Electric Motor Repairs and Rewinds
Here at Beatson Fans & Motors Ltd, we offer a wide variety of repair services. Our fully comprehensive workshop, run by our highly skilled engineers, and backed up by 95 years of industry knowledge, means we can offer a service that is both reliable and competitive locally and nationally.
Our workshop facilities include Electric Motor Rewinds, Machining, Fabrication and Mechanical Repairs as well as all types of fan repairs as referred to on our Industrial Fan Repairs page.
What Are Electric Motor Rewinds?
An electric motor rewind is a term referred to the replacement of the coils (usually copper) which may have failed in an electric motor. The coils are ‘wound’ to a number of turns hence the term ‘rewind’.
A skilled rewinder can look at the failed windings and know how to replace those windings. Essentially copying what was already there with new wire and better insulation.
Fast, Friendly and Efficient! Our Engineers are ready to help!
Common Electric Motor Faults and How to Prevent Them
There are numerous ways to prolong the life of your electric motor… These are some of the most common faults we encounter with electric motors when they arrive at our works for repair or replacement, which may result in your motor being rewound.
Overheating
An electric motor will get hot and start overheating for a number of reasons… The motor may be overloaded which will eventually cause the motor to stall and windings to get hot and cause them to burn.
There might be a phase-off (on a 3phase motor) which will cause the winding on the failed phase to burn out as it will struggle on two phases.
The insulation between the windings has broken down over time, thus causing a short circuit in the windings. When this happens, the motor often goes with a little ‘pop’ and a puff of smoke.
Electric motors have a cooling fan on the back of the motor which is covered by a fan cowl. As the impeller spins with the speed of the motor the cowl directs the air down the fins of the motor body to keep the motor cool.
If the holes in the fan cowl get blocked up, this will cause a problem as essential cooling can’t be maintained, again, this will cause your motor to overheat and potentially burn out.
Environment: Water & Dirt Ingress
Quite often industrial environments can be harsh! It’s important to make sure that you select the right motor for your environment. Most standard 3phase and many 1phase IEC motors are IP55 as standard, which is generally OK for industrial environments such as machine shops and factories.
Sometimes, however, if the environment is particularly harsh, such as on a ship or in a quarry, the IP rating must be uprated to IP65 or even 67. Thus protecting against dust and water ingress which would cause the motor to fail.
Vibrations
If you have a vibration on your electric motor, this could be for a number of reasons. All of which will invariably involve the bearings and sometimes the motor shaft.
If your motor has been running with the shaft out of alignment i.e. Your motor has a pulley on it which drives a fan and the belts have been set too tight, the tension will put extra load on the bearings causing them to fail, which will cause the rotor to drop and rub directly on the stator, which will result in a motor failure.
You may have a fan attached to your motor. If the fan is out of balance this will cause vibration which will transmit down the shaft and again destroy the bearings and potentially damage the shaft and the bearing housings. If the bearing housings are damaged, the best option may be what we call MIWANO – Mend It With A New One!
Our Electric Motor Repair and Rewinding Methodology
Collection
Following your initial inquiry, we offer a free local collection and delivery service for all customers in Sheffield and the surrounding area. Alternatively, you can drop it off at our workshop, or arrange for courier delivery.
Inspection and stripping
Once we have your motor in our workshop, our engineers will test the motor electrically and if necessary, strip it down to its component parts for a closer mechanical inspection. This process will help us decide on the best course of action to take.
Repairs, Rewinds, or Refurbishments
Once decided which course of action to take, be it a repair or a rewind or a new unit, we will quote our best price and delivery based on our decision.
Hopefully, a price for repair is agreed upon between BFM and our valued customer and we are able to proceed with the repair, rewind or replacement of the motor.
Testing
Once we are we have repaired or rewound the motor, we test our work electrically and mechanically on our purpose-built test bench, making sure there’s no mechanical vibration and that all phases are in balance.
If we are testing the entire machine, the motor is attached so we make sure that the entire machine is running satisfactorily and that all phases are balanced and running with their Full Load Current.
