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Motor Overheating Problems

The document discusses various causes of motor overheating, including: 1) Shorted turns in motor windings that cause circulating currents and localized heating. 2) Grounds or shorts in motor windings that increase amperage flow and cause overheating. 3) Worn bearings that cause drag on the stator and uneven air gaps, leading to internal overheating over time. 4) Operating motors above their rated service factor or nameplate amperage, causing overloading and overheating.

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200 views

Motor Overheating Problems

The document discusses various causes of motor overheating, including: 1) Shorted turns in motor windings that cause circulating currents and localized heating. 2) Grounds or shorts in motor windings that increase amperage flow and cause overheating. 3) Worn bearings that cause drag on the stator and uneven air gaps, leading to internal overheating over time. 4) Operating motors above their rated service factor or nameplate amperage, causing overloading and overheating.

Uploaded by

zhangyili
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Motor Overheating Problems

John Jun '18

Shorted Turns

Shorted turns in a winding will cause overheating. When just a few coil turns
are shorted, they form a closed loop. A circulating current is transformed into
the loop. The current is usually high enough to melt a wire, opening the closed
loop.

Before this happens, a pole forms from the circulating current in the shorted
turns. This pole doesn’t conform to the surrounding poles. Its magnetism
causes a ringing sound, unique to motors with shorted turns.

Shorted turns may not slow the motor at all. A line-to-line ampere comparison
will show a substantial difference between motor leads, and will identify the
problem as shorted turns.

Ground in Winding

If a winding is grounded (shorted) to the stator or frame, it will get hot (from
the increased ampere flow). This condition usually causes a fuse or breaker to
open. If there are enough coils in the motor’s circuitry between the line and the
ground, the motor will still run, but with increased (and unbalanced) amperes.

Worn Bearings and Uneven Air Gap

Worn sleeve bearings cause overheating. A three-phase motor’s torque is so


smooth that it may be necessary to move the shaft to detect a worn sleeve
bearing. It’s common for a rotor to drag on the stator before the problem is
detected.

Uneven air gap from worn sleeve bearings will cause internal heating in some
motors. Motors that use an internal circuit connection (that balances the
current path through the poles) are less affected by uneven air gap.

Although uneven air gap should be avoided, it won’t cause immediate damage
to a motor’s winding. In the past, most three-phase motors had sleeve
bearings. Many ran for years with worn bearings and an uneven air gap—with
no electrical problems.

Wrong Service Factor

The service factor (found on the motor’s nameplate) is the amount of overload
a motor can handle (without overheating) for a limited time. The service factor
number is a multiplier. The multiplier number times the motor’s nameplate
amperes is the amount of overload a motor can handle. Service factor
numbers are 1, 1.15, and 1.2.

A high service factor usually indicates a well-designed motor. A totally


enclosed motor will have a service factor of 1, meaning it can’t be loaded
higher than nameplate amperes.

Many air compressors are deliberately designed to use the service factor.

(They are in a highly competitive market.)

In one case, an air compressor had a 75-horsepower motor with a 1.2 service
factor. The compressor was designed to use the full 1.2 service factor value.
(When a compressor operates normally, it will cycle for a time unloaded so the
motor has time to cool down.) Unfortunately, this motor never ran unloaded
because the air volume demand was so high. The motor failed after a few
months.
Connected for the Wrong Voltage

If a dual-voltage motor connected for high voltage is connected to low voltage,


it will produce only one-fourth of its rated horsepower. It will start much more
slowly than normal. Some loads allow this motor to reach nearly normal
speed. If an induction motor’s RPM is below its nameplate rating, the high slip
will cause it to overheat.

If a dual-voltage motor connected for low voltage is connected to high voltage,


the results with any type of load are immediate. The motor develops many
times its normal starting torque, and it draws so many amperes that its
winding is destroyed in a matter of seconds. NEMA standards allow ± 10
percent of nameplate voltage. If a fully loaded motor, rated for 220 volts, is
connected to 250 volts, it will run hotter than normal (a 12 percent difference).
Motors with frequent start cycles will have extreme overheating problems
when voltage is this high.

A motor rated for 208 volts but connected to 250 volts will overheat without a
load. (The connection is 20 percent over its rated voltage.)

A motor rated for 250 volts but connected to 208 volts can’t pull its rated load.
It may not start a load requiring high breakaway torque. The motor will work if
the load is reduced. (A tachometer should be used to make sure the RPM isn’t
below the nameplate rating.) Any departure from rated voltage greater than +
10 percent will result in extra heat.

Wrong Hertz

Motors designed for 50 Hz power most of the machinery manufactured in


Europe. Problems can occur when this machinery is used in the United

States on 60 Hz. A four-pole 50-Hz motor runs 300 RPM faster on 60 Hz. The
motor will be overloaded if its load is air or liquid. Conveyer belts and augers
will also overload this motor. (Changing the pulley dimension ratio solves the
problem for some applications.) Direct-driven loads require major redesigning
or replacement.

In one case, the power for an entire facility was converted to 50 Hz, because
so much of the equipment used 50 Hz. When failed motors were replaced with
60-Hz motors, they ran hotter than normal on 50 Hz. (The 60-Hz motors have
fewer turns per pole than 50-Hz motors.) If the supply voltage is lowered for
the 60-Hz motors, they won’t run as hot, but power output is lessened.

Internal Motor Problems

Internal motor problems can cause overheating. The problems that follow
were covered earlier, under “Assorted Rotor Problems,” but are reviewed here
briefly.

Rotor/Stator Alignment If the rotor and stator iron aren’t aligned properly, the
result is high amperes (loaded or no load) and loss of power. This problem
can’t be detected with an ohmmeter, or limited current and turning of the shaft.

Open Rotor Bars Open rotor bars cause power loss. With a normal load, the
rotor will run more slowly than the nameplate RPM, resulting in high amperes
in both the rotor and the stator windings. (Too much slip increases rotor hertz,
which causes higher amperes.)

Cracked End Ring Cracked end rings cause uneven torque and loss of power.
The result is similar to that of open rotor bars.

Air Gap Too Large If the rotor becomes “out of round,” it may drag on the stator
core. This condition is corrected by skimming some of the iron off the rotor
with a lathe.

Skimming the rotor increases the air gap. Air gap should be kept at a minimum
because it’s a break in the magnetic circuit. A large air gap creates a large
increase in the motor’s magnetizing amperes. The motor will run hotter, and
there will be a slight power and efficiency loss.

Whether to skim the rotor should be decided on a case-by-case basis. If the


motor has more power than needed or its duty (frequent starts, etc.) doesn’t
cause above-normal heating, skimming the rotor does no harm.

A large air gap can be similar to a misaligned rotor. (It can’t be detected with
an ohmmeter, or limited current and turning of the shaft.)

jimmy2510 May 18

Yes, there are many problems related to the overheating of the motor, and I
would suggest keeping it away from other sources of heat by giving plenty of
space and even making sure that the ventilation holes are clear and,
remember when you start using your electric motor, consistently monitor its
temperature and performance for signs of overheating or deterioration. For
further details, you can also visit Reliance electric motor .

Thanks.

Satyadeo_Vyas May 25

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