motor winding heater

Anti condensation heaters are used to avoid moisture build-up on electric windings of rotating electrical
equipments during off time. They also benefit by ensuring warm start-ups, extended bearing life and add freeze
protectionto the motors. Typical applications include electric motors, generators and alternators which operate
in damp or wet conditions, e.g. off shore, shipboard and marine equipment, dockside cranes, well pumps and
all equipment operating in a tropical environment. Specifying anti-condensation heaters at the design stage can
save the expense of costly rewinds and down time.

Some motor manufacturers use metal or ceramic cartridge heaters for this purpose. Since such heaters are
small due to space limit, they must operate at a high surface watt density and consequently high temperature.
The high temperature causes rapid heater failure, often within the first year.

To reduce the heater failure rate, silicone rubber heaters are used by smart motor manufacturers. The silicone
rubber heaters are designed for low surface watt density by providing a large surface area. In operation, the
heaters are cool enough to touch with the bare hand without being burned. The life of these heaters typically
exceeds the life of the motors. Silicone rubber heaters enjoy another advantage over metallic or ceramic
heaters. Because they are applied directly to the winding end-turns, it is usually possible to achieve the
required condensation prevention with a lower power consumption.

Technical advices

Condensation problem in motors can be solved by maintaining winding temperature 5-10°C above the
surrounding air temperature. You can calculate the approximate wattage required by using the equation
W=2DL, where "W" is the heat in watts, "D" is the outside diameter of the stator laminations in inches, and
"L" is the length of the stator core in inches.

Silicone heaters can be laced to the outside diameter of the end turns of varnished windings. They should not
overlap or be double layered. Larger motors often require a heater in each end. Heater leads are brought out
through the motor terminal box and connected to the available single-phase voltage. A heater typically is
activated by means of a motor control circuit relay contact, which energizes the heater when the motor power
is disconnected. Timers sometimes are use