Rewinders
Maintaining motor efficiency
The Australasian Chapter of the Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA), which represents motor rewinders, has signed an agreement with the Australian Greenhouse Office to develop a Code of Rewinding Practice. The Code is designed to ensure that members repair electric motors to the highest technical standards. It aims to improve the efficiency of repaired electric motors by one per cent overall.
The expected one per cent increase in motor efficiency will save Australian industry 12 000 MWh of electricity annually after the first year. As more motors are rewound to the new standards, this will eventually increase to as much as 120 000 MWh per year. That is the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by 15 000 homes.
Electric motor rewinding (repairing)
Like all machines, electric motors wear out or fail at some stage. When this happens, you need to choose between replacement and repairing. If the motor is rewound, you may experience losses in motor efficiency. However, you can generally avoid efficiency losses by using proper materials and quality repair methods. A poorly conducted rewind can result in a loss of several percentage points in efficiency. A first-class rewind can restore the motor to its original level of efficiency.
Australasian Chapter of EASA initiatives
The Australasian Chapter of EASA is affiliated with the Electrical Apparatus Service Association Inc., an international organisation of more than 2 500 electromechanical sales and service firms in 32 countries. Australian EASA members, who operate factories all over Australia, rewind about 15 000 electric motors a year - from air-conditioning units to massive industrial 2000 kW motors.
Before implementing the Code of Rewinding Practice, the Australasian Chapter of EASA is conducting a national awareness program to ensure that members have the equipment and knowledge needed to apply the most advanced engineering practices to their repair and maintenance work.
The Australasian Chapter of EASA is developing a training syllabus and materials to explain and complement the new Code of Rewinding Practice. Training materials for motor repairers will be made available on Motor Solutions Online as they are developed.
Contacts
For further information on the Code of Practice for motor rewinders (repairers), please contact:
Australian Greenhouse Office
email energyrating@environment.gov.au
web site www.energyrating.gov.au
Australasian Chapter of Electrical Apparatus Service Association
Australasian Chapter
email easa.australasian@bigpond.com
web site www.easa.com