Useful Insights on DC Motor Maintenance
A DC motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. A DC motor uses forces produced by magnetic fields. They are widely used in centrifugal pumps, blowers, fans and drilling machines. As the DC motor is an integral part of the machinery and its maintenance is very important for the proper functioning of the entire system. It is also very important to perform regular maintenance checks as this improves
- Life of the motor
- Allows proper and efficient functioning
- Saves cost in the long run
Here are some useful insights on how to maintain your DC motor:
Knowing the maintenance required: Knowing the type of maintenance required for the motor is very important, such as:
- Specific tasks needed to be performed by technicians
- Parts required such as bearings, wiring, brushes, etc.
- Knowing the safety hazards that could possibly interfere with the maintenance
- Checking for other problems that lead to motor failure
Check for mechanical noise and vibrations: Before conducting maintenance, you must always run the motor and check for noise and vibration coming out of it. Noises or vibrations can be signs of:
- Mechanical or electrical issues
- Misalignment
- Brush chattering
- Worn out bearings
- Damaged shafts
- Loose windings
- Vibrations can also cause excessive heat and brush sparking
Not just mechanical, electrical problems can also cause noise or vibrations.
Visual Inspection: For DC motor maintenance, it is important to go through the manufacturer’s guidelines for inspection. This will provide information that will help while conducting a visual inspection. The role of a visual inspection is to observe and record details on the condition of the motor.
Check for overheating: Overheating is a major issue that can cause problems to the motor. Overheating could be caused by:
- Internal overheating
- Jams in the driven load
- Cold oil pumped via a motor drive
- Running the motor at low speeds cause inadequate cooling airflow
- Dirty environment
- Dirt acts as a heat insulator and causes overheating.
Check for corrosion: Corrosion is one of the common problems that causes a DC motor to fail. It damages motor windings and creates high resistance wiring connections. Corrosion can also cause a motor to rewind due to winding damage and can also damage the entire connection box terminals.
Conduct motor winding tests: You must always conduct a thorough inspection of the internal components and the motor windings. This is because the overheating on the windings can create cracks and burnt marks in the wiring, which prevents the entire system from working efficiently.
Brush and commutator maintenance: Brushes and the commutator are integral components of a DC motor. Their maintenance is important because excessive riding and sliding of the brushes on the rotating commutator of the armature indicates that the motor is not working properly. You can check by rotating the armature when switched off.
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