuits should be replaced. You should check the reset buttons to ensure that they are in good condition too. The terminal box of electrical motor should be in good condition too.
Visual inspection - it involves identifying obvious faults which can reduce an electric motor’s performance. It involves collecting all the vital historical information about the motor. You need to establish whether there were any repairs and modifications which had been conducted on the motor. Find out what exactly was done and the exact time frame when this process was conducted. Knowing exactly what had been done can reduce the troubleshooting time. At the same time, if this process was carried out by inexperienced persons, they can create additional problems which may require further maintenance procedures.
It is important to conduct an inspection process which is backed with background information about the motor. Remove the power to the motor and the starter. Record the motor nameplate, turn the shaft to ensure that the rotor rotates freely. During the inspection process, unusual noise, vibrations, smell or burned components or a feeling of excess heat are essential factors which should be established during the inspection process. Check for any loose connections and hot spots which can be identified by discoloration.
Further tests - in the electric motor service and repair process, there are certain faults which cannot be detected through visual inspection. The resistance in the stator should be determined using the meter. Under normal circumstances, it should be about 0.09 ohms or less. A megohmmeter can be used at this stage to test line the ground. This test can be used to identify the resistance of the stator to the ground.
The ground test should be conducted when all the electronic components have been disconnected. Normally, the DC components can operate safely at not less than 1 megaohm to the ground while the AC devices can be operated safely at not less 2 megaohms to the ground. It is important to note that the values obtained will depend on the horsepower of the motor under test. That is, 50 horsepower motor may indicate about 0.005 ohm resistance. Of course, the measurements between phases should be almost equal.
In DC applications, the value of resistance obtained can be used to determine either the existence of open circuits or the historical use of the motor.
The line to line inspection - this is mainly carried out to check the line imbalance. A value of 5% voltage imbalance is acceptable, however, unreasonable imbalance is an indication of a serious problem which can affect the electric motors performance.
The electric motor junction box - ensure that the connection on the box meets the required standards. Problems which are associated with the junction box of the motor may include poorly installed nuts or those that a rise from insulation failure.
After all the existing problems shall have been corrected, assemble the motor, energize and do the final tests which may include: recording the operating voltage and current. Ensure that the readings obtained are within those that have been specified on the name plate. In addition to this, you need to take note of the following: unusual noise, smoke of hot insulation, excess vibrations and heat.
In DC applications, the value of resistance obtained can be used to determine either the existence of open circuits or the historical use of the motor.
The line to line inspection - this is mainly carried out to check the line imbalance. A value of 5% voltage imbalance is acceptable, however, unreasonable imbalance is an indication of a serious problem which can affect the electric motors performance.
The electric motor junction box - ensure that the connection on the box meets the required standards. Problems which are associated with the junction box of the motor may include poorly installed nuts or those that a rise from insulation failure.
After all the existing problems shall have been corrected, assemble the motor, energize and do the final tests which may include: recording the operating voltage and current. Ensure that the readings obtained are within those that have been specified on the name plate. In addition to this, you need to take note of the following: unusual noise, smoke of hot insulation, excess vibrations and heat.