Megger Baker Instruments

Dynamic Motor Testing

Finding Mechanical Faults in

Inaccessible Motors
Today’s Presenter

Presenter
◼ Hameed Shehab
• Sales and Applications Engineer
• Megger Middle East, Bahrain
 Megger’s Growth

Thyssen- 2019 Megger

First Multi- Bornemisza acquires Power
meter tester Group (Sweden) Experts (Germany) (Germany) Diagnostix
Sydney Evershed AVO Meter, acquires all in transformers Global leader in Radeburg HV Enhancing our
invents the world’s first Multi-Amp is companies and circuit cable testing join Cable research partial discharge
insulation tester multi-meter founded within the breakers, joins Megger group center opened portfolio
developed AVO group Megger group

1889 1923 1951 1991 2007 2015 2019

1903 1936 1968 1999 2012

™
“Megger” James G Biddle AVO acquires Avo (Sweden) (USA) Megger acquires
registered as a Co. Evershed and International Innovators of Cable fault Baker Instruments
trademark incorporated in Vignoles renamed to advanced finding innovation Entering into the
USA (Megger) Megger transformer join Megger field of motor and
diagnostics joins group generator testing
the Megger
group
Megger Baker Instruments – Who are we ?

US Company based in Fort Collins, CO

• 50+ employees located in Ft. Collins
• Baker Electric motor shop founded 1940
• Baker Instrument Co. founded in 1961
• All equipment is manufactured in USA
• 12+ electrical engineers on staff
– Improving the product
– Technical support
– Research and development
• Worldwide Company Recognition
• Worldwide customer support
• Purchased by Megger in August 2018
Why do we need to test critical motors ?

Fact:
• motor failures can be very costly
• Lost production/revenue
• Cost of motor replacement/repair
• Loss of credibility/damage to reputation
• Stress to restore operation quickly
 Failures Modes in Electric Motors

Reference: GE Study
Common Test Methods Worldwide

Many companies rely only on the Megohm/IR test, PI test for HV

motors, and phase to phase resistance measurement

Is that sufficient ???

Dynamic Motor Testing: Covering the Entire Motor Driven System

Power Motor Load

Static testing:
Insulation
- Groundwall
- Turn to Turn
Windings
Connections

Dynamic testing: Operating Point Torque

Power Quality Rotor bar Spectrums
Input Power Bearings Speed
Efficiency Est
What is Static Motor testing ?

• Motor is de-energised

• A series of electrical tests are performed, usually from the motor control
cabinet (MCC), through the power cables to the motor (site testing)

• Different tests used to detect problems such as loose connections, weak

insulation, contamination etc

• Different voltage levels used to understand condition of insulation

• The goal is to find insulation weakness in advance of motor failure.

(Predictive Maintenance)

This advance notice will save the high cost of unexpected down time and
emergency repairs!
 Typical Test Voltages

Winding resistance test: 12 VDC

Meg-ohm test: 500 VDC
PI test 500 VDC
DC Step Voltage test: 2000 VDC
Surge test: 2000 VDC

Note: Test voltages are based on a 415 volt motor

Rule of thumb: 2Un + 1000 volts for in-service motors

New windings: Higher voltages !

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 Why Test Above Line Voltage ?

• To replicate the voltage spikes that motors see during

start-up and shut-down

• To see how the insulation reacts to such voltage

• To give early warning of weakening insulation

• To help prevent sudden motor failure

11 Note: Tests are performed in a strict sequence and

controlled manner
 Properties of the Dielectrics

Wire for a 415V AC motor has

6000VAC insulation capability

Or:

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Properties of the Dielectrics
Properties of the Dielectrics

The dielectric strength of insulation is VERY high !

If weakness is identified during testing, it is not high voltage testing

creating the fault, it is the test highlighting that a fault is developing

This is why we are testing !

 Causes of Insulation Failure

• Thermal Aging (IEEE 101)

For every 10C increase in nameplate temperature of the
insulation, the insulation life is decreased by 1/2.

• Contamination
Chemical, deposit on the winding

• Mechanical
Movement within the winding at start up

• Over Voltage Spikes

• High Voltage surges caused by start up switching, Lightning,

Inverter drives
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 Turn to Turn Failure

• 80% of electrical stator failures start as turn-to-turn weakness

** GE study

• Most will eventually fail to ground in the slot, but the root cause
will be turn to turn failure

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Dielectric Strength and voltage Spikes
Winding Faults
 Possible Coil Insulation Failure Modes

Between turns of
the same coil of
the same phase

Phase A

Phase B

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 Winding Resistance Test

Most 3 phase motors have close balance between the phase to phase
resistance values – less than 1% in most cases

We typically allow a maximum of 3% unbalance.

