Understanding Induction Motor Nameplate Information

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Understanding Induction Motor Nameplate Information

Keeping the language common among manufacturers is critical to making motors
interchangeable
Ed Cowern, P.E., Baldor Electric Co. May 1, 2004

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The U.S. motor industry has worked on a standardized basis for more than three-quarters of a century.
The standardization agency National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) was established in 1926
to promote the standardization of electrical apparatus and supplies. As a result of this group's efforts, you
can expect motors from different manufacturers to meet or exceed minimum performance

The U.S. motor industry has worked on a standardized basis for more than three-
quarters of a century. The standardization agency National Electrical Manufacturers
Association (NEMA) was established in 1926 to promote the standardization of
electrical apparatus and supplies. As a result of this group's efforts, you can expect Tip of the Week: Insights from NEC Article 90,
Part 1
standard motors from different manufacturers to meet or exceed minimum
performance parameters and, for the most part, be about the same size. Tip of the Week: Are Your People Inattentive?

A critical part of making motors interchangeable is ensuring that nameplate information Which group below does most of your electrical
work fall into?
is common among manufacturers. The common language of the motor nameplate
enables installation and maintenance personnel to quickly understand and recognize Tip of the Week: Starting Motors Under Load, or
exactly what type of motor they're dealing with during a new installation or replacement Not
procedure.
How do you reverse motor direction?

The NEC states that the motor nameplate must show the following information:

Rated voltage or voltages Photo Galleries

Rated full-load amps for each voltage level Code Quiz of the
Week: No. 78
Frequency Take this weekly quiz to
test your knowledge of
Phase
the 2014 National
Rated full-load speed Electrical Code (NEC)
requirements.
Insulation class and rated ambient temperature
Rated horsepower
Time rating
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Locked-rotor code letter
Hot Topics Comments New Topics
Manufacturer's name and address
55
In addition to this required information, motor nameplates may also include data like New AFCI Requirements in 2014 NEC

frame size, NEMA design letter, service factor, full-load efficiency, and power factor. last reply by Larryfos29 in National Electrical Code
(NEC)

Finally, some nameplates may even include data like bearing identification numbers, 112kVA Transformer to Two 200A Panels
7

certification code, manufacturer serial number, and symbols and logos. last reply by mshields in Power Distribution

Basic nameplate data. In order to fully understand the details presented on motor
nameplates we'll examine each of these items more closely and explain its importance.
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Understanding Induction Motor Nameplate Information

Rated voltage Motors are designed to yield optimal performance when operating at a Hot Topics: Arc Ratings, FR, Heat Stress, NFPA
specific voltage level, or a combination of voltage levels in the case of dual-voltage or 70E and More
Industry technical experts address questions
tri-voltage motors. This value is known as the nameplate voltage. In recognition of the surrounding hot topics such as arc ratings, FR, heat
fact that voltage changes on your power distribution system occur due to changing load stress, NFPA70E and more. Heres information you
should know about key issues that impact workers....
conditions within your facility and on the utility supply that feeds your facility, motors
are designed with a 10% tolerance for voltage above and below the rated nameplate
value. Thus, a motor with a rated nameplate voltage of 460V should be expected to
More
operate successfully between 414V and 506V.
VIEW MORE WHITE PAPERS
Rated full-load amperage As the torque load on a motor increases, the amperage
required to power the motor also increases. When the full-load torque and horsepower
is reached, the corresponding amperage is known as the full-load amperage (FLA). This
EC&M Webinars
value is determined by laboratory tests; the value is usually rounded up slightly and
recorded as the nameplate value. Rounding up allows for manufacturing variations that
NOV 9, 2016
can occur and some normal voltage variations that might increase the full-load amps of WEBINAR
the motor. The nameplate FLA is used to select the correct wire size, motor starter, and Technology Enabled
Data Center Life
overload protection devices necessary to serve and protect the motor.
Cycle Services

Frequency To operate successfully, the motor frequency must match the power
NOV 2, 2016
system (supply) frequency. In North America, this frequency is 60 Hz (cycles). In other WEBINAR
parts of the world, the frequency may be 50 or 60 Hz. There is More to a
Data Center than
White Space; A
Phase This concept is fairly simple in the United States. You either have a single-
Holistic Approach to
phase or 3-phase motor. Facility Monitoring and Control

