LESSON 10

TROUBLESHOOTING AND REPAIR OF THREE-PHASE MOTORS

I. Testing
The three-phase motor should be given tests for the following defects after a repair or winding job:
grounds, opens, shorts, and reverses.
Grounds. Use the test leads as shown in Figure 9-01. Connect one test lead to the frame of the motor
and one test lead to one of the leads of the motor. If the lamp lights, a winding is grounded. To ensure
a thorough test, move the test lead to each lead of the motor.

Figure 9-01 – Testing a polyphaser motor for grounds

If the motor is grounded it will be necessary to locate and remove the ground before making other
tests. Just as in other motors, first try to locate the ground by inspection. If it cannot be found in
this manner, determine its location by disconnecting each phase and test separately.

In a star-connected motor, disconnect at the star point and test each phase separately as indicated
in Figure 9-02.

Figure 9-02 – A star-connected

motor. Disconnect the star point to
locate a grounded phase.

In a delta-connected motor, disconnect the phases at the leads and test each phase separately as
shown in Figure 9-03.

Figure 9-03 – In a delta-connected

motor disconnect phases to locate a
grounded phase.

After the grounded phase has been located, it will be necessary to locate the coil that is grounded.
The procedure follows: Disconnect the jumpers between groups of the grounded phase and test each
group separately for a ground as shown in Figure 9-04. After the group is located, the defective coil
can easily be located by opening the coil splices as indicated in Figure 9-05 and testing each coil for
a ground. After the grounded coil is found, it will be necessary to reinsulate the slot or place a new
coil in the stator. Sometimes one lamination is pushed out of place so that its sharp edges cut into
the wire. This can usually be remedied by pressing the lamination back into its proper position.

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Frequently the fault will be found to be the insulation in the slot. Too, the wire may be placed by
mistake between the insulation and the slot, or the insulation may have shifted and left the slot core
uncovered.

Figure 9-04 – To locate the grounded group, disconnect jumpers between groups of
that phase.

Figure 9-05 – To find a grounded coil, disconnect splices

and test coil separately.

Open Circuits. Open circuits in a two- or three-phase motor may be due to a break in the coil or a
loose connection at the splices or jumpers. To locate the open, proceed as follows:
Use the test lamp and determine which phase is open. If the motor is star-connected, place one test
lead at the star point and the other test lead on each of the other three phase leads in succession, as
shown in Figure 9-06. The lamp should light on all three wires. If the lamp does not light when touched
to one wire, that phase is open. If the motor is delta-connected, disconnect the phases and test each
phase separately as indicated in Figure 9-07. The lamp will not light when the open phase is tested.

Figure 9-06 – A test to determine the open

phase in a star motor.

Figure 9-07 – Determine the open phase

in a delta motor.

Shorts. Poor workmanship in placing coils in slots is responsible for shorts due to failure of the wire
insulation. Shorted coils in polyphase motors are located in the same manner as in split-phase motors.
The usual method is to use an internal growler as shown in Figure 9-08 and locate the coil or group
that is shorted by noting the vibrations of a hack-saw blade. It must be remembered that the growler

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is not effective on parallel-connected motors. All parallels must be disconnected in order to test the
winding with the growler. If the growler is held in position for a few minutes, the defective coil or coils
will become hot.

Figure 9-08 – The use of an internal growler to

locate a shorted coil.

Reverses. Reverses occur when a coil, group, or phase is improperly connected. In all cases this is
due to oversight or lack of knowledge on the part of the winder. Reverses in polyphase motors may
occur in ( 1 ) coils, ( 2 ) groups, and (3) phases.

A. REVERSED COILS: In all polyphase motors, the coils of a group are connected so that the
current flows through each coil in the same direction. It is possible that the winder may have
connected these coils incorrectly so that the current through each coil is not flowing in the same
direction. This condition could not exist in a gang-wound motor unless the coils are placed in the
slots in the wrong direction.

Visual inspection is the best method of detecting a reversed coil; however, this is not always
possible. An accurate check is to pass low voltage direct current from a battery through each phase
and place a compass against the core. The compass needle should reverse at each group of one
phase, and indicate N at one group, S at the next group, etc. If at any group the compass needle is
indefinite, there may be a reversed coil in that group. The reversed coil builds up a magnetic field
which opposes that set up by the other coils, and this causes a very weak field, which has little
effect on the compass needle.