Delta R % = Maximum value – Minimum value x 100%

Average value

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 Winding Resistance Test

It can find:

• Magnitude and Balance between phases

• Electrical Unbalance
• Short circuit
• Open circuit
• Wrong number of turns / Wrong wire size
• Bad lead terminations

It cannot find:

• Weak insulation
• contamination
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 MegOhm Test

A DC voltage is applied to the windings for one minute, with the leakage
current to ground being measured.

Using Ohm’s law, the Insulation Resistance (IR) is calculated in Megohms.

IEEE 43-2000 Table 1:

V line (AC) V test (DC)
< - 2500 500 - 1000
2500 - 5000 1000 - 2500
5000 -12000 2500 - 5000
> 12000 5000 -10000
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IEEE 43-2000 MegOhm Pass/Fail Criteria

Note: Values must be corrected to 40º C

For reliability testing, we recommend at least 50MΩ @ 40°C for

random wound machines !
 Megohm Test

It Can:

• Determine if the motor is grounded

• Determine if the motor is contaminated/wet

It Cannot:

• Determine if a motor is good

• Find a Turn-to-Turn Fault
• Find an Open Phase
• Find a Phase-to-Phase Fault * unless neutral point opened
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• Cannot find potential copper-to-copper faults.
 DC Step Voltage Testing

An over voltage test used to simulate the voltage levels (switching surges)
experienced by motors during start-up and shut-down.

Can find:

• Weak Ground wall insulation

• Cable insulation problems

• Cannot find:

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• Turn to turn insulation weakness
 DC Step Voltage Testing

NEMA MG-1

3.01.6 - Apply for 1 minute

12.03 - 1000 VAC + 2 X rated volts
3.01.12 - 75% Installation Test Voltage (AC test)
20.48.2 - DC Test = 1.7 X AC Test (DC Hipot/Step voltage test)

Baker recommends:
1000 VDC + 2 X rated volts for motors in service: 1920VDC
1000 VDC + 2 X rated volts x 1.7 for new motors: 3264VDC

Example: 460v Motor

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EASA DC HiPot
 DC Step Voltage Test

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Good – Linear current Bad – Non-Linear current

 Complete Detection of Electric Motor Insulation Faults

• MegOhm Test (Megger)

– Partial coverage of groundwall Insulation
– Partial coverage coil to ground

• High Voltage DC Tests (HiPOT, Step,

Ramp, PI/DA)
– Complete Groundwall Insulation test
– Complete coil, phase & turn to ground
test

• Surge Test
Most common
– Phase to Phase insulation
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– Coil to Coil failure!
– Turn to Turn
– Wound wrong direction
 Surge Testing

• Not a new concept. First recorded in 1936.

• Initially developed by General Electric & Westinghouse.

• Used to detect turn to turn (copper to copper) insulation weakness and

also dead shorts, reversed coils etc

• Widely used by motor repair workshops worldwide

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 Surge Test Capabilities

Field Testing Can Find:

• Weak insulation (PPM, QA, TS)

• Turn-To-Turn
• Coil-To-Coil
• Phase-To-Phase

Workshop Testing (Rotor Removed) Can find:

• Weak insulation turn to turn, coil to coil, phase to phase (QA, TS, PPM)
• Reversed coils (QA)
• Turn-To-Turn shorts (QA,)
• Unbalanced turn count (QA)
31 • Different size copper wire (QA)
• Shorted laminations (QA)
Dynamic Motor Analysis

◼ Customer wanting to increase the performance/reliability of his

motors

◼ Non-accessible machines - vibration monitoring cannot be used

Dynamic Motor Analysis – Capabilities & Benefits

▪ Power Quality Analysis

→ Poor connections, Over heating motors, improperly performing
motors, reduced efficiency, improperly adjusted transformers,
defective VFD’s

▪ Motor Condition
→ Motor Efficiency, Loading condition of motor, Over heating of winding,
Rotor condition. Eccentricity, Bearing condition

▪ Mechanical Load Analysis

→ Cavitating pumps, Worn impellers, Instantaneous Torque Analysis of
load, Misalignment, Belt frequencies
Connections
 EXP4000 Connections

Control panel (MCC) At motor MCC using EP1000

Voltage Probes

Current CTs

EP1000 is a permanently mounted

module in the MCC which allows
• MCC – stop the motor, isolate the panel, make measurements to be made with the
MCC door closed and no exposure
connections, re-energise the panel to high voltages.

• At motor – as above

• EP1000 – no need to to stop motor or open

panel/terminal box
Safety and Connecting: High Voltage

MCC using EP1000

EP1000 is a permanently mounted

accessory in the MCC which allows
measurements to be made with the
MCC door closed and no exposure to
high voltages.
4
6

EXP4000 Connections

Maximum direct voltage measurement: 1000VAC !

