TROUBLESHOOTING ELECTRICAL STATOR

Amperage Unbalance

Is It Due to the Motor, the Line, or Both?

When you encounter a situation of amperage unbalance in the three supply lines to meter, here's how
to tell if the fault is in the motor, the line, or in both.

In the following examples, the three supply lines are designated A, 8, and C - the three motor
terminals as T-1, T-2, and T-3.

The following 3 sets of amperage readings are required:

Then tabulate these 9 amp readings as follows:

A-1 B-1 C-1

A-1 B-1 C-1

A-1 B-1 C-1

Total each column vertically (A-1 + A-2 + A-3, etc.). These figures indicate the unbalance effect of
the power supply. Total each line horizontally(A-1 + B-1 + C-1, etc.). These figures give the
unbalance effect produced by the motor.

For example, assume the following readings:

Amps Amps Amps

First reading A-1=49 B-2=44 C-3=39

Second reading A-2=39 B-3=39 C-1=44

Third reading A-3=44 B-1=48 C-2=44

Then tabulate and total per table one.

 A B C Totals

1. 49 48 44 141

2. 39 44 44 127

3. 44 39 39 122

132 313 127

In this example, we would conclude that:

1. Power supply amperage variations are within acceptable limits

2. Motor amperage variations are unacceptable. The motor should be replaced.

Let's assume that the readings had been as follows:

Amps Amps Amps

First reading A-1=49 B-2=44 C-3=39

Second reading A-2=44 B-3=39 C-1=44

Third reading A-3=46 B-1=44 C-2=44

Then,

A B C Totals
1. 49 44 44 137

2. 44 44 44 132

3. 48 39 39 126

141 127 127

In this situation, the power supply is the major cause for the unbalance. If the cause of the unbalance
is the power supply, it can be located and corrected, the chances are that the motor unbalance will
decrease somewhat due to the external effects.

So before condemning the motor, which is easy to do, run through this exercise to see where the
major source of unbalance lies.

And remember that each NCE rewound motor is checked with an extremely sensitive double bridge.
Motors with variations of more than 3% between phases are rejected. Each motor is run in our plant
and amperage measured and recorded of each phase.

If an NCE motor shows large amperage variations where connected in the field, the chances are very
high that there is an unbalance in the power supply.