Make Sure You're Protecting Your AC Gear Motor

AC motors, commonly built with two parts in mind (outside stationary stator and inside rotor) are more delicate than you think. Although most have equivalent matches with the DC class of motors, AC motors are more susceptible to getting damaged. Here’s why you need to protect them from getting damaged, as well as ways of achieving that:

Use the right voltage

AC current differs in the number of phases, the oscillation frequency as well as the voltage. With each AC gear motor designed to consume a given power limit, there is a strong need to comply with the operational standards given in the manufacturer’s instruction. This ensures that you do not short-circuit the motor with the excessive power overload. Always remember that using power sources of higher capacity or those from unstable production are likely to damage the motors. In case your estate or office block has power lines that are above the standardized 240V, you need to have a step down transformer to help you scale down the power to the specifications of the motor. 

Stick to the load capacity

Each AC gear motor has its optimum load capacity. This is determined by the specific horsepower of the revolving arm. To avoid damaging the motor, always ensure that no objects of higher load capacity than specified by the manufacturer is loaded on the arm. For a personalized review of the load capacity, check the horse power of the motor as well as the number of rotations per minute (rpm) when loaded at the optimum capacity. A different rotation speed of the shaft might be an indicator that your motor is headed towards damaging results.

Inspect the brushes regularly

In addition to maneuvering through the design specifications of the motor, you need to regularly inspect the condition of the brushes. The carbon brushes in the AC gear motor ensures rapid transfer of the torque to the revolving shaft. Uneven or highly worn out edges might be an indicator that your motor is headed in the wrong direction. To restore it, ensure that you replace the brushes nearing their end.

Stick to these 3 key pieces of advice and you will be sure to keep your AC motor safe.