Ecmweb 8347 Motorvibration
Ecmweb 8347 Motorvibration
Ecmweb 8347 Motorvibration
Ecmweb 8347 Motorvibration
Ecmweb 8347 Motorvibration

Tip of the Week: Don’t Use Temperature as a Guide to Motor Restarts

July 25, 2016
The temperature won't tell you with certainty if it's safe to restart a motor.

We know that short cycling a motor damages it by adding heat caused by restarting before the motor has had a chance to cool from the last start or run. So it would seem to make sense that you can just check the motor temperature to see if it's OK to proceed with a restart. However, as the old saying goes, things are not always as they seem.

The problem with this approach is that temperature is an inherently slow process variable. You can shut off a running motor, then watch its temperature climb. With temperature, there always is a lag. Thus, you never know for sure how much heat is in a motor at any given moment.

Temperature monitoring is excellent system to have in place, but you cannot use it in lieu of over cycling protection rules. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions, making sure to allow for factors that may retard heat dissipation.

About the Author

Mark Lamendola

Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.

Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.

Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.

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