TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT INSTALLING, OPERATING AND

MAINTAINING ELECTRIC MOTORS

Copyright Material IEEE
Paper No. PCIC-PH58

Austin H. Bonnett Helmuth M. Glatt

IEEE Life Fellow Vice President, Engineering
Retired US Electrical Motors Nidec Motor Corporation
25341 July Ave. 8050 W. Florissant Ave.
Gallatin, MO 64640 Saint Louis, MO 63136
USA USA
austin.bonnett@nidec-motor.com helmuth.glatt@nidec-motor.com

Abstract This document provides information on how to
enhance the performance and life of electric motors used in the
petroleum and chemical industry. It covers purchasing the
correct motor for a given application, installing it correctly, and
operating it within parameters that will maximize the motors
performance and life. By doing so, the life cycle costs can be
minimized and reliability will be maximized.
Index Terms Efficiency, motor, loading, benchmarking,
repair-replace, VFD applications.
II. UNDERSTANDING MOTOR PERFORMANCE
A common misunderstanding is that the optimum motor
performance always occurs at the rated horsepower shown on
the motor nameplate. Hence, the motor may not be oversized
for fear it will increase operating expenses. However as can be
seen in Fig. 1, induction motor efficiency remains near the
nameplate value from about two thirds load to full load.
Efficiency usually peaks between these two load points.

I. INTRODUCTION

Too often the person specifying or ordering an electric motor

is not aware of all of the critical information required for the
motor supplier to provide the optimum product for a given
application. IEEE Standard 841 [1] is a great starting point to
assure that the basic application requirements are met for
satisfactory operation in petro-chemical environments, but it is
not enough in many cases. For instance, specifying the correct
motor horsepower is a critical decision; yet, not all loading
requirements fit within the available standard horsepower
ratings. This document provides information on motor
Fig. 1 Efficiency for various 4-pole Ratings
performance at various load points to assist in this decision.
To assist in proper maintenance and trouble shooting, the
As can be seen by Fig. 2, power factor continues to increase
motor performance data combined with benchmarking can be
as load increases. This is one of the tradeoffs that should be
of great value to plant operations personnel and motor service
considered when sizing the motor to the load. Bear in mind that
centers. This document reviews data that can be obtained and
once the motor is installed, power factor can be corrected;
used for this purpose.
whereas, efficiency cannot be corrected. It is normally better to
When a motor breaks down, the first question is: Should the
maximize efficiency and correct power factor.
motor be repaired or replaced? This document provides
guidelines that can be helpful in making the decision.
Many times, a motors operational problems originate due to
improper installation. This document provides guidelines that
assist in identifying these problems and correcting them during
the start up and commissioning phase. In addition, useful tips
are given to help assure long, successful motor life when the
motor is operating within prescribed performance guidelines.
While the data used to illustrate these concepts comes from
product covered in the IEEE-841 standard for totally enclosed
fan cooled motors operating in severe duty applications up to
500 hp, the scope of this document applies to most squirrel
cage motors used in the petro-chemical industry.

Fig. 2 Power Factor for Various 4-pole Ratings

1
 Operating a motor at or above service factor load should be
avoided. While it may be necessary to run the motor at a
higher than nominal load point on an intermittent basis under
conditions not intended to be a regular part of the base load,
intentional use of the motor into the service factor rating has
negative consequences on performance and life. Efficiency
and operating temperature are significantly affected at service
factor load and above. Fig. 3 shows the drop in efficiency of 0.6
points and increase in operating temperature by 15 degrees
Celsius; this is nearly 25% higher than at full load. This results
in an increased aging rate of the winding insulation, thus
reducing its life expectancy by 50%.

