Load Testing Of Motors: Common Methods, Procedures

switchgear/service to handle full- when the conventional tests do not

load current. detect the reason for improper perfor-
Suspected faults that might lead mance from a motor. The load test in
one to consider performing a load this case can be a part of a battery of
test include an open rotor or incor- diagnostic tests used to determine if a
rect winding design. If the motor motor is magnetically too strong
rotor is open, a load test can reveal (overfluxed) for its power rating.
higher than normal slip (motor runs
Test Can Verify Nameplate Rating
too slow), higher than rated current,
Even when faults are not suspected,
and excessive temperature. If the
load testing a three-phase squirrel cage
winding design results in a magneti-
motor can be used to verify that the
cally weak (lower than required flux)
motor performs in accordance with its
design, the motor will run slower
nameplate rating. With full load torque
than normal, be over temperature,
By Tom Bishop, P.E. produced through a dynamometer, the
and draw more current.
EASA Technical Support Specialist motor current, speed and winding
Note that the magnetically weak
temperature can be measured.
motor will behave in a similar manner
The most common method of load The motor slip speed should be
to the open rotor condition. If the motor
testing motors is dynamometer within 20% of rated slip speed, per
is magnetically too strong for its power
testing. In this article, we will address NEMA MG1-2003 12.46. For
rating, the slip speed will be less than
the reasons for performing load tests example, if the rated speed is 1740
normal, and current and temperature
as well as methods of load testing rpm, the slip speed is 1800 (synchro-
may be higher or lower depending on a
motors. Further details on dynamom- nous speed) minus 1740, or 60 rpm.
number of design variables. As
eter testing are given in Tech Note 5 Applying the 20% tolerance to the 60
mentioned earlier, there are other
“Dynamometer Testing Electric rpm slip results in a range of (60 x
diagnostic tests that can be used to
Motors,” which can be found in the 0.2) 12 rpm above or below rated slip.
determine if the rotor is open (except
EASA Technical Manual. That means that the motor speed can
with double-cage rotors, or unless the
The primary reason for load be from 1728 (1740-12) to 1752
rotor fault only occurs at elevated
testing is to verify that the motor (1740 + 12) rpm.
temperatures) or the winding design is
produces torque corresponding to the incorrect. The load test is often used Continued On Page 2
nameplate parameters such as
horsepower/kilowatts, speed, voltage
Test DC Load
and current. If it is a DC motor, Voltage Sense DC Test Current Supply Motor Machine
Field
another key consideration would be Field
Controller
commutation, i.e., to verify that there Load
is no sparking at the brushes. Resistance Meter
Torque
Machine
and Supply
Armature
Reasons For Testing Disconnection
Interlock
Power Analyser Speed
Speed Signal
Synchronous
In the case of a three-phase Alternator Motor DC Machine
squirrel cage motor (the most Current Torque and
common motor in industry and in Signal Speed Controller
service centers for repair), load Load Machine
Field
testing is infrequent. Among the
reasons that such testing is not often
performed are that other means of Automatic
AC
Voltage
Inverter
testing can be almost as effective in Regulator

revealing faults or anomalies; the

time and expense associated with a
load test; and the availability of Figure 1. Laboratory-type dynomometer test center.

