Motors are widely used in daily life and industrial production. From household fans and washing machines to large machinery and equipment in factories, the operation of motors is indispensable. However, sometimes motors may fail to start, which is really annoying. But don’t worry. As long as you master the correct methods, it is not difficult to solve the problem of the motor not starting.
When you find that the motor doesn’t start, the first thing to check is the power supply. The power supply is the power source for the motor to operate. If there is a problem with the power supply, the motor naturally cannot start. You need to check whether the socket is energized. You can plug in a small electrical appliance, such as a mobile phone charger, to test. If the socket has no power, then check the corresponding air switch in the distribution box to see if it has tripped. If it has tripped, just push it up. But note that it is best to check whether there is a short circuit in the circuit before pushing it up. Otherwise, pushing it up rashly may cause the switch to trip again and even pose a danger. In addition, the power cord also needs to be carefully examined to see if there is any damage or breakage. Sometimes, the outer skin of the power cord looks intact, but the wire core inside may have broken. In this case, a professional tool, such as a multimeter, is needed to measure the continuity of the power cord. If there is a problem with the power cord, it needs to be replaced with a new one in time.
Next, let’s talk about the problems of the motor itself. After long-term use, the windings of the motor may malfunction. The windings are like the “heart” of the motor. If there is something wrong with them, the motor definitely cannot work properly. Common winding faults include short circuits and open circuits. A short circuit means that the coils of the windings are conducting where they should not be, and an open circuit means that the coils are broken and the current cannot pass through. To determine whether there is a problem with the windings, you can also use a multimeter. Adjust the multimeter to the appropriate resistance range and measure the resistance value of the motor windings. Under normal circumstances, the resistance value of the motor windings is within a certain range. The specific value can be referred to in the motor manual. If the measured resistance value is very different from the standard value in the manual, it may indicate that there is a problem with the windings. If it is a winding short circuit, generally, professional personnel are required to rewind the windings; if it is a winding open circuit, find the break point, reconnect it properly, and then do a good job of insulation treatment. However, winding and dealing with break points require high technical skills. If you don’t understand much, it is best to ask professional maintenance personnel to operate.
There is also an easily overlooked aspect, which is the starting capacitor of the motor. For some single-phase motors, the starting capacitor plays a crucial role. It can help the motor establish a rotating magnetic field and make the motor start smoothly. If the starting capacitor is broken, the motor will have difficulty starting or even fail to start. To determine whether the starting capacitor is damaged, you can first observe the appearance of the capacitor to see if there is any bulging or liquid leakage. If there is an obvious abnormality in the appearance, it can basically be determined that the capacitor is broken. But sometimes, the capacitor looks normal on the outside, but it is already damaged inside. In this case, a special capacitor tester is needed to measure the capacitance of the capacitor. If the capacitance value is too different from the nominal value, a new capacitor needs to be replaced. When replacing the capacitor, pay attention to choosing a capacitor with the same parameters as the original capacitor, including capacitance and withstand voltage value, otherwise, it may affect the normal operation of the motor.
In addition, the operation of the motor’s overload protection device may also cause the motor not to start. When the load carried by the motor is too large, exceeding the rated load of the motor, the overload protection device will automatically cut off the circuit to protect the motor from being burned. At this time, you need to check the load carried by the motor to see if there is something stuck, causing the motor to rotate smoothly. For example, the fan blades are entangled by foreign objects, or large items of clothing are stuck in the washing machine drum. If foreign objects are found to be stuck, after cleaning them, press the reset button of the overload protection device to see if the motor can start normally. If the motor still cannot start, there may be other problems that need to be further investigated.
In short, there are many reasons why a motor may not start. It may be a power supply problem, a problem with the motor itself, or a problem with the starting capacitor or overload protection device. When dealing with the problem of the motor not starting, you should check each possible cause step by step in order from simple to complex. After finding the problem, take corresponding solutions. In this way, the motor can be restored to normal operation as soon as possible, providing convenience for our lives and production.