Fig. 5 Typical Pump System with Adjustable Speed [2]

High quality supply voltage is critical to ensure intended

motor performance. Supplying the 3-phase motor with low
harmonic content and balanced voltage will prevent overheating
and poor performance. Induction motors are very robust;
however, good performance is quite dependent on having a
supply voltage that is close to the nominal value given on the
motor nameplate. While +/- 10% is generally considered as
good enough, Fig. 6 shows that there is a definite negative
Fig. 3 Effect of Overload on Motor Performance impact to temperature and speed when straying from nominal.
As indicated in Fig. 3, motor speed increases as the loading
on the motor decreases. For a centrifugal load, such as a
pump or fan, the relationship between speed and power
necessary to drive it follows the Affinity Laws; horsepower
decreases as a cubic function to the drop in speed. It is
possible to improve system efficiency by removing throttling
valves and adjusting flow rate with reduced pump speed.
Because of this effect, there is a significant opportunity to use
variable frequency drives to reduce power consumption. Figs.
4 and 5 show that nearly a 50% reduction in input power
consumption can be achieved for the same flow rate at Point B
by using a VFD instead of a throttling valve.

Fig. 6 Influence of Voltage on Motor Performance

III. SOURCES OF MOTOR PERFORMANCE DATA

Owners and operators of electric motors have a number of

Fig. 4 Typical Pump System with Throttle Valve [2]
good sources for obtaining motor performance information.
Certainly, the amount and detail of data may depend on the
motor size and application. This section provides examples of
these valuable sources of information.
1. The motor nameplate provides the most basic information
necessary to successfully operate the motor. It is the most
readily available and most permanent source of information as
it is physically affixed to the motor. Information is filled in with
permanent stamping, etching or indelible marking. Fig. 7
shows a typical motor nameplate.

2
 supplied for the motor. It is important to save this document for
future reference as it can be quite useful later on. Fig. 8 shows
a typical example of the data provided.

Fig. 7 Typical Motor Nameplate for IEEE-841 Motor

The minimum amount of information to be placed on the

nameplate is defined by NEMA MG-1 [3]. From the
nameplate the following data can be obtained: Fig. 8 Typical No Load Test Report
a. Horsepower
b. Speed No load current and kilowatts can be very useful in
c. Voltage, Phases and Frequency benchmarking motors during the equipment start-up phase or
d. Full load current when commissioning a motor after repairs. During the initial
e. Efficiency startup phase, the no load current is sometimes questioned.
This is particularly true for slow speed motors. Hence, the
f. Service factor
value of no load current provided by the motor manufacturer
g. Design letter can be very useful in establishing the correct value. During the
h. KVA / hp normal life of the motor, a comparison of this data and any
i. Maximum ambient temperature changes over time can indicate problems in the electrical or
j. Locked rotor code letter mechanical integrity of the motor. If the motor has been
k. Insulation class rewound, this data can indicate the quality of the repair and
possible changes in the motor performance. The motor service
It is also quite common for the bearing numbers and center can use this information to determine if the stator core
lubrication information to be included. has been damaged, thus degrading the efficiency to the point
Often, information about accessories included with the where a motor replacement should be considered.
motor is added to the main nameplate or a supplementary
plate close to the location of the accessory. For instance 3. A third source of data is one that can be requested from
space heater voltage and wattage are usually given on a the motor manufacturer while placing an order or even during
plate near the location of the accessory box supporting the Request for Quotation (RFQ) stage. Fig. 9 shows typical
connection of the heater system. submittal data in performance curve format. The data may also
From this basic information, a number of items can be be presented in tabular format.
determined or estimated. The appendix provides the
useful equations to calculate or estimate these values.
a. Synchronous speed
b. Percent slip
c. Rotor speed
d. Output torque
e. Starting torque
f. Power input
g. Power output
h. Power factor
i. Efficiency
j. Estimated load current

2. IEEE-841, Part 9 requires that a no load factory test report

be provided for the motor. This test may also be called the
NEMA Short Commercial Test. Usually this test report is
provided in the motor outlet box or a documentation package Fig. 9 Example of Submittal Data Curves