B. REVERSED C O I L G R O U P S : To test for reversed groups, connect one lead of a low-voltage

d-c line to the star point and the other lead to each phase in order. Move a compass in-side the
stator to indicate the polarity of each group. If the compass needle reverses at each group as shown
in Figure 9-09, the correct polarity is indicated. To test a delta-connected motor for reversed groups,
open one delta point and connect a source of low-voltage direct current to the two wires. If the
compass needle reverses at each group, the polarity is correct.

Figure 9-09 – The correct method of connecting a three-phase, two-pole star motor is
indicated by the compass needle.

C. REVERSED PHASES: A common error in connecting a three-phase motor is to connect the

middle phase in the wrong manner. This mistake is easily found with the compass. Connect the
phases to the low-voltage direct current as in testing groups-and test with the compass from group
to group for reversal of the needle. If the needle indicates three north poles and three south poles,
as shown in Figure 9-10, it is an indication of a wrongly connected middle phase. Reverse the B,
or middle, phase to obtain the correct connection.

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 Figure 9-10– An incorrect connection of phase B. Reverse this phase.

After the motor is tested, bake it in an oven for about two or three hours at a temperature of
approximately 250° Fahrenheit. Dip it in a good grade of varnish for about five minutes and then allow
it to drip. Place it in the oven again and bake at the same temperature for three hours.

Common Troubles and Repairs

1. Burned-out Fuse. Remove fuses and test with test lamp as shown in Figure 9-11. If the lamp lights,
the fuse is good. A burned-out fuse is indicated when' the test lamp does not light.

Figure 9-11– Testing a fuse with a test lamp.

To test the fuses without removing them from their holders, place a test-lamp circuit across the fuse while
the switch is closed, as shown in Figure 9-12. The fuse that causes the lamp to light is the one that is
burned out.

Figure 9-12– A test lamp placed across a burned-out fuse will light

If the fuse burns out while a polyphase motor is in operation, the motor will continue to operate as a single-
phase motor (Figures 9-13 and 9-14). This means that only part of the winding is carrying the entire load.
If the motor continues to operate in this manner, even for a short time, the winding will become very hot
and burn out. Further, the motor will be noisy in operation and may not pull the load. To find the trouble,
stop the motor and try to start it again. A polyphase motor will not start with a burned-out fuse. To remedy
this condition, locate and replace the defective fuse.

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 Figure 9-13– A star-connected motor with
burned-out fuse in one phase. Current through
the other two phases will overload the coils
and burn them out.

Figure 9-14– A delta-connected motor with

burned-out fuse in one phase. Current will
flow in one of the phase.

If the motor is a parallel-connected star, current will be induced in the open phase and cause the winding
to burn out quickly. This should be prevented if possible.
2. Worn Bearings. If a bearing is worn, the rotor will ride on the stator and cause noisy operation. When
the bearings are so worn that the rotor rests firmly on the core of the stator, rotation is impossible. To
check a small motor for this condition, try moving the shaft up and down as shown in Figure 9-15. Motion
in this manner indicates a worn bearing. Remove and inspect the rotor for smooth, worn spots. These
indicate that the rotor has been rubbing on the stator. The only remedy is to replace the bearings.

Figure 9-15– Lift the shaft up and down.

Movement indicates worn bearing of shaft.

On a larger motor, the check for worn bearings is made with a feeler gauge. This type of gauge is
shown in Figure 9-16. The air space between the rotor and the stator must be the same at all points.
(Figure 9-17). If it is not, the bearing must be replaced.

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 Figure 9-16– A feeler gauge, which has thin
metal strips of different thickness.

Figure 9-17– The air gap should

be the same around the entire
motor. This is checked with a
feeler gauge

3. Overload. To determine whether a 3-phase motor is overloaded, remove the belt from the motor
and turn the shaft of the load by hand (Figure 9-18). Usually a broken part or dirty mechanism will
prevent the shaft from moving freely.

Figure 9-18– Disconnect belt and try to move load

in order to see if the motor shaft is free to turn.

Another method is to connect an ammeter in series with each line wire. A higher current reading than
on the name plate may indicate an overload.
4. Open Phase. If an open occurs while the motor is running, it will continue to run but will have
less power. An open circuit may occur in a coil or group connection and prevent the motor from
starting. This may also be due to a broken wire or a loose connection.

If the open is located within a coil, a new coil may be necessary. However, should it be impossible to
supply a new coil, the old coil is cut out in the following manner:
Locate the open coil. Connect together the beginning and the end of the open coil as shown in Figures
9-19 and 9-20. This is a temporary measure and should only be used when rewinding is impractical.
It cannot be employed when the coils are gang-wound.

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 Figure 9-19– The method of jumpering out one
coil of a group of three coils.

