Hi, my name is Brooke, and I used to run the HR department in a factory. I filed a lot of injury reports and helped a tragic number of people make claims for workers' compensation or WorkCover. In many cases, the accidents involved convener belts. By seeing what not to do, I really learned what should be done in terms of conveyor safety. I love writing and wanted to convey some good will to the world through a blog – I also love puns. In this space, I plan to post on conveyor belt safety as well as other posts related to a range of industrial equipment. I hope these posts help to protect you and your workers.
An electric motor is used to run most household appliances such as a central air conditioner and furnace, and like any other component in such pieces, they can occasionally break down and need repair.
If you're familiar with electric components then you might want to try to repair them on your own, with a few troubleshooting tips. While these won't cover everything that might go wrong with an electric motor, these are some common problems you might experience and they can be a good place to start with your own electric motor repairs.
1. The motor seems to run weakly
If the motor runs but doesn't seem to be getting enough power, it's good to start by checking the motor wiring with a voltage meter. If the motor is not getting enough power, this often means that the problem is in the wiring and not the motor itself. Older wiring typically cannot deliver enough voltage to a motor and in turn, it runs weakly.
You may need to simply upgrade the wiring itself, but don't allow this problem to continue. Running on low voltage can damage a motor as it struggles to work without enough power. It may also struggle to start without enough power and in turn, it can weaken the motor as the parts grind and eventually become worn.
2. The motor shaft won't turn
This problem is typically caused by bad bearings in the motor. You may hear a high-pitched squeal or even a grinding sound when bearings begin to fail. In some cases the shaft may have something jammed inside of it so that it won't turn; this can be a part that has failed or some type of debris. If there is nothing foreign inside the shaft, note if the bearings look worn and replace them.
3. The motor won't start
If the motor won't start at all, check the starter coil before you decide to replace the motor. You may have an incorrect coil or a worn coil so that the motor doesn't get the power needed for starting. If the coil is not the issue, check the voltage mentioned above and if this too doesn't fix the problem, the motor may be burned out beyond repair.
4. Circuits keep tripping
One reason that an electric motor might keep tripping circuits is that the motor might be seized up. Rather than assuming that the wiring or the circuit itself is to blame, note if you can manually turn the motor shaft or fan. If not, then the motor itself is the problem with the circuit and not the wiring.
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