Archives for 2016

Water and electricity just do not play well together!  Isn’t it amazing how easily water finds a way into our electrical systems. Sometimes the search for the water takes us deeper than expected. Regardless of how deep we have to look to find the water, it is important to recognize when we have water intrusion and get ahead of it before it causes extensive damage to our electrical systems. Or worse, the possibility of unplanned outages and lost production. This is a great case study from our friends at PdMA. Call us for all of your electrical testing needs!

Press Release: Siemens researchers have developed a new type of electric motor that, with a weight of just 50 kilograms, delivers a continuous output of about 260 kilowatts – five times more than  comparable drive systems. This record-setting propulsion system successfully completed its first public flight today at Schwarze Heide Airport near Dinslaken, Germany, where it – almost silently – powered an Extra 330LE aerobatic airplane. The new drive system had already made its maiden flight on June 24th 2016. This advance means that hybrid-electric aircraft with four or more seats will now be possible. In addition, the company will be contributing this technology to the cooperative project that Siemens and Airbus agreed to in April 2016 for driving the development of electrically powered flight. Electric drives are scalable, and Siemens and Airbus will be using the record-setting motor as a basis for developing regional airliners powered by hybrid-electric propulsion systems. Siemens is determined to establish hybrid-electric propulsion systems for aircraft as a future area of business.

Sometimes your six lead motors are configured to start in a Wye configuration and switch to a Delta configuration during the start-up known commonly as Wye Start/Delta Run. This starting method minimizes current demand during starting and reduces the impact on the power system, therefore, reducing the chance of the motor tripping off-line in a distressed power system. As motor analysts and technicians we need to remember that when de-energized the three phases are completely disconnected from each other. Connecting your MCE® test leads to motor leads 1,2,3 will indicate an open phase with no conductivity. The recommended approach is to move your test leads to each phase and test that phase separately. Referring to the handy dandy EASA Electrical Engineering Handbook we can determine which motor leads make up the three independent phases. Motor lead 1 and 4 (phase 1), motor lead 2 and 5 (phase 2), and motor lead 3 and 6 (phase 3). Also, remember that each phase can have its own independent resistance and capacitance-to-ground reading as a result of being disconnected from the other phases.
From our friends at PdMA.

You guessed it. Excessive temperature is the #1 killer of electric motor insulation. However, not always does the remaining evidence lead the investigator to the root cause. So what could be the root cause of excessive heat?  High resistance connections, severe rotor bar defects, improper ventilation, poor power quality, etc. With so many root causes resulting in high temperatures it is no wonder heat is the #1 killer of your electric motor. Get a handle on these root causes with your pdm technologies and you will get a handle on the heat. Info courtesy of our friends at PdMA.