Electrical Machine

Maintenance
Importance of Good Electrical
Maintenance Practices
Good maintenance practices are not just limited to equipment
in the facility. In fact, you need to follow good maintenance
practices when it comes to the electrical aspect of the
organization. You need to plan every step carefully,
encourage proactive management and comprehensive
reporting. Intelligent construction, proper design and
commissioning are also key factors.
GENERATOR MAINTENANCE

Generator sets used for either prime

or backup (emergency) power – must be
regularly maintained to ensure they
provide quality power throughout their
service life.
Small investments made in replacing
components and maintaining
generators on a regular basis can save
expensive and unnecessary upgrades or
even replacement of the entire genset in
the future.
 When performing routine maintenance, each
action taken should be logged, and the readings
and various parameters are recorded along with
the date of inspection and hour meter reading of
the generator. These set of readings are
compared with the next set of data collected. Any
absurd variation of readings indicates faulty
performance of the unit.
Seven Steps To Proper Maintenance Of Diesel
Generator

1. Routine General Inspection

During the running of the diesel generator, the
exhaust system, fuel system, DC electrical system and
engine require close monitoring for any leaks that can
cause hazardous occurrences. As with any internal
combustion engine, proper maintenance is essential.
Diesels are no exception, and the most important
maintenance is oil changes at every 100 hours of
operation for a long and trouble-free life assurance.
2. Lubrication Service
The engine oil must be checked while shutting
down the generator at regular intervals using a
dipstick. Allow the oil in the upper portions of the
engine to drain back into the crankcase and follow the
engine manufacturer’s recommendations for oil
classification and oil viscosity. Keep the oil level as near
as possible to the full mark on the dipstick by adding the
same quality and brand of oil.
3. Cooling System
Check the coolant level during shutdown periods
at the specified interval. Remove the radiator cap after
allowing the engine to cool, and, if necessary, add
coolant until the level is about 3/4 in. Heavy-duty diesel
engines require a balanced coolant mixture of water,
antifreeze, and coolant additives. Inspect the exterior of
the radiator for obstructions, and remove all dirt or
foreign material with a soft brush or cloth with caution
to avoid damaging the fins. If available, use low-pressure
compressed air or a stream of water in the opposite
direction of normal air flow to clean the radiator.
4. Fuel System
Diesel is subject to contamination and
corrosion within a period of one year, and therefore
regular generator set exercise is highly recommended
to use up stored fuel before it degrades. The fuel filters
should be drained at the designated intervals due to the
water vapor that accumulates and condenses in the fuel
tank. Regular testing and fuel polishing may be required
if the fuel is not used and replaced in three to six
months. Preventive maintenance should include a
regular general inspection that includes checking the
coolant level, oil level, fuel system, and starting system.
The charge-air cooler piping and hoses should be
inspected regularly for leaks, holes, cracks, dirt and
debris that may be blocking the fins or loose
connections.
5. Testing Batteries
Weak or undercharged starting batteries are a
common cause of standby power system failures. The
battery must be kept fully charged and well-
maintained to avoid dwindling by regular testing and
inspection to know the current status of the battery
Tips in battery maintenance:
▶ Testing batteries: Merely checking the output
voltage of the batteries is not indicative of their
ability to deliver adequate starting power. As
batteries age, their internal resistance to current
flow goes up, and the only accurate measure of
terminal voltage must be done under load.
▶ Cleaning batteries: Keep the batteries clean by
wiping them with a damp cloth whenever dirt
appears excessive. If corrosion is present around
the terminals, remove the battery cables and wash
the terminals with a solution of baking soda and
water (¼ lb baking soda to 1 quart of water).
▶ Checking specific gravity: In open-cell lead-acid
batteries, use a battery hydrometer to check the
specific gravity of the electrolyte in each battery
cell. A fully charged battery will have a specific
gravity of 1.260. Charge the battery if the specific
gravity reading is below 1.215.
▶  Checking electrolyte level: In open-cell lead-acid
batteries, verify the level of the electrolyte at least
every 200 hr of operation. 
6. Routine Engine Exercise
Regular exercising keeps the engine parts
lubricated and thwart oxidation of electrical contacts,
uses up fuel before it deteriorate, and helps to provide
reliable engine starting. Engine exercise is
recommended to be executed at least once a month for
a minimum of 30 min. loaded to no less than one-third of
the nameplate rating.
7. Keep your Generator Clean
Oil drips and other issues are easy to spot and take
care of when the engine is nice and clean. Visual
inspection can guarantee that hoses and belts are in
