How long can you keep an electric motor?

Storing an electric motor for more than a few weeks involves several steps to ensure it will operate properly when needed. For practical reasons, these are governed by the motor’s size and how long it will be out of service.

How long should a motor be in storage?

Motors that will be in storage for just a few weeks primarily require protection from the weather and ambient vibration (more on this below). Motors slated for several weeks to several years in storage (as well as all above-NEMA-sized machines) require additional preparations to protect their machined surfaces, bearings and windings.

Can a motor be stored indoors?

Seriously, if a motor is too large to store indoors, it is likely to be a very expensive machine. It’s worth the cost to construct an enclosed storage facility. When outdoor storage is absolutely necessary, protect the motor with a waterproof cover (e.g., a tarp), allowing a breathing space at the bottom.

How do you keep a record of a motor storage program?

Good, readily-available records are essential for any motor storage program. One method is to attach a card like that in Figure 1 to each motor to document the storage dates, maintenance procedures completed, and the results of all tests performed during the storage period.

Do motors need over current protection?

Since the object of the protection is to provide rapid fault clearance to minimise damage caused by the fault, the protection is effectively worthless in these circumstances. It is therefore only provided on motors fed via circuit breakers. The over current protection is usually applied for the motor stator winding faults.

What makes a good motor protection relay?

The design of a motor protection relay must be adequate to cater for the protection needs of any one of the vast range of motor designs in service, many of the designs having no permissible allowance for overloads. A relay offering comprehensive protection will have the following set of features: extended start protection