Two Minute Tips
Condemning a Motor Using MCA™
Experience has shown that 20 to 40 percent of motor systems tested may have some sort of alarm condition. Just because a motor has exceeded the alarm limits in MCA Basic™ or MCA PRO™, it does not necessarily mean the motor will fail or should be stopped immediately. For over 30 years, the dedicated staff at ALL-TEST Pro have gathered data and resources to determine when a motor will most likely fail on the most common 3-phase squirrel cage motors.
- Mark Koch
- ALL-TEST Pro, LLC
What is Dissipation Factor?
Dissipation Factor is an electrical test helps defi ne the overall condition of an insulating material. A di-electric material is a material which is a poor conductor of electricity but an effi cient supporter of an electrostatic field. When an electrical insulating material is subjected to an electrostatic fi eld, opposing electric charges in di-electric material form di-poles
- Mark Koch
- ALL-TEST Pro, LLC
MCA™ Improves DC Motor Testing Capabilities
Tasks for DC motors such as commutator & brush inspections, lubrication, are very important for their long-term successful operation. However, these inspections fail to determine the condition of the electrical winding or insulation..
- Mark Koch
- ALL-TEST Pro, LLC
Drive Input Imbalances
Current imbalances are sometimes referred to as a burglar alarm; generally problematic and need further diagnosis. However, imbalance at the inverter input under lightly loaded conditions is a normal phenomenon of the electrical circuit..
- Noah Bethel
- PdMA Corporation
Leading and Lagging Indicators
Leading indicators are those that occur early in the P-F curve while lagging indicators occur later in the failure cycle. Both are key indicators, but it is important to know which one you are dealing with to better diagnose the severity of the situation..
- Noah Bethel
- PdMA Corporation
Space Heaters
Depending on the environment and criticality of your electric motor, space heaters should be strongly considered if you want to ensure maximum reliability and expected motor life.
- Noah Bethel
- PdMA Corporation
Motor Storage
Proper motor storage is critical if we hope to achieve normal life expectancy from our electric motors. Not only is proper motor storage important for good motor health, it may be required to maintain a warranty on motors that we purchase..
- Noah Bethel
- PdMA Corporation
Motor Magnetic Center
Running a motor uncoupled will pull the motor rotor into a magnetic center, often marked on the shaft to ensure that the rotor is lined up on the magnetic center when it is coupled to the load. .
- Noah Bethel
- PdMA Corporation
Keeping Track of Starts
Heat is often the final variable causing pre-mature aging and breakdown of your insulation system. Another component of your electric motor, overlooked for heat related failure is the rotor.
- Noah Bethel
- PdMA Corporation