ENERGY CONVERSION (Lab) - Experiment No.

8: The Universal Motor

Experiment No. 8
The Universal Motor

OBJECTIVE

1. To examine the construction of the universal motor

2. To determine its no-load and full load characteristics while operating on alternating
current
3. To determine its no-load and full load characteristics while operating on direct current

DISCUSSION

The AC/DC universal motor is found in portable tools such as electric drills, saws, sanders, etc.,
and in home appliances such as vacuum cleaners, electric mixers, blenders, etc., where high
speed, power and small size are an advantage.

It is closer in concept to the DC motor than to the AC motor and has some inherent
disadvantages, which can be avoided in purely AC induction motors, primarily, the need for
commutation and brushes.

The universal motor is basically as series DC motor which is specially designed to operate on
AC as well as on DC. A standard DC series motor has very poor characteristics when operated
on AC, mainly due to two reasons:

a) The high reactance of both the armature and field windings limit AC current to a much
lower value than DC current (for the same line voltage).

b) If solid steel is used for the stator frame, AC flux will produce large eddy currents in the
frame with consequent heating.

The reactance of the armature winding can be lowered by placing a compensating winding on
the stator so that the fluxes oppose or cancel each other. This same compensating winding can
be connected in series with the armature winding. In this case, the motor is said to be
conductively compensated. Under these conditions, the universal motor will have similar
operating characteristics whether on AC or DC power.

The compensating winding may be simply shorted upon itself, so that it behaves like a short-
circuited secondary of a transformer (the armature winding acting as the primary). The induced
AC current in the compensating winding again opposes or ‘bucks’ the armature current and the
motor is said to be inductively compensated. The reactance of the field winding can be kept low
by limiting the number of turns.

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ENERGY CONVERSION (Lab) - Experiment No. 8: The Universal Motor

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

1 unit 8110: Mobile Workstation 1 unit 8911: Electrodynamometer

1 unit 8254: Universal Motor 1 unit 8920: Digital Tachometer

1 unit 8412: DC Voltmeter/Ammeter 1 unit 8942: Timing Belt

1 unit 8425: AC Ammeter 1 unit 8821: Power Supply

1 unit 8426: AC Voltmeter 25 pcs Connection Leads

1 unit 8431: Single-Phase Wattmeter 1 unit Electronic VOM

CHECKING ACTIVITIES
CAUTION!

High voltage is present in this experiment!

Do not make any connections with the power on!
Make sure that the set is unplugged and the main switch of the
Power Supply is in the 0 position and its variable supply knob is set
to MINIMUM.

Connecting Wires
1. Check each wire for continuity

Universal Motor Module

2. Open the fiberglass panel and check smooth rotation of roller bearing assembly
mounted at the right side of the module. Close the fibreglass panel.
3. Perform continuity test for the Armature circuit (terminal pair 1-2) of the Universal Motor
4. Perform continuity test for the Series circuit (terminal pair 3-4) of the Universal Motor
5. Perform continuity test for the Compensator circuit (terminal pair 5-6) of the Universal
Motor.

Electrodynamometer Module
6. Open the fiberglass cover and check brush and its good contact against the rheostat
element.
7. Check smooth rotation of roller bearing assembly mounted at the right side of the
module.
8. Check if the pulley aligns with the pulley of the Universal Motor Module by putting the
belt and rotating the shaft clockwise and counter clockwise. The belt should not become
loose. If it does, try to interchange the positions of the machines and repeat this step.
9. Remove the belt and close the fibreglass panel.

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ENERGY CONVERSION (Lab) - Experiment No. 8: The Universal Motor

DC Voltmeter/Ammeter; AC Ammeter and AC Voltmeter Modules

10. Set all meter needles to zero. Adjust plastic screw on the front panel below the meter
view screen for each meter instrument using a screw driver if necessary.

Power Supply Module

11. Set the control knob to zero (minimum)
12. Plug and turn on the Power Supply module. Observe uniformity of all three pilot lamps. If
not, inform the instructor.
13. Set meter selector switch to 7-N. Rotate control knob to 100 (maximum) and observe
meter if it will indicate a value of 120V dc thereabouts. If not, inform the instructor.
Return the control knob to zero (minimum)
14. Set the meter selector switch to 4-N. Observe meter if it will indicate a value of 120 V ac
thereabouts across each pair terminals 4-N. If not, inform the instructor. Repeat for
terminal pairs 5-N and 6-N.
15. Using an AC Voltmeter module, measure if the voltage across each pair terminals 1-N,
2-N, and 3-N is 120 V ac thereabouts. If not, inform the instructor.
16. Turn off the Power Supply Module and unplug the workstation.

PROCEDURE

1. You will determine the neutral brush position for your motor using alternating current.
Using your Power Supply, Universal Motor and AC Voltmeter, connect the circuit shown
in Figure 8.1.

CAUTION!

DO NOT APPLY POWER AT THIS TIME!

Figure 8.1

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 ENERGY CONVERSION (Lab) - Experiment No. 8: The Universal Motor

2. Unlock the Universal Motor module and move it forward approximately 20 cm (8 in).
Reach behind the front face of the module and move the brush positioning lever handle
to its maximum clockwise position. Do not slide the module back in place (you will later
move the brushes again).

3. Place the power supply voltmeter switch to its 4-N position. Plug the workstation and
turn on the power supply. Slowly advance the voltage output control until the AC
voltmeter in the Power Supply module indicates approximately 80 V AC. The AC voltage
across the compensating winding is induced by the AC current through the armature.

