Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

Insulated Bearing Location

Question: Is it necessary to insulate both the drive end and the non-drive end bearings in order to eliminate circulating currents? Answer: In the diagram below, arrows represent the direction of current flow through the rotor and motor frame. Insulating either bearing is sufficient for elimination of circulating currents, so long as the motor is not attached to driven equipment.

If only the drive end bearing is insulated and the motor is connected to driven equipment via a conductive base and coupling, circulating currents can still cause bearing damage by including the driven equipment in the circuit. An insulated base or coupling would also be required to break the circuit.

Common practice is to insulate only the non-drive end bearing. This is sufficient to eliminate any current flow.