3
 4. It is also possible to obtain complete performance data on
the very same motor that is to be installed at the location.
When requested, usually at additional expense, the motor can
be tested and a complete test report provided. For many motor
manufacturers, it is even possible for this test to be witnessed
by the customer(s), usually with additional cost. This test is
quite extensive and usually includes a heat run at rated load,
locked rotor torque and breakdown torque test, starting current
determination and a performance test to determine efficiency,
power factor and current at various load points. Fig. 10 shows
a typical example of the test report.
Fig. 10 Complete Test Report
5. Another source of useful information is the speed-torque,
speed-current curve. Again, this can be typical or actual test
data. Fig. 11 shows an example of this curve set.
.
Fig. 11 Example of Speed-Torque/Current Curve
6. There are many more parameters of motor performance
that can be obtained when purchasing the motor. A sample
listing follows. Usually, test data comes with additional cost.
4
a. Acceleration / Safe stall time curve(s)
b. Noise test
c. Vibration test
d. Water immersion test
e. Various insulation / coil tests
f. Reed critical frequency data for vertical motors
IV. MOTOR START-UP ISSUES AND BENCHMARKING [4]
Most issues associated with new motor installation and start-
up deal with the mechanical aspects of mounting, coupling and
alignment of the motor to the driven equipment. This is
particularly true when dealing with vibration issues. For this
reason it is critical to have the actual vibration data as obtained
at the factory so it can be compared to the data obtained during
startup.
Often, the amount of time between the initial factory tests and
those conducted during installation and commissioning can be
significant. The motor could be subjected to many detrimental
influences during this period. Hence, a winding insulation to
ground test (megger test) should be conducted. Sometimes,
this test is skipped in favor of the dielectric proof test, also
known as the high potential (hi-pot) test. Be very cautious as
this test is a destructive test. The hi-pot test should never be
conducted at the original test voltage, nor even at a reduced
value unless the megger test indicates a high reading to begin
with. In the case where the megger values are too low, the
motor should be serviced before starting. IEEE Standard 43
[5,] is a good guide in recommending values for test results.
When practical, the voltage and phase currents should be
recorded immediately after start-up and kept for future
reference. It is helpful to do this at both no-load and when the
motor is loaded. In some cases the service voltage can vary
significantly between night and day, hence the time the data is
obtained should also be recorded. It is important to also record
the amount of voltage variation between phases. If the
unbalance is more than one percent, an evaluation should be
made to determine if the driven load can be devalued,
otherwise corrective actions are necessary.
Infrared Thermography (IRT) is a very good tool for
benchmarking the motors thermal pattern. Collecting these
images at no load and at a known operating point after the
motor has reached thermal equilibrium can be very useful. It is
recommended to record voltage and current at the time these
images are taken. Keeping these results for future reference is
highly recommended as a baseline.
Benchmarking, including the proper collection and availability
of this data will assist the operators and maintenance personnel
in recognizing changes in motor or system performance in time
to prevent unplanned outages. The ideal practice is to regularly
collect data and use data plots to show trends in system
performance. It is ideal to have cradle to the grave
documentation. The value of this, of course, depends upon the
size of the motor and the nature of the application. It is always
better to anticipate an evolving problem than to be forced to
respond to a problem unexpectedly. This documentation may
also be of great assistance to motor service center personnel.
Unfortunately, in many cases this useful data is stored away in
a safe place and not readily available. Oftentimes the
personnel that need this information are not even aware of its
existence.
 V. REPAIR-REPLACE DECISION MODEL
levels of repair are:
In the past, the decision to repair or replace an electric motor
was primarily driven by the cost of energy and potential
savings. In many cases, that is still a major factor. However,
there are a number of other factors influencing the true life cycle
cost of operating a motor that should be considered. Factors
such as the availability of a satisfactory replacement, available
capital funds, time and cost constraints associated with down
time, end of life cycle for the driven equipment or the need for
special modifications that could prevent future failures are all
important considerations.
Of all of these considerations, future reliability with the related
consequences of an unplanned failure may be the most critical
factor. The following case study illustrates this point.
Case Study
provides a guideline by defining various levels of repair. The
Level 1
Basic reconditioning: Includes replacing bearings, new
lubricant, cleaning all parts, and adding seals or other
accessories as agreed with customer.
Level 2
Include Level 1 with the addition of varnish treatment of
stator windings, repair of worn bearing fits and
straightening of bent shafts.
Level 3
Include Level 2 as well as rewinding the stator with new
coils and insulation.
Level 4
Include Level 3 with the addition of major lamination
repair or rotor re-barring. This may include restacking of
the stator laminations which may include replacement of
any damaged laminations. For the rotor, it may include
shaft replacement. This level involves major repairs that
are costly enough to justify examining complete motor
replacement.

