How to wire a motor?

[mobetah]

I have a new Baldar VL5001A explosion proof motor that I plan to use on a small 115v watermaker. It's probably simple to most but I don't want to damage the motor or myself by wiring it wrong.

Baldar's manual says to wire the motor according to the diagram in the junction box ...... the diagram in the junction box shows two diagrams (one low voltage & one for high voltage). I assume the low voltage is 115v and the high voltage is 215/230v. On the low voltage diagram it shows wires 1,3 &5 connected - lines 2, j & 8 connected and a single wire 4. There is also a note that says,"Connections are for C.W. Rotation facing end opposite shaft, To reverse Rotation interchange 5 & 8". So now I have three connections (wires 1,3 & 5, wires 2, j & 8 and wire 4) which I assume will connect with my power supply which also consist of three wires (hot wire which is black, neutral wire which is white and a ground wire which is green). My question is: Which wire or group of wires connects with my black, white and green wires? Like I said it's probably very simple, so simple in fact that Baldar assumes that everyone already knows the answer so they failed to mention that on their diagram.

Any and all help would be appreciated.

[Alan Wheeler]

I won't suggest anything seeing as I am not familiar with your countries wiring practices. But I would suggest that getting the help of an expert to wire this motor for you, would be prudent. It keeps it safe for you, it protects the motor and it surely wouldn't be expensive to get someone to come and do the job. 20Min tops.

[Beausoleil]

Originally Posted by mobetah

I have a new Baldar VL5001A explosion proof motor that I plan to use on a small 115v watermaker. It's probably simple to most but I don't want to damage the motor or myself by wiring it wrong.

Baldar's manual says to wire the motor according to the diagram in the junction box ...... the diagram in the junction box shows two diagrams (one low voltage & one for high voltage). I assume the low voltage is 115v and the high voltage is 215/230v. On the low voltage diagram it shows wires 1,3 &5 connected - lines 2, j & 8 connected and a single wire 4. There is also a note that says,"Connections are for C.W. Rotation facing end opposite shaft, To reverse Rotation interchange 5 & 8". So now I have three connections (wires 1,3 & 5, wires 2, j & 8 and wire 4) which I assume will connect with my power supply which also consist of three wires (hot wire which is black, neutral wire which is white and a ground wire which is green). My question is: Which wire or group of wires connects with my black, white and green wires? Like I said it's probably very simple, so simple in fact that Baldar assumes that everyone already knows the answer so they failed to mention that on their diagram.

Any and all help would be appreciated.

Mobetah,

Taking a look at Baldor's website for the VL5001A, I found the manual. It says that for normal high-speed operation, connect your Line A (which should be your Hot lead - black) to terminal 1 - the blue-wired terminal. Terminals 2, 3 & 8 should be jumpered together, and terminals J & 5 are jumpered together. To reverse the rotation, swap terminals 5 & 8. For low speed operation, connect Line A to terminals 1, 3 & 8, and jumper 2, J & 5 together. Line B if used (normally red in a split-phase 230Vac system) is connected to terminal 4. What's unclear to me from the diagram is where to connect the neutral. I assume that it's to terminal 2 (white), but I'd have to review how the three fields work in an AC induction motor. I'm a telecom guy, not a power guy!

If you have any doubts, get an electrician like Wheels says...

[cal40john]

I'll go along with everyone else and say, if you don't understand it, get a pro. Also I am not a motor pro.

On the link I found it shows a wiring diagram and connection diagram on the last page. You can ignore the B phase coil for the moment, as that is the starting coil, the phase is shifted by the capacitor to provide the direction to start the motor, then once the motor is turning the centrifugal switch opens and disables that coil. (This is why you reverse 5 and 8 to change the direction of the motor.

Note that 2 is connected to 3 in both of the high voltage diagrams. You are connecting the two coils in series so that each sees 120 volts when you are connected to 240 volt power. The two hot leads from 240 get connected to wires 1 and 4, the far ends of the coils. I don't have much experience with 240, so I'm assuming A and B is the terminology for the two hots of 240.

For the 120 wiring, 2 gets connected to J and 1 is connected to 3 in both cases, putting the two coils in parallel. Each winding sees 120 volts again. One power lead is applied to 1, 3 (and 8 or 5 depending on direction), the other power lead to 4.

Note that the table column, join, means to just join the leads together and not to anything else.

Since this is a dual voltage motor, and 240 does not have a neutral, it doesn't make sense for it to have a special neutral connection. You are either applying two hot leads to the coils for 240, or a hot and neutral to the coils for 120. Which side neutral goes on can't matter as the motor has to be able to work with 240. Motor direction is determined by the phase shifted coil's wires being one way or the other relative to the main coil.

Finally I would guess that you will find a lug that you would connect earth to. This lug should be shorted to the case.

If you want to think about why the overload switch is wired why it is, assume most of the voltage is dropped in the coils, such that V across the heater resister changes relatively little from 120 to 240, and that P= I^2*R.

https://www.baldorvip.com/VIP/produc...on/VL5001A.pdf


Again, I know some electricity, I haven't actually worked on a motor exactly like this so the above is a theoretical explanation, not working knowledge, use at your own risk.


John

[mobetah]

Thanks everyone,

Cal40Jon'

If I understand you correctly, when wired for 120v (I do not want 240v) either the 2, J & 8 group of wires or the 1, 3 & 5 group of wires is connected to a power lead (whichever group of wires is not connected to a power lead doesn't get connected to anything)? The other power lead is connected to wire 4 from the motor? Then the ground is connected to the lug inside the conduit box on the motor (yes, I found one)? Since it is AC would it matter which power lead hot (black) or neutral (white) is connected to wire 4?

Thanks again, Bill A.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by mobetah

Thanks everyone,

Cal40Jon'

If I understand you correctly, when wired for 120v (I do not want 240v) either the 2, J & 8 group of wires or the 1, 3 & 5 group of wires is connected to a power lead (whichever group of wires is not connected to a power lead doesn't get connected to anything)? The other power lead is connected to wire 4 from the motor? Then the ground is connected to the lug inside the conduit box on the motor (yes, I found one)? Since it is AC would it matter which power lead hot (black) or neutral (white) is connected to wire 4?

Thanks again, Bill A.

Not quite. The columns labeled, join, in the table mean that and nothing else. No power can be applied to the 2, J, 8 group. If you hooked power up to 2, J, 8 and the other power lead to 4, you would be putting a dead short across your thermal switch and at the very least burn that out if not damaging or burning up some wires before your circuit breaker trips.

I would again recommend either taking the motor to a motor shop or having a pro come down. Doing wiring, especially 120 volt wiring from web advice without understanding the circuits could cause safety problems, and there could be other things that you could be doing wrong that you might not even recognize. Nigel Calder's book Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual is a great book to learn how to wire things properly, but doesn't go into the specifics of your particular motor.

John

[mobetah]

Thanks John,

I think I'll run it down to the pro's shop and have him show me how and why to wire it. Everything is a learning experice, even in my old age ..... it just bugs me when I don't that understand how or why.

Thanks again, Bill A.

[donradcliffe]

Line A is the hot or black lead, line B is the neutral or white lead, and the green lead should be attached to the chassis somewhere.

Reversing and Repair of Electric Motors is another explanation which might help.