4. a. Open the fibreglass cover of the module. (BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO COME INTO
CONTACT WITH THE EXPOSED TERMINALS OF THE MODULE) Using your left
hand (if right handed), hold on to the shaft of the machine to prevent it from rotating and
using your right hand, carefully reach behind the front face of the module and move
slowly the brush positioning lever handle to its maximum counter-clockwise position. You
will notice that the induced AC voltage across the compensating winding increases and
then drops again as you approach the other extreme counter-clockwise position.

b. Leave the brushes at the position where the induced voltage is at maximum. This is
the neutral position of the brushed of your Universal Motor.

c. Show to your instructor the neutral brush position reading. Have him approve the
brush position before you proceed to the next procedure.

d. Return the voltage to zero, turn off the power supply. Slide your Universal Motor
module back in place and disconnect your circuit. Unplug the workstation.

5. Connect the armature and compensating windings in series, across the 0-120 V AC
output of the power supply as shown in Figure 8.2.

Figure 8.2

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ENERGY CONVERSION (Lab) - Experiment No. 8: The Universal Motor

6. a. Plug the workstation, turn on the power supply and adjust for 30 V AC as indicated by
the voltmeter connected across the Universal motor input terminals 1 and 6.

b. If the line current is less than 1 A AC with 30 V AC applied, the compensating winding
is producing a flux in the same direction as the armature thereby increasing the
inductance (and reactance). If this occurs, interchange the leads to the armature or
the compensating winding.

c. Measure and record the line current. I = ___________ A AC (2 points)

Note: If the armature revolves, the brushes are not exactly at the neutral
position. Go back and perform Procedures 2 up to 4.

7. Return the voltage to zero and turn off the power supply. Unplug the workstation.

8. Using the Wattmeter and Electrodynamometer modules, connect the circuit shown in
Fig. 8.3. Remember to keep the armature and the compensating winding connections as
in Procedure 5.

Figure 8.3

9. a. Couple the electrodynamometer to the Universal motor with the belt.

b. Connect the input terminals of the electrodynamometer to the fixed 120 V AC output
of the Power Supply module terminals 1 and N.

c. Set the dynamometer control knob to provide minimum starting load for the Universal
motor.

10. a. Plug the workstation, turn on the power supply and adjust for 120 V AC across the
voltmeter connected across the Universal motor.

b. Measure and record in Table 8.1 the line current, power input and motor speed.

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 ENERGY CONVERSION (Lab) - Experiment No. 8: The Universal Motor

Note that there is very little sparking at the brushes.

c. Apply a load to your DC Motor by varying the dynamometer control knob until the
scale marked on the stator housing indicates 3 lbf-in. Readjust the power supply, if
necessary, to maintain exactly 120 V AC.

d. Measure the line current and motor speed. Record these values in Table 8.1.

e. Repeat for each of the torques values listed in the Table, while maintaining a
constant 120 V AC input.

Load Input Motor Apparent Input Armature Power

Torque, Voltage, V Input Input Power, Speed, N Output,
T (Volt) Current, I Power, S W (Watt) (rpm) Po (hp)
(lbf-in) (Amps) (VA)
0 120
3 120

6 120
9 120
12 120

Table 8.1 (14 points)

f. Return the voltage to zero and turn off the power supply.

11. a. Calculate and record in Table 8.1 the apparent power delivered to the motor for each
of the listed torques.

b. Calculate and record in Table 8.1 the developed horsepower for each of the listed
torques using the equation below.

1.59NT Where Pout = Mechanical Output Power in HP

P 
out
N = speed in rpm
100,000
T = Torque in lbf-in

12. Replace the AC ammeter and voltmeter with DC meters, remove the wattmeter, and
connect the input to the variable DC output terminals 7 and N of the power supply
module as shown in Figure 8.4.

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ENERGY CONVERSION (Lab) - Experiment No. 8: The Universal Motor

Figure 8.4

13. Repeat Procedures 10 and 11 using DC power instead of AC power and complete Table
8.2.

Load Input Motor Input Armature Power

Torque, Voltage, V Input Power, Speed, N Output,
T (Volt) Current, I W (Watt) (rpm) Po (hp)
(lbf-in) (Amps)
0 120
3 120

6 120
9 120
12 120

Table 8.2 (14 points)

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 ENERGY CONVERSION (Lab) - Experiment No. 8: The Universal Motor

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. From table 8.1 compute for the following at no-load condition: (2 points)

Reactive Power = __________ Vars

Power Factor = ____________

2. From table 8.1 compute for the following at 9lbf-in load (full load) condition: (4 points)

Reactive Power = __________ Vars

Power Factor = ____________

Losses = ____________ Watts

Efficiency = _______________ %

3. From table 8.2 compute for the following at 9lbf-in load (full load) condition: (2 points)

Loses = ____________ Watts

Efficiency = _______________ %

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ENERGY CONVERSION (Lab) - Experiment No. 8: The Universal Motor

4. Compare the universal motor operating characteristics on AC and DC and list major
observed difference. (2 points)

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CONCLUSIONS

1. Make a general statement on the effect of increasing mechanical load of the universal
motor to its current. (6 points)

2. Make a general statement of the effect of increasing mechanical load of the universal
motor to its speed. (6 points)

3. Make a general statement about the speed difference of a universal motor when
operated using an AC and a DC supply. (6 points)

4. Make a general statement about the difference in input current for the same amount of
load of a universal motor when operated using an AC and a DC supply. (6 points)

5. Make a general statement about the difference in efficiency of a universal motor when
operated using an AC and a DC supply. (6 points)

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