Rated full-load speed This is the motor's approximate speed under full-load VIEW MORE WEBINARS
conditions, when voltage and frequency are at the rated values. A somewhat lower value
than the actual laboratory test result figures is usually stamped on the nameplate
because this value can change slightly due to factors like manufacturing tolerances, EC&M TV
motor temperature, and voltage variations. On standard induction motors, the full-load IDEAL PowerBlade
Cable Cutters 1
speed is typically 96% to 99% of the no-load speed.
Big enough for any job...

Insulation class and rated ambient temperature A critical element in motor life is
the maximum temperature that occurs at the hottest spot in the motor. The
temperature that occurs at that spot is a combination of motor design (temperature rise)
and the ambient (surrounding) temperature. The standard way of indicating these More
components is by showing the allowable maximum ambient temperature, usually 40C
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(104F), and the class of insulation used in the design of the motor. Available classes are
B, F, and H.

Rated horsepower Horsepower is the measure of how much work a motor can be
expected to do. This value is based on the motor's full-load torque and full-load speed
ratings and is calculated as follows:

Horsepower (hp)=[Motor SpeedTorque (lb-ft)]5,250

The standardized NEMA table of motor horsepower ratings runs from 1 hp to 450 hp. If
a load's actual horsepower requirement falls between two standard horsepower ratings,
you should generally select the larger size motor for your application.

Time rating Standard motors are rated for continuous duty (24/7) at their rated load
and maximum ambient temperature. Specialized motors can be designed for short-
time requirements where intermittent duty is all that's needed. These motors can carry
a short-time rating from 5 minutes to 60 minutes. The NEMA definition for short-time
EC&M Learning Center
motors is as follows: All short-time ratings are based upon corresponding short-time
load tests, which shall commence only when the windings and other parts of the motor
are within 5C of the ambient temperature at the time of the test. By using short-time Understanding the 2014 NEC,

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Understanding Induction Motor Nameplate Information

Volume 1 (Articles 90 to 480)

ratings, it's possible to reduce the size, weight, and cost of the motor required for This resource has proven itself in the field
certain applications. For example, you may choose to install an induction motor with a and in the exam room. This latest edition
will provide you with a rock-solid
15-minute rating to power a pre-operation oil pump used to pre-lube a gas turbine unit foundation...
because it would be unusual for this type of motor to be operated for more than 15
Understanding NEC Requirements
minutes at a time. for Grounding vs Bonding
One of the most confusing areas of the
Locked-rotor code letter When AC motors are started with full voltage applied, they trade continues to be grounding and
bonding, which is why this book needs to
create an inrush current that's usually many times greater than the value of the full- be in the hands...
load current. The value of this high current can be important on some installations
Changes to The NEC 2014
because it can cause a voltage dip that might affect other equipment. There are two
Don't let the scale of the code changes
ways to find the value of this current: intimidate you, this book will get you up to
speed on the most essential...
Look it up in the motor performance data sheets as provided by the manufacturer. It will
be noted as the locked-rotor current.
BROWSE ALL TITLES
Use the locked-rotor code letter that defines an inrush current a motor requires when
starting it.

Manufacturer's name and address Most manufacturers include their name and
address on the motor nameplate.
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Optional nameplate data. In addition to the required items noted above, more
information is typically included on a motor nameplate. eTrain - (Bi-Weekly) View Sample

Product NewsWire - (Monthly) View

Frame size Under the NEMA system, most motor dimensions are standardized and
Sample
categorized by a frame size number and letter designation. In fractional horsepower
ElectricalZone - (Weekly) View Sample
motors the frame sizes are two digits and represent the shaft height of the motor from
the bottom of the base in sixteenths of an inch. For example, a 56-frame motor would MRO Insider - (Bi-Weekly) View Sample