Figure 9-20– The method of jumpering out one

coil of a group of three coils.

The motor will continue to run if a phase opens while the motor is in operation, but will not start if at
standstill. Conditions are similar to those of a blown fuse.
5. Shorted Coil or Group. Shorted coils will cause noisy operation and also smoke. After locating
such defective coils by means of the eye or balance test, replace them with new coils or cut them out
of the circuit.

When the insulating enamel on the wire fails, the individual turns become shorted and cause the coil
to become extremely hot and burn out. Other coils may then burn out, with the result that an entire group
or phases will be-come defective. A shorted coil is cut out of the circuit differently from an open coil.
Locate the shorted coil visually or by means of the growler. A shorted coil looks and smells burned. Cut
the entire coil at one point at the back and twist the turns on both sides, as shown in Figures 9-21 and 9-
22. Be certain that the turns are free of insulation before the wires are twisted together. This method
applies also to gang-wound coils. In an entire group is burned out, the motor should be rewound.

Figure 9-21– Cutting turns of a burned-out coil.

Figure 9-22– A coil cut and wires twisted

together on both sides.

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6. Loose Rotor Bars. These will produce noisy operation and will keep the motor from carrying the load.
Sparks may be seen between the bars and end rings while the motor is turning.
On squirrel-cage rotors, the copper bars are all connected to end rings on both sides of the rotor. If one
or more of these bars become loose (Figure 9-23) and do not contact the end rings, improper operation
of the motor may result. In many instances the motor will not rotate.

Figure 9-23– Rotor bars are welded or cast on end rings. One or more bars may loosen,
thus cuai causing poor operation of motor.

Loose rotor bars may be found by placing the rotor on a growler. Vibration of a hack-saw blade should be
felt at every bar otherwise an open bar is indicated. Open rotor bars can also be observed by eye.
The remedy for this condition is resoldering or welding.

7. Wrong Internal Connections. A good method of determining whether or not a polyphase motor is
connected properly is to remove the rotor and place a large ball bearing in the stator. The switch is then
closed to supply cur-rent to the winding. If the internal connections are correct, the ball bearing will rotate
around the core of the stator, as shown in Figure 9-24. If the connections are incorrect, the ball bearing
will remain stationary.

Figure 9-24– The ball bearing should

rotate around the core of the stator if
internal connections are correct.

For medium- and large-sized motors, reduced voltage should be used; otherwise, a fuse may blow.
8.Frozen Bearing. If oil is not supplied to that part of the shaft which rotates in the bearing, the shaft will
become so hot that it will expand sufficiently to prevent movement in the bearing. This is called a frozen
bearing. In the process of expansion, the bearing may weld itself to the shaft and make rotation
impossible.
To repair, try to remove the end plates. The end plate that cannot be removed easily contains the bad
bearing. Remove the end plate and armature as a unit; hold the armature in a stationary position; and
turn the end' plate back and forth. If it is impossible to move the end plate, loosen the set screw which
holds the bearing in the housing and try to remove the armature and bearing as a unit. Be careful to keep
the oil ring free from the bearing while this is being done. The bearing can then be removed by tapping it
with a hammer. The shaft will probably have to be turned down on a lathe to a new size and a new bearing
made. If ball bearings are used, replace with new ones.
9. Defective Controller. If the contacts on the controller do not make good contact, the motor will fail to
start.

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10. Grounded Winding. This will produce a shock when the motor is touched. If the winding is grounded
in more than one place, a short circuit will occur which will burn out the winding and perhaps blow a fuse.
Test for a grounded winding with test lamp and repair by rewinding or by replacing the defective coil.
11. Reversed Phase. This will cause a motor to run more slowly than rated speed and produce an
electrical hum indicative of wrong connections. Check the connections and reconnect them according to
plan.
12. Open Parallel Connection. This fault will produce a noisy hum and will prevent the motor from
pulling full load. Check for complete parallel circuits.

References:
https://www.instructables.com/id/Rewinding-3-Phase-Motor
https://circuitglobe.com/difference-between-lap-and-wave-winding.html
Rosenberg, R. and Hand, A. (1986). Electric motor repair, third editon. Saunders College Publishing
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, The Dryden Press. United States of America.

ACTIVITY #9

A. Answer the following questions:

1. How to repair the defect of the 3-phase motor? Elaborate your answer? (5pts)
2. Why do knowledge on troubleshooting and repair is important? (5pts)

B. Activity #9-1

Make a summary on the common troubles and repairs following the format below:

Troubles Symptoms Remedy/ies

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