Skilled Trades

Considering Electrician Training? 4 Common Causes of Electric Motor Breakdowns

January 01, 2019

If you’re considering electrician training, one of the career paths you could pursue after graduation includes electric motor analysis and repair. Electric motors can be found in many places—hair dryers, air conditioners and even huge cargo ships all function with electric motors. When an electric motor breaks down, it’s the job of an electric motor analyst to get it up and running again.

If working with electric motors sounds exciting to you, you may be interested in learning a little about the main causes of electric motor breakdowns. Read on to learn more.

1. How Heat Affects Electric Motors: What Electrician Training Will Teach You

Excessive heat can be extremely damaging to electric motors because it increases wear and tear on the motor’s parts, particularly on the motor’s insulation. Once the insulation has deteriorated, the motor will fail. Overheating can be caused by a number of factors, such as power surges, contamination and simply operating the motor in a very warm environment. In fact, you’ll see that many of the issues causing electric motor breakdowns generally lead to overheating.

Once you’ve completed your electrician training and begin working in the field, you’ll likely find that most electric motor breakdowns you’ll be tasked with repairing will relate to excessive heat.

After electrician college, you’ll encounter many electric motor breakdowns linked to heat

2. Humidity and Moisture Can Corrode the Insulation of an Electric Motor

Humidity or moisture of any kind is not good for electric motors. When moisture gets into the motor, it may cause parts of the motor to corrode more rapidly than they would in a dry environment. Humidity, for example, can corrode insulation and if that corrosion is not stopped then the insulation may become so damaged that the entire motor breaks down.

3. Electric Motors Should Not Operate Above their Limits

Every electric motor has a maximum capacity in terms of the amount of electrical current it can carry. A surge in electricity to the motor can cause both overheating and overcapacity, which reduces the lifespan of a motor’s parts and may eventually lead to a breakdown. Electrician college grads know that a current protector, such as a circuit breaker, is the best way to prevent an electrical overload from damaging an electrical motor, since this will automatically shut down the motor when a surge occurs.

4. Dirt, Dust and Other Forms of Contamination Can Increase Wear and Tear

Electric motors can easily become contaminated with dirt, dust, grease and other particles. After you complete your electrician certification, you’ll likely work on many electric motors that have experienced problems because of excessive dirt and dust. Some contaminants will simply wear down or corrode the motor’s parts or make it run less efficiently. Others may be electrically conductive, which means that they can interfere with the electric current that is running through the motor. Contaminants can also block airflow to the engine, preventing the engine from cooling down and forcing it to overheat. Regular maintenance and upkeep is the best way to reduce contamination-related breakdowns.

Dirt and other contaminants can cause an electric motor’s parts to wear down and corrode

Are you interested in attending electrician college?

Contact North American Trade Schools to learn more about our programs!

Visit Our Blog Directory