Level 5
This level is for a motor that should be replaced, if not for
the owners inability to operate without it (i.e. no spare or
unacceptable lead time for replacement). This level
includes misapplication of motors, inadequate enclosures
and pre U-frame motors.
Fig. 12 Rotor of Failed Motor in Case Study
As these five levels imply, the damage resulting from a motor
The induction motor is 300 hp, 3600 RPM, 2300 VAC, TEFC,
failure varies widely, as do the associated repair costs. An
Petro-Chem duty, with an efficiency level prior to the Energy
evaluation process that fails to consider these levels of repair is
Policy Act of 1992. The application is pumping a flammable
too simplistic, and may lead to an inaccurate assessment that
fluid.
minimizes the actual financial impact to the business.
After repeated ball bearing failures on the driven end, the
final failure was catastrophic and caused a major fire in the
VI. UNUSUAL SERVICE CONDITIONS
plant: see Fig. 12. The down time of this system was more
than one year and the total costs of repairs and downtime were
NEMA MG1-Part 14.2 outlines usual and unusual service
in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
conditions that should be considered in the proper selection of
A complete root cause failure analysis would have revealed
electric motors. These conditions also apply to the Petro-
that this motor was not the right one for this application. Due to
Chemical industry. NEMA standards should also be combined
the extreme radiant heat of the equipment at the driven end of
and considered along with appropriate IEEE and API
the motor, a special bearing/lubrication design, complete with
standards. An abbreviated list of the unusual conditions
bearing temperature detectors and vibration probes, should
outlined in Part 14 of NEMA MG-1 is paraphrased below for
have been provided.
future reference. Note: this is not a complete list of all abnormal
In this case there were two options available to choose from.
conditions; they are presented to serve as a guide to the types
The first was to consider the appropriate modifications at a
of issues to consider.
qualified service center. The second was to consider an
appropriate replacement motor. And yet a third option could
The manufacturer should be consulted if any unusual service
have been to repair the existing motor by simply replacing the
conditions exist which may affect the construction or operation
failed bearing while ordering a replacement motor with the
of the motor. Among such conditions are:
needed modifications. By analyzing the benefits of each option,
a. Exposure to:
the best case solution could have been reached and an
expensive catastrophic failure avoided. Lint or very dirty operating conditions where heavy
In this case, replacing the failed motor with a more energy accumulation may interfere with normal operation
efficient motor but without the needed modifications would not Chemical fumes, flammable or explosive gasses
have been a wise choice even if the payback had been Steam, salt-laden air or oil vapor
attractive. Abnormal shock, vibration, or mechanical loading
The Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA) [6] from external sources