have a shaft height (D dimension) of 56/16 of an inch, or 3.5 inches. PQ NewsBeat - (Bi-Weekly) View
Sample
On larger 3-digit frame size motors, 143T through 449T, a slightly different system is Illumination Insider - (Bi-Weekly) View
used where the first two digits represent the shaft height in quarters of an inch. For Sample
example, a 326T frame would have a D dimension of 32 one-quarter inches, or 8 CodeWatch - (Bi-Weekly) View Sample
inches. Although no direct inch measurement relates to it, the third digit of three-digit G-Biz - (Varies) View Sample
frame sizes, in this case a 6, is an indication of the motor body's length. The longer the
Electrical Testing - (Monthly) View
motor body, the longer the distance between mounting bolt holes in the base (i.e.
Sample
greater F dimension). For example, a 145T frame has a larger F dimension than does
ECM NECA 2016 Show Coverage -
a 143T frame.
(Show Daily)
View Sample
When working with metric motors (IEC type), the concept is the same as noted above
with one exception the shaft height above the base is now noted in millimeters rather E-MAIL*

than inches. The frame size is the shaft height in millimeters. COUNTRY* United States
United States

NEMA design letter Certain types of machinery may require motors with specialized Enter your email above to receive messages about
offerings by Penton, its brands, affiliates and/or third-
performance characteristics. For example, cranes and hoists that have to start with full party partners, consistent with Pentons Privacy Policy.
loads imposed may require motors with operating characteristics much different from
what is required for pumps and blowers. Motor performance characteristics can be
altered by design changes in lamination, winding, rotor, or any combination of these
three items.
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Most standard motors for general-purpose applications meet or exceed the values
specified for Design B motors in NEMA MG-1, Standard for Motors and Generators.
Design A motors are sometimes used on applications that require high breakdown (pull-
out) torque, such as injection molding machines. Design C motors are selected for
applications that require high starting (locked-rotor) torque, such as inclined conveyors.
Design D motors, also called high slip motors, are sometimes used to power hoists
and cycling loads, such as oil well pump jacks and low-speed punch presses.

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Understanding Induction Motor Nameplate Information

Fig. 1 shows the

general shape of
torque-speed
curves for motors
with NEMA
Design A, B, C,
and D
characteristics.

Bear in mind that

the curves shown
in Fig. 1 and the
figure in the
sidebar on page
24 are general
shapes. In real
motors, each
motor would have
its own distinct
values different
from the
percentages
reflected in these Fig. 1. These graphs show typical torque-speed curves for Design A, B, C, and D
motors.
figures.

Service factor Service factor (SF) is an indication of how much overload a motor can
withstand when operating normally within the correct voltage tolerances. For example,
the standard SF for open drip-proof (ODP) motors is 1.15. This means that a 10-hp
motor with a 1.15 SF could provide 11.5 hp when required for short-term use. Some
fractional horsepower motors have higher service factors, such as 1.25, 1.35, and even
1.50. In general, it's not a good practice to size motors to operate continuously above
rated load in the service factor area. Motors may not provide adequate starting and
pull-out torques, and incorrect starter/overload sizing is possible.

Traditionally, totally enclosed fan cooled (TEFC) motors had an SF of 1.0, but most
manufacturers now offer TEFC motors with service factors of 1.15, the same as on ODP
motors. Most hazardous location motors are made with an SF of 1.0, but some
specialized units are available for Class I applications with a service factor of 1.15.

Full-load efficiency As energy costs have increased, conservation efforts have become
more important to commercial and industrial operations. As a result, it's become
important to have full-load efficiency information readily available on motor
nameplates. The efficiency is given as a percentage and indicates how well the motor
converts electrical power into mechanical power. The closer this value is to 100%, the
lower the electricity consumption cost is going to be.

Generally, larger motors will be more efficient than smaller motors. Today's premium
efficiency 3-phase motors have efficiencies ranging from 86.5% at 1 hp to 95.8% at 300
hp. The efficiency value that appears on the nameplate is the nominal full-load
efficiency as determined using a very accurate dynamometer and a procedure described
by IEEE Standard 112, Method B. The nominal value is what the average would be if a
substantial number of identical motors were tested and the average of the batch were
determined. Some motors might have a higher value and others might be lower, but the
average of all units tested is shown as the nominal nameplate value.

