Motor Controls & Troubleshooting of Electric Motors

Introduction to Motor Controls

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2. 3.

Devices that pass power to the motor

Relays Contactors Starters

The contacts are controlled by a coil in the control circuit The starting relay is only in the circuit for a short period of time The type of motor control device is determined by the size of the motor

Run-load and Locked-rotor current

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2. 1. 2.

Run load amperage (RLA) Also called full load amperage (FLA) Current drawn while the motor is running Locked rotor amperage (LRA) Amperage drawn at start-up Approximately five times the RLA Both currents must be considered when selecting a control device

Relays

Relay Uses a magnetic coil to close one or more sets of contacts. Cannot be repaired considered a throw a away device. Used for light duty applications Can be used as a pilot duty relay (A relay used for switching loads such as another relay or solenoid valve coils. The pilot duty relay contacts are located in a second control circuit. Pilot duty relays are rated in volt-amperes (VA).) The contacts must be able to handle the current draw of the load Can have normally-open (NO) contacts, normally-closed (NC) contacts, or both normally open and normally closed contacts

Relays, Contactors, & Starters

Contactor

Larger versions of the relay Has moveable and stationary contacts Holding coils of different voltage ratings are available Can have one or more sets of contacts Some are equipped with auxiliary contacts Use exact replacement whenever possible

Motor Starters
1. 2.

Described as a contactor with overload protection built in Can be rebuilt Should be replaced when the become pitted Heaters and holding coils can also be replaced As the contacts become pitted the resistance increases

Motor Protection

Because of the cost of electric motors they need to be protected from damage Fuses protect the entire circuit, not the components Motors can operate at a slightly higher current for a short period of time Very small motors do not have overload protection The larger the motor, the more elaborate the protection should be Motor protection can be inherent (internal) or external

Inherent (Internal) Motor Protection

Internal thermal overloads, OR Thermally activated bimetal snap disc

External Motor Protection

Devices that pass power to the holding coil of the starter or contactor The device can open its contacts when a current overload occurs, causing the holding coil to de-energize The trip point and type of overload protection is determined by the manufacturer The overload protection takes the service factor into consideration Phase monitoring devices that shut down power if leg is lost to prevent single phasing three phase motors

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Bi-metal element Heated by a device called a heater The heater is in series with the load and senses the load current The bimetal warps when it becomes too warm The bimetal interrupts the circuit feeding the holding coil of the starter Solder pot Uses a low-melting solder The solder melts when excessive heat is generated The excessive heat is generated from an over-current condition

Temperature Sensing Devices

Magnetic Overload Devices

Not attached to the starter Not affected by ambient temperature Very accurate overload device

Restarting the Motor

If a motor shuts off on a safety, it should not be immediately restarted The cause for the overload must be found The motor must be given enough time to cool down Many control circuits have manual resets to prevent automatic restarting Some controls reset only after a pre-determied time period Time delay devices prevent the unit from short cycling

Electric Motor Troubleshooting

Problems are either mechanical or electrical Mechanical problems often appear to be electrical problems Technicians must be able to diagnose the problems correctly

Mechanical Motor Problems

1. 2. 3.

Normally occur in the bearings or drive connection Bearing Failure (tight or worn) Lack of lubrication Excessive grit in the bearing Over-tight belts

Removing Drive Assemblies

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2. 3.

Pulley, coupling, or fan wheel must be removed from a motor shaft with care
The fit can be very tight The assembly must not be damaged Special pulley pullers can be used

1. 2.

Set screws are tightened to the motor shaft

Set screw is made of hardened steel Tightened to the flat portion of the shaft

The end of the motor shaft should not be hammered

Removing Drive Assemblies

Belt Tension

Over-tightened can cause motor failure and or bearing damage A belt tension gauge should be used

Pulley Alignment

Drive and driven pulleys should be properly aligned Drive mechanisms can become damaged Belt life can be reduced Belts can skip off the pulleys

Electrical Problems

Easy to diagnose Motor may smell burned An open motor winding A short circuit from the winding to ground A short circuit from winding to winding

Open Windings

Can be found with an ohmmeter There should be a measurable resistance between the common, start, and run terminals A reading of infinite resistance is an indication that the winding is open

Shorted Motor Windings

1. 2.

Caused when winding insulation develops a hole An alternative current path is created This path reduces the resistance of the winding The current flow through the winding will increase
Motor overload may trip Circuit breaker may trip

1. 2.

Short in the run winding

Motor may start Motor will draw excessive current

1. 2.

Short in the start winding

Motor may not start If it does start it will draw excessive current on start-up

Three-phase motor windings should all have the same resistance

Short Circuit to Ground (Frame)

1. 2.

There should be no detectable circuit from a winding to ground Motors should be checked for grounds using a good quality ground ohmmeter
The meter should be set to its highest setting Megohmmeters (megger) can detect 10,000,000 ohm range

Dirty motors may show resistance from winding to ground if the atmosphere is damp
Hermetic compressors may show a slight ground
The oil may be dirty Liquid refrigerant in the compressor worsens the condition A suction line drier may help clean the oil

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Single-Phase Motor Starting Problems

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Fairly easy to troubleshoot Check for full power to motor

Low voltage Loose connection Undersized wire Low voltage from electrical panel Measure voltage at the motor terminals Voltage must be within 10% of rated voltage

Open Motors

Checked with voltage supplied to both windings Start windings is removed when motor reaches 75% of rated speed Uses centrifugal switch The opening and closing of the switch can be heard

CSCR Motors
Have

the start winding energized all the time The start capacitor stays in the circuit whenever the motor is energized

Symptoms of Electric Motor Starting Problems

Motor

hums and then shuts off Motor runs for a short period and shuts off Motor will not try to start

Types of Problems to Consider

Motor mechanical problem Electrical problem Motor circuit problem Motor load problem

If motor and load turn freely, technician should check motor windings If motor hums and does not start, starting components should be checked

Checking Capacitors

Capacitors can be checked with an analog ohmmeter Ohmmeter leads placed across a charged capacitor can cause damage to the meter

Procedure for Checking Capacitors

Turn power off to the and remove capacitor lead Short across a charged capacitor Set ohmmeter to the R X 10 scale Touch meter leads to capacitor terminals A good capacitor would show the ohmmeter needle sweeping up to zero (0) ohms value and begin to fall back toward infinity Internal shorted capacitors needle will sweep to (0) ohms value and fall back toward infinity If the ohmmeter needle will not rise at all, switch the meter leads on the capacitor and look for a needle deflection that rises and returns to infinity No meter scale reading indicates an open capacitor If the capacitor has a bleed resistor, the ohmmeter will sweep to 0 ohms and fall back to the resistance value of the bleed resistor.

Identification of Capacitors

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Run Capacitors

Metal case Oil filled If the capacitor swells, it should be replaced Have identified terminals which should be connected to the start terminals

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Start capacitors

Dry tape Encased in plastic (bakelite) Older capacitors should be encased in paper

Over current can cause the vent at the top to bulge If the capacitor pops it should be replaced

Wiring and Connectors

Wiring must be in good condition Loose connections

Can cause oxidation Oxidation causes an increase in resistance Resistance creates heat Could result in low voltage at the motor Low voltage at the motor can result in higher motor amperage draws

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Troubleshooting Hermetic Motors

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Can only be checked electrically from the outside Can have the same problems as open motors
Grounded circuit Open circuit Short circuit

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Starting components must also be checked