Clean and Respray
Whilst the motor is stripped down we make sure that all the component parts are cleaned appropriately.
Once the motor has been reassembled and tested again, we will re-paint the motor in our spray bay to make it look as good as new.
Delivery
With your motor back in working condition, we offer free delivery to businesses within the Sheffield area. You can also pick it up from our workshop, or we can arrange for a courier to deliver it further afield.
FAQs
Why does a motor need rewinding?
Motors usually need to rewind because the original windings have failed. Whether that be from wear and tear or if it’s been damaged or overloaded.
It is generally more cost-effective to replace a motor that is less than 15kW than it is to rewind it unless it’s a special motor that can’t be obtained. In this case, a rewind is usually your only cost-effective option.
Are there any disadvantages of motor rewinding?
No, the only disadvantage to rewinding a motor is if the rest of the mechanics of the motor are beyond economical repair (bearing housings, lack of available damaged parts like fan cowls and terminal blocks etc.).
How many times can you rewind a motor?
As often as you like depending on the mechanical integrity of the motor. As long as the bearing housings and the casing, the rotor and the shaft are in good condition, a motor can be rewound time and again.
How does efficiency loss occur in a rewound motor?
Efficiency loss can only occur in a rewound motor if it is already beyond economical repair. If a motor is rewound correctly and all the mechanical parts are sound (bearing housings, shaft, rotor, stator etc.) the efficiency will more than likely be improved because of better copper and better insulation class.
What are the most common electric motor problems?
The most common electric motor problems come from misuse, overuse and poor maintenance, which can cause the following problems:
- Collapsed or worn bearings
- Overload, causing the windings to burn out
- ‘Phase off’ is where a supply phase has been off, causing the motor to run on two phases, not three
- Insufficient cooling is caused by a damaged cooling fan or a missing fan cowl
- Operator mismanagement, sometimes the only problem with the machine is the person that installed or connected it.
How much do electric motor rewinds and repairs cost?
The cost of a repair is determined by whatever damage we find on inspection. It could be a couple of new bearings and a spruce up or a new capacitor (if it’s a single phase) or a full rewind. We don’t know until we see it!
How long does electric motor rewinding and repair take?
Just like the cost of a repair is determined by whatever needs doing, how long a repair takes depends on what’s wrong with the motor. If it’s a simple bearing change or a replacement capacitor, it could be as little as ten-fifteen minutes. If it’s a rewind requiring a voltage change for a different application, it could be days or sometimes weeks.
What types and brands of electric motors do we repair?
Beatson Fans & Motors Ltd will take on repairs for most existing brands of motors and even obsolete motors from any manufacturer as long as it isn’t beyond economical repair. We are stockists and distributors for many brands.
Do you provide replacement parts and spares?
Beatson Fans & Motors Ltd do not recommend repairing your motor yourself unless you are a qualified electrical engineer. However, if you do need parts such as cooling fans, fan cowls, terminal blocks belts etc. we are happy to source them for you.
Is it worth getting my electric motor repaired?
It depends on the damage. If a standard IEC metric frame small motor (up to 15kW) needs a rewind: no, you are better off getting a new one. But if it only needs a couple of bearings and a tickle, it’s more cost-effective to have a repair!
Alternatively, if you have a motor that is obsolete or difficult to get hold of, it’s worth repairing.
Why choose Beatson Fans & Motors?
Established in 1928, Beatson Fan & Motors is a fourth-generation, family-run business, with over 95 years in the electric motor trade. We work closely with our customers, offering free testing and quotations and guiding you through the rewinding and repair process.
We are fully accredited by The Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades and have extensive experience working with all kinds of electric motors. We also offer the following benefits to all customers:
Our workshop is based on Newhall Road in Sheffield. We provide essential small electric motor repairs and rewinds to customers throughout South Yorkshire and the wider North East region. This includes businesses in Sheffield itself, as well as those in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and beyond.
Make us your first port of call for all of your electric motor needs. Fans and motor problems, sorted.
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