Buying a new industrial electric motor is a huge investment, and it is important to do your homework before putting money down on one. Here are some factors you should think about before making a purchase:
The age of the motor is very important in these decisions. Motors manufactured before 2005 are far less efficient than those manufactured after that time. New standards established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mandated that electric motors be more energy-efficient, which will save you money in the long run.
Again, motors manufactured before 2005 are far less efficient than those manufactured after that time. If the motor was manufactured after 2005, look at purchasing the most energy-efficient motor that fits your exact requirements. You might also want to evaluate if the motor would benefit from complete motor rewinding service. Perhaps repairing and rewinding the motor would be a better way to increase the efficiency of the existing motor.
Is the motor you are looking to replace straining under the load you are putting it under right now? Study the load you are putting the old motor under to determine if you would benefit from a larger–or maybe even a smaller, more efficient electric motor.
What kind of environment is this motor operating in? Do you need increased protection from water, dust or critters? Does your motor have unique requirements such as needing to be dust tight or severe weather conditions? Figure out what level of ingress protection you need before your purchase.
Does the motor application require the motor to run constantly? (Or at least long enough to reach its full operating temperature?) Or does the motor application run in short bursts with time for the motor to completely cool down in between cycles? Motors running intermittent applications can often get away with using smaller motor than ones using applications with the same speed and torque, that run continuously.
Here at Tekwell Services, we sell electric motors from SEW Eurodrive, WEG, and TECO Westinghouse, as well as provide a complete suite of NEMA electrical motor repair services. Give us a call (toll-free) at 1-888-984-4668 or fill out our quick solution form at the bottom of our Contact page, to learn more about the new electric motor options available for you.