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CHAPTER 2 - Troubleshooting AC Motors

Problem A - Motor won't start or motor accelerates too slowly


A1: Check input power to starter. Is there
power on all lines? (Three-phase motors won't start on one-phase.) Restore power on all lines

A2: Check starter. Is overload protection


device opened?

Replace or reset device. Does it open again when starting?

A3: Is there power on all lines to motor?

Repair starter

A4: Is voltage to motor more than 10%


below nameplate voltage?

Restore proper voltage.

A5: Check motor terminal connections. Are


any loose or broken?

Repair connections.

A6: May be wrong motor for application. Is


starting load too high?

Install Design C or Design D motor. Install larger motor.

A7: Is driven machine jammed or


overloaded?

Remove jam or overload.

A8: Are misalignments, bad bearings or


damaged components causing excessive friction in driven machine or power transmission system? Repair or replace component.

A9: Are bad bearings, bent shaft, damaged


end bells, rubbing fan or rotor or other problem causing excessive friction in the motor? Repair or replace motor.

A10: Check stator. Are any coils open,


shored or grounded?

Repair coil or replace motor.

A11: Check commutator. Are any bars or


rings broken?

Replace rotor.

Problem B - Motor runs noisy


B1: Are vibrations and noise from driven
machine or power transmission system being transmitted to motor? Locate source of noise and reduce. Isolate motor with belt drive or elastomeric coupling.

B2: Is a hollow motor foundation acting as a


sounding board?

Redesign mounting. Coat foundation underside with sound dampening material.

B3: Check motor mounting. Is it loose?

Tighten. Be sure shaft is aligned.

B4: Is motor mounting even and shaft


properly aligned?

Shim feet for even mounting and align shaft.

B5: Is fan hitting or rubbing on stationary


part or is object caught in fan housing?

Repair damaged fan, end bell or part causing contact. Remove trash from fan housing.

B6: Is air gap nonuniform or rotor rubbing on


stator?

Recenter rotor rubbing on worn bearings or relocate pedestal bearings.

B7: Listen to bearings. Are they noisy?

Lubricate bearings. If still noisy, replace.

B8: Is voltage between phases (three-phase


motors) unbalanced?

Balance voltages.

B9: Is three-phase motor operating on onephase? (Won't start on single-phase.)

Restore power on three-phases.

Problem C - Motor overheats


C1: Is ambient temperature too high?
Reduce ambient, increase ventilation or install larger motor.

C2: Is motor too small for present operating


conditions?

Install larger motor.

C3: Is motor started too frequently?

Reduce starting cycle or use larger motor.

C4: Check external frame. Is it covered with


dirt which acts as insulation and prevents proper cooling?

Wipe, scrape or vacuum accumulated dirt from frame.

C5: Feel output from air exhaust openings.


Is flow light or inconsistent indicating poor ventilation?

Remove obstructions or dirt preventing free circulation of air flow. If needed, clean internal air passages.

C6: Check input current while driving load. Is


it excessive indicating an overload?

Go to Step C11.

C7: Is the driven equipment overload?

Reduce load or install larger motor.

C8: Are misalignments, bad bearings or


damaged component causing excessive friction in driven machine or power

Repair or replace bad components.

transmission system?

C9: Are motor bearings dry?

Lubricate. Does motor still draw excessive current?

C10: Are damaged end bells, rubbing fan,


bent shaft or rubbing rotor causing excessive internal friction? Repair or replace motor.

C11: Are bad bearings causing excessive


friction?

Determine cause of bad bearings (See Problem D).

C12: Check phase voltage. Does it vary


between phases?

Restore equal voltage on all phases.

C13: Is voltage more than 10% above or


10% below nameplate?

Restore proper voltage or install motor built for the voltage.

C14: Check stator. Are any coils grounded


or shorted?

Repair coils or replace motor.

Problem D - Motor bearings run hot or noisy


D1: Check loading. Is excessive side
pressure, end loading or vibration overloading bearings? Reduce overloading.* Install larger motor.

D2: Is sleeve bearing motor mounted on a


slant causing end thrust?

Mount horizontally* or install ball bearing motor.

D3: Is bent or misaligned shaft overloading

Replace bent shaft or align

bearings?

shaft.*

D4: Is loose or damaged end bell


overloading shaft?

Tighten or replace end bell.*

D5: Are bearings dry?

Lubricate.*

D6: Is bearing lubricant dirty, contaminated


or of wrong grade?

Clean bearings and lubricate with proper grade*

D7: Remove end bells. Are bearings


misaligned, worn or damaged?

Replace.

