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Ecmweb 8545 Tightening Belts 3
Ecmweb 8545 Tightening Belts 3
Ecmweb 8545 Tightening Belts 3
Ecmweb 8545 Tightening Belts 3
Ecmweb 8545 Tightening Belts 3

Tightening Our Belts, Part 3

Nov. 8, 2016
Even though the motor disconnect is in sight, follow lockout/tagout for the whole system.

The PM for a motor belt-drive system typically is done while the motor is running. After all, it doesn’t do you any good to listen to a non-running system or perform vibration analysis on one. A repair, of course, requires shutting the motor off.

Even though the motor disconnect is in sight, follow lockout/tagout for the whole system. This may include mechanically locking down many other parts. For example, a gust of wind could cause a large fan blade to freewheel. Ensure that nothing can move, not just that the motor is locked out.

Remove and “read” the belt guard. For example, if the underside has marks from rubbing you will need to determine of the problem is the guard’s positioning or some problem with the belt.

“Read” the belt(s). Test the tension against the recommended tension. Record the As Found value and report excess tension to your supervisor (it means the last person got this wrong). Frayed edges, cracks, chips, and so forth mean replacement. Does the wear seem premature? Check the sheaves/pulleys/sprockets for damage and/or misalignment.

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