5
 Very damp or dry locations, radiant heat, vermin
infestation, or atmospheres conducive to fungus
growth.
Abnormal axial or side thrust imposed on the shaft
b. Operation where:
There is excessive departure from rated voltage,
frequency, or both
The deviation factor of the ac supply voltage
exceeds 10 percent
The ac supply voltage is unbalanced by more than 1
percent
Low noise level is required (<85 dbA at 1m)
The power system is not grounded
c. Operation at speeds above the highest rated speed
d. Operation in a poorly ventilated room, in a pit, or in an
inclined position
e. Operation where the motor is subjected to:
Torsional impact loads
Repetitive abnormal overloads
It is very important to share any unusual service condition
with the motor manufacturer. For example, in the previous
case study, exposure to flammable fluids or vapors and
exposure to excessive radiant heat are two of the conditions
that should have been communicated to the motor supplier.
VII. BEARING ISSUES AND SELECTION
The scope of this section focuses on the anti-friction rolling
element bearing, aka Conrad bearing, which is the most
common type of bearing used in IEEE 841 motors. The
number one cause of downtime for electric motors used in
industrial applications is bearing failure. Unfortunately when the
motor fails, the usual action is to just replace the bearing and
the follow-through action of determining why it failed in the first
place is not taken. Likely, this is due to the urgency of putting
the motor back in service or finding a replacement motor.
Unfortunately, this is what happened in the case study
referenced earlier in section V. In that study, review of the
records showed that the drive-end bearing had failed a total of
nine times. At the very minimum, bearings should be retained
and inspected, or sent to the manufacturer for analysis.
The most common causes of premature bearing failure are
improper lubrication practices, excessive heating, vibration,
misalignment, mounting issues and contamination. These
should always be considered in the root cause failure analysis.
There have also been cases where the proper bearing was
not selected for the particular application. For example, an
application that requires frequent re-lubrication should normally
use an open bearing, without shields or seals. Another
example, where there is severe radial load, a roller bearing
should be used. Another example, where there is significant
axial thrust load, an angular thrust bearing or even a spherical
roller bearing should be used. The point is that lubrication
requirements and loading should be communicated to the
motor supplier when these conditions are unusual or extreme.
The act of proper bearing re-lubrication is an important
consideration. Nearly every motor service center will state that
over-lubrication and under-lubrication of rolling element
bearings is a common problem. Depending on the application
and the environment, lubrication cycles should be established
and followed. The type of lubricant should be clearly prescribed
and must be compatible with the motor manufacturers
6
recommendations.
An important part of benchmarking at start-up and
commissioning is to assure that vibration issues associated with
mounting and misalignment are avoided. Monitoring the
bearing temperatures at no load and under load can be very
useful information in assuring that the bearings will not have
premature failure.
VIII. COMMISSIONING OF VARIABLE FREQUENCY
DRIVE (VFD) APPLICATIONS
While the application of VFDs to control the speed of electric
motors driving equipment such as pumps and fans has resulted
in major energy savings and improved system performance,
there continue to be issues during start up and premature motor
winding and bearing failures after some run-in time. These
issues can be eliminated or minimized with proper planning and
consideration. The following tips may help to reduce some of
these problems:
1. Avoid excessive cable runs that may cause standing
wave or ringing problems.
2. Select supply cables that are suitable for VFD
applications to avoid common mode voltage issues.
3. Avoid operating the drive at excessive carrier
frequencies that impose high voltage spikes on the
motor winding.
4. Install output filters or other appropriate devices to
achieve the best wave form imposed on the motor
winding at the motor terminals.
5. When retro-fitting a drive to a motor, be sure that the
motor is designed for VFD applications such as NEMA
MG-1, Part 31. This is particularly true for winding
insulation systems that are oxidized, brittle or cracked.
6. Larger horsepower, high speed motors with frequent
starting requirements may not be suitable for random
wound stators due to excessive coil movement during
the start.
The most important thing to do to ensure a successful startup
of a VFD application is to actually verify that the voltage wave
form supplied to the motor at the motor terminals, and ensure
the common mode voltage to ground is within acceptable limits
as specified by the motor and drive manufacturer.
IX. VIBRATION ISSUES
In many instances vibration data is not taken or recorded
during the startup and commissioning phase. This is
unfortunate; should operational problems occur, there is no
benchmarking data available to assess what changes may
have occurred since installing the motor. A number of motor
suppliers provide vibration data on IEEE 841 and API motors.
When the motor arrives at the job site as part of the driven
equipment, it is highly recommended that this information be
provided to the end user for future reference. When a vibration
problem does occur, there are a number of things that should
be considered in order to isolate the problem.
1. Check for soft foot issues.
2. Measure the shaft and coupling run out.
 3. Inspect the mounting base. Form wound stator coils are made with insulated
4. Isolate the motor from the driven equipment. rectangular wire. The coils are insulated with a variety of
5. Compare the vibration at no load and full load. different materials whose thickness and type varies
depending on the motor voltage. The coil is preformed,
Perhaps the most obvious consideration is to compare the insulated, and then inserted into the stator slot.
original vibration data recorded at the factory with that on the The stator slots between the two are also different. The
job site. In some cases this may require uncoupling the motor, random wound slot is semi-closed, therefore the coil can only
but, in the long run, time is saved in getting to the root cause. be inserted a few wires at a time; whereas the form wound
slot is completely open so that the coil can be inserted as a
X. PROPER CARE OF THE STATOR WINDING complete coil.
Form wound coils are normally used in motors with
One of the most vulnerable parts of the motor is the stator voltage greater than 600 VAC and also in low voltage motors
winding (the other is the bearing system). The stator winding is greater than 500 hp. Figs. 13 and 14 show the difference
where all of the electrical energy is received and the conversion between these two different coil designs. Fig. 14 shows two
to mechanical energy starts. Many of the environmental different types of random wound coils. The first is a
stresses that may occur to the motor impinge on it. The concentric wound coil; it is usually used in smaller motors
winding is exposed to power system voltage transients, spikes, where the coil is inserted by machine. The second is a lap
surges, harmonics, unbalance, single-phasing, etc and is wound coil that is hand-inserted; it is normally used in larger
sensitive to over-heating conditions as well. When issues arise, motors.
whether during startup, normal or unplanned operations, the
stator is often the weak link. Each section in this document, in
one way or another, discusses either a direct or indirect effect
on the performance and life of the stator winding. Even the
bearing system can impact the stator winding life: Issues with
over-lubrication and catastrophic bearing failure can damage
the winding. Vibration issues can lead to bearing failure that
can lead to the rotor striking the stator.
The following points are given in consideration of the proper
care and servicing of the winding:
1. Clean, dry windings usually last longer.
2. Regular, scheduled inspection and maintenance can
prevent winding failures.
3. Periodic testing of the winding insulation system can
predict impending problems.
4. Comparing benchmarked data to the current status of Fig. 13 Random and Form Coils
the winding can be useful to identify negative trends.
5. Do not operate the motor in an overloaded condition
for extended periods of time.
6. Assure that the quality of the applied voltage
waveform is as close to design values as practical.
7. Apply balanced 3-phase power as close to the
nominal nameplate voltage as possible.
8. Consider adding lightning and surge protection if there
is a possibility of significant transient voltages.
9. Assure that motor over current protection is set at the
proper levels.