*Bearings may have been damaged. If motor still runs noisy or hot, replace bearings

CHAPTER 3 - Troubleshooting DC Motors


Problem E - Motor won't start
E1: Check main input power to controller. Is
there power on the lines? Are contacts closed? Restore input power.

E2: Check controller. Is the overload


protective device open?

Reset or replace device. Does it open again when starting motor?

E3: Check controller. Is there voltage


available at output terminals?

Check controller for open starting resistor, broken leads and connections or other malfunctions. Repair.

E4: Set the controller for full speed. Is the


voltage for field or armature circuits too low?

Check voltage from power source. Correct if too low. Check controller for malfunction. Repair.

E5: Check for weak or non-existent field. Is


motor field open? Has one field coil shorted?

Repair broken leads or connections. Rewind or replace open or shorted coil.

E6: Check for open armature circuit. Is


voltage at motor armature terminals zero when starting?

Repair damaged armature circuit.

E7: Is driven machine jammed or


overloaded?

Remove jam or overload or install larger motor.

E8: Are misalignments, bad bearings or worn


components causing excessive friction in driven machine or power transmission system? Correct misalignment or repair or replace worn component.

E9: Are bad bearings, bent shaft, rubbing fan


or rotor, damaged end bells, or other mechanical problems causing excessive friction in motor?

Repair or replace damaged motor components or install new motor

Problem F - Motor starts but stops and reverses direction


F1: Check polarity of power source. Did it
reverse? Determine why power supply reversed polarity and repair.

F2: Shunt and series field may be bucking


each other. To check and correct: Reconnect the shunt or series field to correct polarity. Connect armature for desired rotation direction. Try fields separately to determine rotation direction and connect so both give the same rotation.

Problem G - Motor runs but overload protective device trips too often.
G1: Is motor too small for load? Have
loading conditions changed? Reduce load or install larger motor.

G2: Check controller. Is overload device set


too low for application?

Increase overload setting. NEVER exceed safe limits specified by codes or equipment maker.

G3: Is motor overheating?

See Problem H.

Problem H - Motor overheats

H1: Is ambient temperature too high?

Reduce ambient, increase ventilation or install larger motor.

H2: Check external frame. Is it covered with


layer of dirt which acts as insulation and prevents proper cooling?

Wipe, scrape or vacuum accumulated dirt from frame.

H3: Feel output from air exhaust openings.


Is flow light or inconsistent indicating poor ventilation?

Remove obstructions or dirt preventing free of air flow. If needed, clean internal air passages.

H4: High load speed consumes extra


horsepower overloading motor. Is motor operating above normal speed? See Problem J.

H5: Check for overload.

See Steps E7 thru E9.

Problem I - Motor runs too slowly.


I1: Is motor overloaded?
See Steps E7 thru E9.

I2: Is the field resistance too low?

Add proper resistance.

I3: Check for shorts in armature or between


commutator bars. Are armature coils or wedges burned? Are any commutator bars burned? Replace or replace coils or bars.

I4: Check brush holders. Are brushes set


ahead of neutral?

Reset brushes to neutral.

I5: Voltage to armature too low. Set


controller for full speed. Is voltage at output terminals below nameplate voltage?

Check power source output voltage. Raise if too low. Check controller for malfunction. Repair.

I6: DC motors may run 20% slower on light


loads when they don't heat up. Is motor operating cold?

Increase load or reduce ventilation to increase heating. Install new motor.

Problem J - Motor runs too fast.


J1: Is driven load too light allowing motor to
run fast? Increase load or install smaller motor.

J2: Check for a weak field per Steps J3


through J6.

J3: Are shunt or series coils reversed?

Reconnect reversed coils for proper polarity.

J4: Is there excessive resistance in shunt


field circuit?

Remove excessive resistance.

J5: Is excessive heat causing higher


resistance in shunt field circuit?

Increase ventilation or correct other cause of overheating.

J6: No field causes unbalanced shunt motor


to race. Is field circuit open?

Repair broken lead or connection. Replace open coil.

J7: Set controller for full speed. Is voltage at


output terminals of controller above nameplate voltage?

Reduce output voltage. Check controller for malfunction. Repair.

J8: Check brush holders. Are brushes set


behind neutral?

Reset brushes to neutral.

Problem K - Motor runs noisy


K1: Are vibrations and noise from driven
machine or power transmission system being transmitted to motor? Locate source of noise and reduce. Isolate motor with belt drive or elastomeric coupling.

K2: Is a hollow motor foundation acting as a


sounding board?

Redesign mounting. Coat foundation underside with sound dampening material.

K3: Check motor mounting. Is it loose?

Tighten. Be sure shaft is aligned.

