Did you know that 30% of motor failures are due to motor overload? That is a lot of avoidable costs.
Motor overloads are when motors are used overcapacity. This can wear down the bearings and burn out the copper wiring.
When Your Motor Needs Help
There are several ways to tell if your motor is suffering from overload. Your motor may start doing any one of these things to indicate it is in distress, and it is better to deal with the problem sooner rather than later.
- Burnt smell when running.
- It is louder than usual or vibrates more.
- The wiring looks burnt.
- Larger currant draw.
- Insufficient torque.
- It is overheating.
How To Avoid Overload
You can avoid overload by stringently following the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines. This is particularly important, as overloads don’t tend to be covered by warranties, so it could be a very expensive mistake. If you find you need more power from your motor, then you can always upgrade your motor and buy one with increased KW.
Servicing your motor regularly will also help, as the engineer should be able to tell you if your motor is overworked. Then you can plan accordingly to minimise downtime.
The Best Tools For The Job
Another way to avoid overload is to have an ABB smart sensor installed on your motors. These little devices turn your motor into a wireless machine which tells you when it needs servicing and repairs.
It does this by reading the vibrations of the motor while in use and combines this with ABB data. It will then send you an email (or you can use the app) to let you know when your motor is in distress.
Installation takes minutes on a standard motor, and it sets up easily too. As an ABB Value Provider, the Gibbons Engineers are completely up to date with all the latest technology and training from ABB, so we can help with the install of Smart Sensors to your motors.
The cost of the smart sensor is usually paid back quickly, as the cost of downtime from a sudden failure significantly outweighs the cost of this smart little device.
Rewind, Reuse, Recycle
If your motor is already overloaded, and in need of urgent repair, you could get it rewound. Generally, this saves you up to 40% of the cost of buying new. It is more environmentally friendly and will have fewer teething issues than a new motor.
Not all motors can be rewound, sometimes it is better to get a new one. But the friendly Rewinds team at Gibbons will always evaluate a motor and tell you honestly if a replacement would be best.
Gibbons will even part-exchange your old motor from the cost of your new one. With dozens of motors in stock and ready to be delivered next day – you won’t suffer from much downtime.
