SIL 449.

00 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: MODELS:

August 8, 2011 LeTourneau, Inc. Dealers and Users LeTourneau, Inc. Service Department Motor Flashover Troubleshooting Machines with DC motors and LINCS (L-1350, L-1850, L-2350)

Page 1 of 3

DC traction motors in LeTourneau, Inc. equipment are a reliable and integral part of the drive train. Proper maintenance as shown in the Taking Care of Your DC Motor" handbook will provide a long trouble free life. This handbook is in LeTrak KB 1195. However, when a motor experiences a failure it is important to determine the root cause prior to installing a new motor and putting it to work. The cause of the failure needs to be corrected to eliminate repeat failures and minimize operating costs. Determining the root cause is difficult unless all relative areas are examined at the time of the failure. Reference information for motor flashovers: 1. A J-2 flashover that primarily arcs from the back of the brush support ring to end bell usually indicates a failure which produces maximum current at low speeds. 2. A flashover from brush holder to brush holder and along the commutator riser usually reflects a problem related to high speeds such as commutator condition or current control. The following pages are provided as an outline of the areas that should be checked each time that a problem occurs.

SIL 449.00

August 8, 2011

Page 2 of 3

FLASHOVER TROUBLESHOOTING
INTERNAL TO THE MOTOR
MOTOR PROBLEM Internal short Armature coil Commutator Field pole Interpole Failure in the insulation of the interpoles or field poles. Neutral plane not set properly burning on one side of brush. Loose commutator Retorque commutator at rebuilder during overhaul or flash repair.

EXTERNAL TO THE MOTOR

Oil contamination leaking pinion seal Water contamination Solvent contamination Dirt Wiring loose or damaged Cooling air restriction Gearing failure Vibration from Gearing Loose motor mounting Tires

CONTROL SYSTEM
CONTROLLER Card failure Controller phase transformer connections Controller phase transformer Panel feedback transformer Panel feedback transformer connections Controller wiring

SCR PANELS SCR misfire Shorted SCR SCR with low resistance Panel with unbalanced SCRs Panel failure wiring, components Wiring from the current transformers Control fuses loose

MAINTENANCE ISSUES Commutator High TIR High sawtooth High bar to bar Stall burned Loose high TIR between brush paths Brush boxes Loose Improper height from comm Brushes loose in the box Wiring loose Springs Spring popped out Spring broken Spring not installed properly Brush installed backwards Brushes not seated properly Brushes wore down to pigtail Pigtails loose in the brushes

USE YOUR LINCS 1.2R3 SYSTEM The LINCS system can be an invaluable aide in determining the reasons or causes for motor flashover. The LINCS data should be downloaded immediately following a flashover and analyzed with close attention paid to the following areas in the time preceding the flashover. MOTOR STALL ALARMS ARMATURE CONVERTER ALARMS FIELD CONVERTER ALARMS GROUND FAULTS HIGH CURRENT ALARMS OVERSPEED ALARMS POWER BEING TURNED ON/OFF DURING VEHICLE MOTION MOTOR CURRENT MOTOR VOLTAGE

Attachment: Traction Motor Inspection Form

Revision SIL 449.00

Description New SIL release

Date 08/08/2011

SIL 449.00

August 8, 2011

Page 3 of 3

TRACTION MOTOR INSPECTION FORM GENERAL INFORMATION ON MOTOR AND MACHINE HISTORY - SECTION A
1) MACHINE TYPE 2) MACHINE S/N 3) MACHINE HOURS 4) DATE OF FLASH/FAILURE 5) MOTOR S/N 9) LOCATION LF RF LR RR OTHER

10) OPERATING MODE AT FLASH/FAILURE POWER RETARD/BRAKING UNKNOWN 11) DID MOTOR FLASH YES NO 12) SIGNS OF PREVIOUS FLASHING YES NO 13) RECORDS OF PREVIOUS FLASHING? YES NO 14) WAS TRACTION MOTOR: CLEANED UP REPLACED 15) OPPOSING MOTOR S/N 16) OPPOSING MOTOR HOURS

6) MOTOR OPERATING HOURS 7) MOTOR TOTAL HOURS 8) STATUS NEW USED

ELECTRICAL CHECKS OF MOTOR AND CONTROLLER - SECTION B

17) ARMATURE MEG READING TO GROUND 26) ANY SCRS SHORTED (CHECK BOTH DIRECTIONS) YES NO LOCATION 27)ARMATURE CONVERTER SCR MEGOHM READINGS 1 3 5 21) ARMATURE RESISTANCE 2 4 6

18) INTERPOLE MEG READING TO GROUND 19) FIELD MEGOHM TO GROUND 20) FIELD RESISTANCE

28) CONTROL SIGNALS WITHIN TOLERANCE (Use the checkout sheet and record all values) YES NO 29) ARMATURE IA WAVERFORM PROPER(with oscilloscope). Proper IA waveform at 100A YES NO Proper IA waveform at of max stall current YES NO 30) CHANGE CARDS? LARGE STALL BURN LIST ALL CARDS THAT WERE CHANGED OUT:

22) COMMUTATOR:

TIR MBTB

23) COMMUTATOR PROFILE SMOOTH SAWTOOTH SM MED 24) COMMUTATOR CONDITION

25) ARMATURE CONVERTER FUSES BLOWN YES NO QTY AND LOCATIONS

31) LINCS DOWNLOAD

VISUAL CONDITION OF MOTOR - SECTION C

30) MOTOR INTERIOR CLEAN DIRTY DUST 31) COMMUTATOR GROOVED FILM 32) ARMATURE 33) POLE RING 34) FLASH RING (IF PRESENT) 35) BRUSH RING BURNED CHECKED WITH BOX GAUGE YES NO 37) BRUSH SRPINGS LOOSE YES NO 38) BRUSHES NO PROBLEMS SEATED BROKEN FRAYED PICTAILS SPRING PAD LOOSE OEM BRUSHES ALL BRUSHES SAME TYPE 36) BRUSH BOXES OIL IF MOTOR CLEANED UP WERE BOXES: REUSED REPLACED CLEANED UP QTY