K4: Is motor mounting even and shaft


properly aligned?

Shim feet for even mounting and align shaft.

K5: Is fan hitting or rubbing on stationary


part or is object caught in fan housing?

Repair damaged fan, end bell or part causing contact. Remove trash from fan housing.

K6: Is air gap nonuniform or armature rotor


rubbing on pole pieces?

Tighten loose pole piece. Recenter armature by replacing worn bearings or relocating pedestal bearings.

K7: Listen to bearings. Are they noisy?

Lubricate bearings. If still noisy, replace.

K8: Are bearings noisy or running hot?

See Problem L.

K9: Are the brushes developing high or low


frequency chatter?

See Problem M.

Problem L - Motor bearings run hot or noisy


L1: Check loading. Is excessive side
pressure, end loading or vibration overloading bearings? Reduce overloading.* Install large motor.

L2: Is sleeve bearing motor mounted on a


slant causing end thrust?

Mount horizontally* or install ball bearing motor.

L3: Is bent or misaligned shaft overloading


bearings?

Replace bent shaft or align shaft.*

L4: Is loose or damaged end bell


overloading shaft?

Tighten or replace end bell.*

L5: Are bearings dry?

Lubricate.*

L6: Is bearing lubricant dirty, contaminated


or of wrong grade?

Clean bearings and lubricate with proper grade.*

L7: Remove end bells. Are bearings


misaligned, worn or damaged?

Replace.

*Bearings may have been damaged. If motor still runs noisy or hot, replace bearings.

Problem M - Brushes sparking excessively; may be accompanied by brush chatter and/or excessive wear and chipping.
M1: Is motor overloaded?
Reduce overload or install larger motor.

M2: Is vibration from driven machine or


motor present?

Locate source of vibration and reduce.

M3: Check brushes and brush holders. Are


brushes worn too short?

Replace brushes.

M4: Does each brush fit commutator as


indicated by polished surface over entire brush face. Refit brushes to commutator.

M5: Are brushes hanging up in holders?

Clean brushes and holders. Remove rough surfaces that cause extra friction.

M6: Are brush springs broken or is spring


pressure too light?

Replace spring or increase pressure. Be sure pressure is equal on all brushes.

M7: Is spring pressure to high? (May also


cause brush chipping)

Reduce pressure or replace with lighter spring.

M8: Are brush holders set off neutral? (May


also cause brush chipping)

Reset holders at neutral.

M9: Are brushes set a wrong angle? (May


also cause brush chipping)

Reset holders for brush angle recommended by motor manufacturer.

M10: Is brush holder set for more than 1/8"


clearance above commutator? (May also cause brush chipping) Reset holder for 1/8" clearance.

M11: Chipping brushes may also indicate


wrong brush material. Are brushes too weak for duty?

Consult motor manufacturer for recommendations.

M12: Check commutator. Is commutator


surface under brushes polished brown color?

Normal condition. Go to Step M18.

M13: Is commutator surface black (generally


caused by sparking)?

Check for overloads, low spring tension, poorly undercut mica, loose commutator bars, etc. Correct sparking. Dress commutator.

M14: Is there thick film on commutator - may


appear black?

Use more abrasive brushes.

M15: Is commutator surface bright and


brassy looking?

If humidity is below 2 grams per cu. ft., increase humidity OR reduce spring pressure, use low friction brushes or use less abrasive brushes.

M16: Is commutator surface contaminated


from paint spray, oil or chemical fumes? Is there excessive moisture in air?

Clean commutator and brushes and protect motor from contamination. Install motor with proper enclosure to protect commutator.

M17: Is commutator streaked or grooved


under one or more brushes?

Be sure all brushes same grade. Replace if some are too abrasive. Check for faulty shunt connections causing unbalanced

load; repair.

M18: Is commutator rough or eccentric?

Grind commutator round Undercut mica

M19: Is mica above bar surface?

Undercut mica.

M20: Are some commutator bars too high,


too low or loose?

Replace commutator or tighten V-ring bolts to tension recommended by manufacturer and grind commutator.

M21: Are there flat or burned spots on


commutator bars caused by unbalanced load in armature circuit?

Balanced load. Grind commutator.

M22: Is conductive film carbon dust or


copper flaking causing shorts between armature bars? Undercut mica.

M23: Are there any shorts or opens in


armature circuits?

Locate and repair.

M24: Are there any grounds, shorts or


opens in the field wiring circuits?

Locate and repair.

M25: Are connections to brush holder poor


or broken?

Locate and repair.

M26: Is the interpole current weak or the air


gap too great?

Increase interpole current or reduce gap.

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