EASA CURRENTS ■ June 2005 1

 Load Testing Of Motors: Common Methods, Procedures
Continued From Page 1

The load current can vary, per voltage level can be extrapolated to more revealing of faults or anomalies
NEMA MG1-2003 12.47, by no more determine the expected locked rotor than testing of their AC machine
than 10% from the rated value. Thus, current and torque at rated voltage. counterparts. The primary reason is that
if the motor is rated 100 amps, the full Theoretically, current will vary in not only are torque, current and
load current could be between 90 proportion to voltage, and torque will temperature important parameters of
(100-10) and 110 amps and still be vary as the square of the voltage DC machine operation, but there is also
within NEMA tolerances. change. The reason for extrapolating the factor of commutation. Commuta-
The key to a meaningful load test the values is that the actual current and tion describes the ability of the brushes
is to apply the rated torque load, at torque values are affected by magnetic and commutator to conduct current
balanced and rated voltage, and saturation; thus, they can’t be deter- without detrimental sparking.
measure the line currents and exact mined by simple calculation. Applying rated field current and
operating speed. Normally the motor The dynamometer is not the only armature voltage to a motor, the output
is tested at several points in addition means available to load test a motor. speed at rated torque and armature
to full (100%) load, typically 0, 50, The actual application where the current can be compared to the
75 and 115 or 125% load. A wattme- motor is used is a load test environ- nameplate ratings. The speed can vary
ter may be used to measure input ment. However, determining such up to 7.5% from rated per NEMA
power; however, very few dynamom- important factors as torque produced MG1-2003 12.71; however, there is no
eters have instrumentation accurate is not practical in the actual applica- NEMA tolerance for variation in full
enough for determining efficiency. tion so it will not be considered here. load current. If there is an out of
That is usually left to motor manufac- An induction motor can be loaded as tolerance condition, it usually affects
turers and laboratory-type environ- a generator by operating it above speed, torque and current. For example,
ments such as at some universities. synchronous speed while connected a magnetically weak shunt field would
The level of precision required is to a power supply at rated voltage. It result in higher than rated armature
typically within 0.1% accuracy for the then becomes an induction generator. current being required to produce full
readings and 0.2% repeatability of the If the rated full load speed of a 4-pole load torque at rated speed. Conversely,
readings. The complexity of such a (1800 rpm at 60 Hz for this example) a magnetically strong field would result
dynamometer test arrangement is motor is 1740 rpm, the slip speed is in lower than rated speed at rated torque
illustrated in Figure 1. 60 rpm (1800-1740). The full load load with rated armature current. In
speed as an induction generator would both examples, rated voltage would
Locked Rotor Test
be 1860 rpm (1800 + 60). With have been applied to the armature and
Another test that may be per-
careful application of power a DC rated current to the fields.
formed using a dynamometer is the
motor, or AC motor supplied by a When performing a load test the
locked rotor test. This can be useful to
variable frequency drive (VFD), can DC motor is brought up to rated
verify the locked rotor torque and
be used to drive the test motor as an speed. The field should be at rated
current of a motor. In almost all cases
induction generator at above rated current (not necessarily at rated
the test is done at reduced voltages.
speed. The test motor is connected to voltage) and the armature amps noted.
Applying rated voltage would cause
the supply lines and generates power The load is applied in steps, typically
the stator and rotor windings to heat
back onto the line; as the speed 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% and 125% of
very rapidly, possibly damaging them;
increases, the load and current rated load. If the motor is rated for
and the torque value could exceed the
increase. This method can be used to field weakening, it should also be
capability of the dynamometer if the
test a motor generator set, with the tested at the field weakened speed and
motor power rating is large.
DC generator operated as a motor and power rating. During the load test,
Yet another factor is the safety
the AC motor functioning as an check for sparking at the brushes and
aspect of applying lower voltages
induction generator. This technique verify that there is no unusual heating
when performing the locked rotor test,
takes advantage of the ability of a DC or noise. Commutation should be
to allow lower electrical, mechanical
generator being able to be operated as “black,” meaning there is little or no
and thermal stresses. If possible, apply
a motor; and a DC motor can also be visible sparking at the brushes. At full
reduced voltage at 3 different voltage
used as a generator. load (100%) the armature amps
levels such as 120, 208 and 240 volts
should match the rated amps, typi-
for a motor rated 460 volts. The Load Testing Of DC Motors
cally within 5%.
change in currents and torque at each Load testing of DC motors is often
Continued On Page 3

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 Load Testing Of Motors: Common Methods, Procedures
Continued From Page 2

40

Percent band width

Hoist 30
Boost
20
10
0
10 Percent load
Rope
20
Copper bar
30 Buck
40
DC ammeter
50 gallon 0 50 100 150
A1 lead plastic
drum filled Figure 3. Example of black band test plot.
with
saltwater

A2 lead
(+) Voltmeter
Drive motor DC generator
Leads F1 I
and F2 IfM IfG
to DC power S
supply IM IG

(+) Coupling (+)

Figure 2. Saltwater rheostat load bank.
Motor Generator
(-) (-)
Load With Resistive Load Bank
F A Starter
Like its AC counterpart, the DC L
motor can be tested by methods other
(-)
than the dynamometer. We mentioned Field rheostat Field rheostat
earlier that a DC motor could be
operated as a generator, or vice versa. Figure 4. Kapp test setup for identical machines.
In addition to the reverse motor
generator set test mentioned above,
another more conventional method is is so named because it is the band is recorded and plotted.
to operate the motor as a generator between two curves that indicates If there are two identical motors (or
and load it with a resistive load bank. there is little or no brush sparking. generators), they can be coupled to
The resistive load bank can be a set of The curves (see Figure 3) are plots of each other and a test supply used to
power resistors or it can be a salt- the percentage of load versus the energize the machines. This method is
water rheostat (see Figure 2). The amount of current added to the known as the Kapp test (See Figure 4)
rheostat is a tank or drum filled with a interpoles to assist (boost) or oppose and the supply only needs to provide
saltwater solution. Typically, one lead (buck) the commutating field power to make up for the losses of the
from the generator connects to a (interpoles) before sparking occurs. two machines under test. The power
copper bar immersed in the bath and The test therefore determines the required by the fields is no more than
the other lead is immersed gradually, necessary interpole strength and also it would be at no load, a relatively
to increase current. accurately determines the brush small value. The armature current
Load testing of a DC motor can neutral position. The load is varied in required from the supply is only that
include a special test for commutation steps from no load to 150% load and needed to make up for the core,
capability known as the black band the percent of buck or boost current resistance, friction and windage losses.
test. The black band test (buck-boost) that causes unacceptable commutation .

EASA CURRENTS ■ June 2005 3