But we can test up to 13.8kV motors if there are voltage and current
transformers already present in the panel (kWh/protection meter etc)
4
7

EXP4000 Connections

EP1000 connection to an HV motor

Dynamic Testing Analysis
 Motor Machine System Electrical Characteristics

Power P1 Motor Load P4

• Voltage level • Load % • Torque
• Voltage unbalance • Rotor bar • Speed
• Harmonic distortion • Current level • Over current
• Total distortion • Current unbalance • Load unbalance
• Power • Effective Service • Load variation
• Harmonics Factor
• VFD details • Operating condition
• Power Factor
• Efficiency
EXP4000 Dashboard
What Does Dynamic Testing Tell Us?

•Power Quality
Voltage level, voltage unbalance, harmonics distortion, total distortion, power,
harmonics
•Machine Performance
Payback period, effective service factor, load, operating condition, efficiency
•Current
Current level, current unbalance
•Spectrum
Rotor bar, V/I spectra, demodulated spectra
•Connections
Waveforms, ABC/SYM components, phasors
•VFD details
Torque and speed vs. time, frequency and voltage vs. time.
Power Quality

Leads to
Under Voltage Over Currents (Over Heat)

Over Voltage Low Power Factor

Iron Saturation
Ultimately Higher Losses

Over/Under Voltage usually caused by

• Poorly performing or improperly adjusted transformers
• Undersized conductors
• Poor connections
• Low power factor sources in the distribution system
 Voltage Level Compared to Winding Temp*

Voltage -10% Normal +10%

(414V) (460V) (506V)
HP Full
Load Temp Eff Temp Eff Temp Eff

10 66 90.0 56 91.4 55 91.5

For each 10ºC rise
20 84 90.4 70 91.8 67 in temperature,
92.1

50 84 91.9 69 93.1 62 the93.6

motor
insulation lifetime
100 82 94.2 72 94.8 69 94.9
is cut in half!
200 90 94.9 77 95.5 74 95.7
Typical Values for TEFC 4-pole Energy Efficient Motors *US Motors

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Voltage Unbalances

When a voltage unbalance reaches

5%, the phase currents can differ by as
much as 40 %.

Vmaxdev-V
Unbal = 100 x
V

where:
Unbalance = Voltage unbalance in %
Vmaxdev = Line to line phase voltage
deviating most from mean of 3 phases
V = RMS voltage, mean line to line of
3 phases
The increases in motor
losses are directly
converted into heat in the
motor, reducing the motor’s
life by a factor of 2 for each
10ºC rise in temperature.
 Case Studies
Mechanical Defects
Mechanical Defect Case Study 1 – Paper Industry

P&P mill - Tissue Machine : YANKEE Cylinder

Unplanned shutdown costs: 2000 € / hour

Time needed to change cylinder or gearbox: 48 hours

Mechanical Defect Case Study 1 – Paper Industry

zoom

• Situation :
- Dynamic controls every 6 weeks; static control once a year.
- Unplanned shutdown cost = 2000€/h.
- Time needed to replace cylinder or gearbox = 48h or 96,000€
Mechanical Defect Case Study 1 – Paper Industry

zoom

• Trend :
- Torque ripple increases from 13% to 46% at similar load level
- Vibration trends are OK
- Power and motor analysis are OK
Mechanical Defect Case Study 1 – Paper Industry

Damage found on non-located bearing

Mechanical Defect Case Study 1 – Paper Industry

• Cost saving:

- Benefits = 96k€ (1 unplanned shutdown avoided),

- Investments = 10k€ (4h for the bearing replacement +
maintenance works & parts)

- Added value = 86k€

 Mechanical Defect Case Study 3 – Paper Industry

P&P mill – Printing Machine : Agitator Dissolver – Broken impeller

Mechanical Defect Case Study 3 – Paper Industry

F0 PV

Peak at 3.68Hz or 221 RPM

Mechanical Defect Case Study 3 – Paper Industry

F0 PV
Mechanical Defect Case Study 4 – Cement Industry
 Rotor Bar Case Study

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 Effect of Rotor Bar fault on Torque

77
 Compared to an Identical Motor

78
 Evidence of Broken Bars

79
 Evidence of Broken Bars

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 NetEP – System Description
SQL Database
Server
Up to 32
motors
Monitoring
7 6

8 8

VFD VFD VFD

11
1

Up to 7
voltage
NetEP buss inputs

More Monitoring More NetEPs

and Motors

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 Questions??

Hameed Al-Shehabi
+97333645345
Hameed.Shehab@megger.com

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