| The electricity consumed by a motor in one
year costs more than the motor itself, by as much as 10 times. Multiplying
this cost by the life of the motor puts the necessity of maintaining
optimum motor performance in true perspective.
Motor maintenance is more than making sure the motor itself is operating
correctly. It also involves ensuring that power supplied to the motor
is within acceptable tolerances, that the motor’s output power
is efficiently transmitted to the load and that the load itself is properly
maintained so as not to make the motor work harder than necessary. Record-keeping
is an essential part of motor maintenance. Comparing results of recent
tests to historical records, maintenance staff can much more readily
spot degraded performance and potential breakdowns and take steps to
adjust the system and avoid costly unscheduled downtime.
Motor maintenance programs must be customized. Hot, dirty, humid conditions
require more frequent checks of performance and attention to maintaining
the physical condition of the motor. It may also be necessary to isolate
motors from extreme conditions or to blow conditioned air over them
for cooling purposes.
To learn more about how to control energy waste through motor
maintenance, please click
here (PDF). |