good condition. Frequent checks can keep wasps and
other nuisances from nesting in your equipment. The
more a generator is used and relied on, the more it
needs to be taken care of. However, a generator set that
is rarely used might not need a lot of care.
MOTOR MAINTENANCE
Motor maintenance program is a preventative
and corrective maintenance schedule that covers
inspections, cleaning, testing, replacement and
tasks that are necessary to ensure the proper
operation of motors and associated equipment
lubrication.
Motor Maintenance Program 
Wipe off dust, dirt, oil, etc. Monthly
Clean vent screens and fans Quarterly
Lubricate bearings (if applicable) Semi-annual
Vacuum or blow out interior Semi-annual
Check commutator, brushes leads Semi-annual
Check brush spring tension Semi-annual
Test field coils Semi-annual
Test armature windings Semi-annual
Check electrical connections Semi-annual
Maintenance Guide Summary
This maintenance guide will discuss standard
maintenance procedures for maintaining most D.C. motors.
To determine the maintenance requirements of a specific
motor, the maintenance technician should refer to the
manufacturer’s technical documentation prior to
performing maintenance. This guide is divided into the
following sub-sections:
▶ Reviewing the Service History
▶ Noise and Vibration Inspections
▶ Visual Inspection
▶ Windings Tests
▶ Brush and Commutator Maintenance
▶ Bearings and Lubrication
Reviewing the Service History
Motor maintenance, as with all types of industrial
maintenance, requires pre-maintenance planning and
scheduling. This starts with reviewing the motor’s service
history usually contained within an equipment maintenance
log. The goal is to determine:
▶ What kind of maintenance is required.
▶ What maintenance personnel are needed to perform the
maintenance (skill level).
▶ What parts are needed to complete the maintenance (i.e.,
bearings, brushes, etc.)
▶ What kind of scheduling or coordination with other
departments is required to perform the maintenance
(downtime or off-hours scheduling)
▶ What kind of safety hazards exist that would interfere with
the maintenance.
▶ If there are problems other than the motor itself that caused
the motor breakdown.
Noise and Vibration Inspections
Prior to disconnecting the motor and sending it to the
shop or a repair facility for maintenance, a noise and
vibration inspection should be conducted. This requires
the motor to be connected to its driven load, energized
and operated normally. The existence of mechanical
noises or vibrations can indicate a variety of problems,
such as mechanical and/or electrical imbalances, brush
chattering, bad bearings, bent shafts, mechanically
loose windings or simply a loose cooling fan or something
stuck inside the vents or shroud.
Visual Inspections
A visual inspection is meant to observe and record
anomalies about the physical condition of the motor
in a de-energized state. A motor that appears dirty,
corroded or has the “beat up” look indicates that it
was operated in a rough environment and may have
more problems than usual. This inspection should
include the “smell” test.
 Overheating problems may not necessarily be
internal to the motor; rather, they could be the result of
mechanical overloads such as jams in the driven load
or a cold oil that is being pumped via a motor drive ,
running the motor at low speeds such that there’s
inadequate cooling airflow, electrical noise from DC
drives overheating the windings or it could simply be
the result of a dirty environment.
Motor Winding Tests
Once the motor is disassembled, and a
thorough inspection of internal components has
been conducted, testing the motor windings is
done. This is where a maintenance history can
prove its value. What kind of service history is on
record relative to the winding failures or
abnormalities? Has the motor ever been
rewound?
Once again, look at the physical condition of
the windings. If they are dirty or corroded, clean
the windings with a brush, hot water and
detergents and a vacuum.
Brush and Commutator Maintenance
The brushes ride or slide on the rotating
commutator of the armature; there should be little
brush noise, chatter or sparking when the motor is
powered up. Excessive brush wear or chipping are
signs that the motor is not commutating properly,
which can be caused by a variety of factors.
The commutator should have a smooth, polished,
brown appearance. There should be no grooves,
scratches or scores. If there is any blackened, rough
areas on the commutator, it’s probably caused by brush
sparking.
Bearings: Replacement and Lubrication
There are different types of bearings and the
required maintenance on them will depend on the
type of bearing, operating environment and the
motor application. There are lubed-for-life, sealed
bearings used in low horsepower motors that do not
require lubrication.
Lubrication is only one of three maintenance tasks
involved with motor bearings. Cleaning, removal and
replacement are the other tasks.
In the noise and vibration inspections, the
bearings should have been inspected for abnormal
noises, vibrations or hot bearings.
For most types, the sources of bearing failures are:
▶ Insufficient oil or grease.
▶ Too much grease causing churning and overheating.
▶ Worn bearings (i.e., broken balls or rough races, etc.)
▶ Hot motor or external environment.