XI. USEFUL INFORMATION

Frequently asked questions:
1. What is the difference between random wound and form
wound stators?
Random wound stator coils use round magnet wire that is
insulated with a thin film of insulation and sometimes has an
overwrap of glass insulation. The wire is randomly placed
into the stator slot. The wires and slot insulation usually fill
the stator slot to about 65% of the available space.
Fig. 14 Concentric (left) and lap random wound coils (right)
2. What is the relationship between no load, full load, service
factor and starting currents?
Referring to Fig. 15, starting current at full voltage is
normally between six to eight times the full-load current. It
can be reduced with part-winding, wye-delta, or reduced
voltage starting methods as well as with the use of a VFD.
Current at service factor is approximately 20% higher
than the full load current at rated voltage.
Current at no load is not suited to quantification as a

7
fraction of full load current as it varies greatly by motor pole 4. How does one estimate motor temperature rise under
count; it ranges from 1/3 - 2/3 of full load current. Because of load?
this variation, it is useful to have the no load saturation curve
or no load current as provided by the motor supplier. It is difficult to estimate the exact value, so it is best
provided by the motor supplier. However, the motor
nameplate does state the insulation class of the material
used in the motor, which, in turn, implies a maximum value of
temperature rise. Fig. 17 provides a way to make an
estimate of the maximum expected rise based on the motor
service factor, altitude and designated ambient value on the
nameplate. These values are based on the insulation class
stated on the nameplate; however, many motor
manufacturers state the class of temperature rise while
actually using a higher class of insulation in the motor. For
example, Class B rise with Class F insulation is very common
in practice. For such cases, the estimated temperature rise
will be highly over stated.