Guaranteed minimum is another efficiency that's sometimes noted on a nameplate. This

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Understanding Induction Motor Nameplate Information

value is determined from a mathematical relationship that assumes that the worst
efficiency of any motor in the batch used to determine the average (nominal) value
could have losses as much as 20% higher than the average. As a result, each nominal
efficiency value would have a corresponding minimum efficiency value. You can view
these values in Table 12-8 in NEMA MG-1.

Power factor Power factor is the ratio of motor load watts divided by volt-amps at
the full-load condition. Power factor for a motor changes with its load. Power factor is
minimum at no load and increases as additional load is applied to the motor. Power
factor usually reaches a peak at or near full load on the motor.

Final spin. Changing motors out becomes a lot easier when you can quickly recognize
the key items that describe a motor's size, speed, voltage, physical dimensions, and
performance characteristics. All of this information and more is usually available on the
motor's nameplate. It's your responsibility to be able to correctly interpret the
information on this nameplate, correctly apply it in the field, and verify conformance to
NEMA, IEC, or other industry standards.

Editor's Note: This text was written by Ed Cowern when he was a district manager
for Baldor Electric Co. in Wallingford, Conn. He has since retired.

Sidebar: The Delicate Relationship of Motor Speed and Torque

This is a typical torque-speed curve for a standard AC induction motor.

It's important to understand some details of motor performance as shown by a typical

Torque-Speed curve in the Figure to the right. The plot shows what happens in terms
of output torque and motor speed when a motor is started with full voltage applied.

The motor is initially at zero speed and develops locked-rotor torque (Point A). As the

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Understanding Induction Motor Nameplate Information

motor accelerates, some motor designs produce a slight dip in torque. If they do, the
lowest point on this curve is called the pull-in or pull-up torque (Point B). As the speed
increases further, the torque generally increases to the highest point on the curve (Point
C), which is called the pullout or breakdown torque. Finally, when the motor is loaded
to its full-load torque, the motor speed stabilizes (Point D).

If the motor isn't driving anything, its speed goes up to its no-load speed or
synchronous speed (Point E). For example, on a four-pole motor operating at 60 Hz, the
no-load speed might be 1,799 RPM and synchronous speed would be 1,800 RPM.

Each of these points (A, B, C, and D) has absolute values (usually expressed in pound-
feet). However, they're frequently given in terms of a percentage of the full-load torque.
For example, a 20-hp, 60-Hz, four-pole motor could have a full-load torque of 59.5
pound-feet and a locked-rotor torque of 116 pound-feet. This is shown as:
(11659.5)100=195%

Similarly, the breakdown torque of 199 pound-feet could be shown as:

(19959.5)100=334%

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Discuss this Article 5

on Sep 10, 2012

cameron grant (not verified)

Hi i have a question i was looking at a 3 phase star/delta set up and notices the overload
was lower than expected it was a 37kw motor which is 66 amps to my calculations but
overload was 38 i think roughly. I looked on the motor and found at 50hz 660v at star gave
the same amps as what the overload was set at. do u understand what im on about as we
only work 3 phase at 415. i would be really greatfull if u could help me
thank you

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on Dec 26, 2012

Anonymous (not verified)

Dear as you are working on 415V so definitely the amperes which you have calculated are
exact. On 415V just the thing you have to do is that increase the adjustments of overload at
almost 70amp to be on safe side. As you will increase in volts the value of current will
decrease so at 660V the adjustment of overload is right which is 38Amps.

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on Nov 7, 2013
Anonymous (not verified)

hello, im asked to find a better 3phase induction motor. the current motor is 400v, 3.51A,
0.79 power factor, power of 1500W and 1400 r/min.The problem is the current motor trips
under a certain load. I want to know what specifications to change so as to archive the
expected operation.

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on Nov 15, 2013

suresh babu (not verified)

I have a three-phase motor. It shows S1 on the nameplate. What does this mean?

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Understanding Induction Motor Nameplate Information

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on Sep 22, 2016

Matthew1360

Hi,
I have a question regarding one of my client's requirements. They require their AC motor
acc. to NEMA MG1. Units are built in Europe so the question is, are you allowed to use AC
motors with frame acc. EN standard (metric size) and keep all other performance like
efficiency and SF acc. NEMA?
Will be grateful for some help here.

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