It can be very difficult to arrange being onsite with technology in place to capture a motor start. However, do whatever it takes to get a baseline capture of every critical motor to take advantage of the broad troubleshooting value of the In-Rush/Start-Up data. For MCEMAX® users, make sure you are using the latest six channel pre-trigger test settings to see both voltage and current throughout the start-up.
The following faults are easily identified using a comparison between a baseline and the recent six channel In-Rush/Start-Up test:
- Stator Fault (Turn-to-Turn-or-Phase-to-Phase)
- Rotor Fault (Cracked or Broken Rotor Bar)
- Power Quality (High or Low System Voltage)
- Power Circuit (High Resistance Connection – Voltage and/or Current Imbalance)
- Machine Train Fault (mechanically induced modulation or extended start-up duration)
To hear more about the value of the In-Rush/Start-Up and see actual case studies visit the PdMA YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFg2hU-90MU.