Fig. 15 No load, full load and starting current

3. What is a cusp in the speed-torque curve?

As shown in Fig. 16, a cusp is a large dip in the shape of

the speed-torque curve. In reality, most motor speed-torque
curves have some amount of irregularities in them, but not
enough to affect the amount of available accelerating torque.
Accelerating torque is the difference between motor
torque and load torque. As long as motor torque exceeds
load torque, the motor will continue to accelerate and bring
the system up to nominal speed under loaded conditions.
Cusps are the result of undesirable harmonics created by
the slotting in the stator and rotor. Selection of the number of
rotor and stator slots used in the motor design determines if
cusps will occur. Motor manufacturers avoid significant
cusps; however, problems may occur when the motor pole
count is changed during a rewind. If synchronous speed is
changed by rewind, be very careful to confirm no serious Fig. 17 Estimation of Maximum Temperature Rise
cusps will occur that prevent the motor from accelerating to
full speed. Such a change in pole count can also have a XII. SUMMARY
significant effect on motor noise.
This paper describes how to interpret the wide variety of
information that is available to those who specify, purchase,
install, maintain and repair squirrel cage induction motors.
Often times those who are responsible for operation of these
motors are not aware of the existence or availability of this
information or may not know how to effectively use it. Those
who are responsible for specifying and purchasing electric
motors must be aware of the wide variety of data that can be
provided by the motor suppliers. It is imperative that this
information is conveyed to those responsible for the installation,
operation and maintenance of the motor.
With prevalent use of electronic data files, it should be an
easy task of storing and retrieving this useful information. Of
course, the size and critical nature of each motor application
should determine how much effort goes into the process of
obtaining and retrieving this information. A 5 hp fan motor in
the store room would not normally have the same attention as a
process motor that is critical to the whole plants operation.
The commissioning of definite purpose, one-of-a-kind, larger
motors, carries increased risk in assuring that the motor is
performing as anticipated. This is where motor performance
Fig. 16 Cusp in Speed-Torque Curve

