Electrical Motor Locked Rotor Indicating Code Letters

Indicating locked rotor code letters for electrical motors

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NEMA - The National Electrical Manufacturer's Association - who sets the design standards for motors,
has established a NEMA Code letter designation to classify motors by the ratio of locked rotor KVA per
horsepower.

NEMA
Code Letter

KVA/HP
Approximate Midwith locked rotor
Range Value

0-3.14

1.6

3.15-3.55

3.3

3.55-3.99

3.8

4.0-4.49

4.3

4.5-4.99

4.7

5.0-5.59

5.3

5.6-6.29

5.9

6.3-7.09

6.7

7.1-7.99

7.5

8.0-8.99

8.5

9.0-9.99

9.5

10.0-11.19

10.6

11.2-12.49

11.8

12.5-13.99

13.2

14.0-15.99

15.0

16.0-17.99

18.0-19.99

20.0-22.39

22.4-and up

The starting KVA required by a motor starting at full voltage is determined from the nameplate on the
motor or from the manufacturer.
In general it is accepted that small motors requires higher starting KVA than larger motors. Standard 3
phase motors often have these locked rotor codes:

less than 1 hp: Locked Rotor Code L, 9.0-9.99 KVA

1 1/2 to 2 hp: Locked Rotor Code L or M, 9.0-11.19

3 hp : Locked Rotor Code K, 8.0-8.99

5 hp : Locked Rotor Code J, 7.1-7.99

7.5 to 10 hp : Locked Rotor Code H, 6.3-7.09

more than 15 hp : Locked Rotor Code G, 5.6-6.29

 How To Read a Marathon Model Number off the Nameplate

Example of Marathon Fractional Model Number: 8PE48A11O787AP R130

48

11

787

R130

10

11

12

13

Example of Marathon Integral Model Number: 2QA215TBDRA7076AL L R116

2 Q A

215T

B D O R A

7076

AL

R116

1 2 3

5 6 7 8 9

10

11

12

13

1.

Date Code - Year Motor was manufactured.

2.

Thermal Protection (not always present in every Marathon model number)

3.

Date Code - Month Motor was manufactured.

4.

NEMA Frame Size

5.

Electrical Type

6.

RPM or Speed (Fractional Motors only)

7.

Enclosure

8.

Frame Construction (Integral Motors only)

9.

Style Letter indicating redesign

10.

Sequence Number

11.

Revision Letters (1 letter for Fractional, 2 letters for Integral)

12.

Manufacturing Code

13.

Modification Code (only present on nameplates of motors that have been modified through
Marathon's MOD CENTRAL)