8
data compared with benchmarked data can be valuable in
assuring that the motor and driven equipment are performing as
expected. This paper provides samples of the types of data
that are available upon request from the motor supplier.
This paper can also be used as a training tool for new
personnel that are responsible for any aspect of electrical motor
specification and operation from cradle to grave.
Most large users of electrical motors have established
ongoing relationships with motor service centers that provide
maintenance and repair of their motors. It is recommended that
this motor performance data, as well as the benchmarked data
obtained during start up and any trending data from routine
maintenance rounds is made available to them.
XIII. CONCLUSION
If one kept count of the number of things to know for
installing, operating and maintaining electrical motors, youll find
it far exceeds ten: it even exceeds ten times ten.
While the specifics of all the items to know are very important
in and of themselves, successful implementation of any project
involving a motor is dependent on these 10 basic points:
1. Proper interpretation and adherence to specifications
such as IEEE-841, NEMA MG-1 and IEC 60034.
2. Good communication from Engineering and
Procurement departments to the motor supplier about
specific driven equipment characteristics, operation
cycles, and environmental needs of the application.
3. Good communication back from the motor manufacturer
to the end user about motor capability via submittal data
sheets, accurate nameplate marking, test results, and a
concise Installation and Operators Manual.
4. Sharing this data with all the appropriate parties in the
supply chain.
5. Making full use of all the various data sets available from
the motor supplier when installing and planning
operation of the motor.
6. Following proper installation guidelines and practices as
defined by NEC, NEMA, IEEE, IEC, etc
7. Benchmarking. Take the time to document initial
readings at start up and keep them in a place that is
well-communicated and accessible: Youll need them.
8. Trending. Add regular checkup routines to monitor and
record readings during normal operation of the motor.
Keep these readings in a place that is well-
communicated and accessible: Youll need them.
9. Make an informed decision on repair or replace. Always
get to the root cause for a premature failure. A thorough
process of reviewing benchmark data, trend data, and
component failure analysis is recommended. Sometimes
the most obvious failure point is only a symptom, and not
the root cause of the failure.
10. Finally, consider alternate options and solutions when
planning at the system level. Adding options at the
component level like VFDs for improved system
efficiency or using the next higher motor rating instead of
operating into service factor will give long term financial
benefits and reliability necessary in todays highly
demanding process industries.
9
The common theme running throughout these ten points is
clear communication of useful information to assist in educated
decision making at each critical stage in the life of a motor.
XIV. REFERENCES
[1] IEEE, Standard 841-2009 - IEEE Standard for
Petroleum and Chemical Industry--Premium-
Efficiency, Severe-Duty, Totally Enclosed Fan-Cooled
(TEFC) Squirrel Cage Induction Motors--Up to and
Including 370 kW (500 hp)
[2] A. H. Bonnett, Opportunities for Improvement of
Operating Efficiency of AC Motors, IEEE
Transactions on Industry Applications, vol 29, no. 3,
May/June 1993
[3] NEMA MG 1-2014, Motors and Generators, Rosslyn,
VA: National Electrical Manufacturers Association
[4] A.H. Bonnett and C. Yung, Benchmarking Electric
Motors before They Fail, Petroleum and Chemical
Industry Conference, 2009. PCIC 2009. 2009 Record
of Conference Papers - Industry Applications Society
56th Annual, pp 1-8
[5] IEEE, Standard 43-2013 - IEEE Recommended
Practice for Testing Insulation Resistance of Electric
Machinery
[6] A.H. Bonnett and C. Yung, A Repair-Replace
Decision Model for Petro-Chemical Industry Electric
Motors. Petroleum and Chemical Industry
Conference, 2002. PCIC 2002. 2002 Record of
Conference Papers - Industry Applications Society
56th Annual, pp 55-66
XV. VITAE
Austin H. Bonnett received his Bachelor of Science degree in
Electrical Engineering from California State University at Los
Angeles and his Master's Degree in Business from the
University of Phoenix. He is a Life Fellow of the Institute of
Electrical & Electronic Engineers. He served in the U.S. Navy
from 1955 to 1958 as an electrician mate aboard the Icebreaker
Burton Island stationed in both the Arctic and Antarctic. He
retired from US Motors after 35 years of service as VP of
Engineering. He currently is president of Austin Bonnett
Engineering, LLC.
Helmuth Glatt received a Bachelor of Science degree in
Electrical Engineering and Masters of Business Administration
degree from Washington University in Saint Louis. Since 1988,
he has served in many engineering roles for the Industrial
Motors and Systems Divisions of Nidec Motor Corporation, also
known as US Motors. He is currently Vice-President of
Engineering.
 APPENDIX

Basic Induction Motor Equations

120 x frequency 120 f

Synchronous speed (Ns) = Poles
= P
= rpm

Ns - Nr
Percent motor slip (%S) = Ns
x 100

Rotor speed (Nr) = Ns x (1-% Slip)

hp x 5252
Motor output torque, ft-lbs (T) = rpm

Power input (Pin) = 3 x VI Cos

Power output (Po) = Pin Machine losses

Po Pin - Machine lossess

Efficiency =
Pin
= Pin

Pin kW
Percent power factor (Cos ) = kVA = kVA x 100

hp x 746
Three-phase line current amps (IL) = V x Eff x Cos x 3

Where:

Ns = Synchronous motor speed

f = Frequency

P = Poles

S = Motor slip

Nr = Rotor speed

T = Torque

hp = Horsepower

rpm = Revolutions per minute

Pin = Power input

V = Voltage

I = Amps

= Phase angle between real power and apparent power

Po = Power output

kW = Kilowatts

kVA = Kilovolt amperes

IL = Line current, amps

Eff = Efficiency

10