STARTING CHARACTERISTICS OF

DC AND AC MOTORS
DC MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS
 Direct-Current Motors
 DC motors are divided into three classes, designated
according to the method of connecting the armature
and the field windings as shunt-series and compound
wound.
 Shunt-Wound Motors
 Series-Wound DC Motors

 Compound-Wound DC Motors
SHUNT-WOUND MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS
 Shunt-Wound Motors
 Runs practically constant speed, regardless of the load.
 Generally used in commercial practice
 Recommended where starting conditions are not usually
severe.
 Speed of the shunt-wound motors may be regulated in two
ways:
 Inserting resistance in series with the armature, thus
decreasing speed
 Inserting resistance in the field circuit, the speed will vary with
each change in load
 the speed is practically constant for any setting of the

controller.
 Most generally used for adjustable-speed service, as in the
case of machine tools.
SERIES-WOUND MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS
 Series-Wound DC Motors
 Speed varies automatically with the load, increasing
as the load decreases.
 Generally limited to case where a heavy power
demand is necessary to bring the machine up to
speed, as in the case of certain elevator and hoist
installations, etc.
 Series-wound motors should never be used where
the motor cab be started without load, since they will
race to a dangerous degree.
COMPOUND-WOUND MOTOR
CHARACTERISTICS
 Compound-Wound DC Motors
 Combination of the shunt wound and series wound
types - combines the characteristics of both.
 Characteristics may be varied by varying the
combination of the two windings.
 Generally used where severe starting conditions are
met and constant speed is required at the same time.
INDUCTION MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS
 Squirrel-Cage Induction Motors
 The most simple and reliable of all electric motors.
 Essentially a constant speed machine, which is
adaptable for users under all but the most severe
starting conditions.
 Squirrel cage motors are common in many household
appliances including washing
machines, dishwashers, and stand alone fans.
INDUCTION MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS
 Wound-Rotor Induction motor
 Used for constant speed-service requiring a heavier
starting torque than is obtainable with squirrel cage
type.
 Because of its lower starting current, this type is
frequently used instead of the squirrel-cage type in
larger sizes.
 These motors are also used for varying-speed-service.
 Speed varies with this load, so that they should not
be used where constant speed at each adjustment is
required, as for machine tools.
INDUCTION MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS
 Single Phase Induction Motors
 This motor is used mostly in small sizes, where
polyphase current is not available.
 Characteristics are not as good as the polyphase
motor and for size larger that 10 HP, the line
disturbance is likely to be objectionable.
 These motors are commonly used for light starting
and for running loads up to 1/3 HP Capacitor and
repulsion types provide greater torque and are built
in sizes up to 10 HP.
INDUCTION MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS
 Synchronous Motors
 Run at constant speed fixed by frequency of the
system.
 Require direct current for excitation and have low
starting torque.
 For large motor-generators sets, frequency changes,
air compressors and similar apparatus which permits
starting under a light load, for which they are
generally used.
 These motors are used with considerable advantage,
particularly on large power systems, because of their
inherent ability to improve the power factor of the
system.
MOTOR STARTING
 Initially, no counter emf and there is high
starting current
 Starting current may be up to 6 times the normal
running current
 Counter EMF and Current is determined by the
Speed
 Starting current is greater than running current

 Placement of load to reduce speed,

 less generated current and more applied current
 Greater load; slower rotation; more applied
current
MOTOR STARTING PRINCIPLE
 To prevent damage to the windings due to the high
starting current flow, we employ different types of
starters.

Starting Principle
 The high starting current will produce severe a
voltage drop and will affect the operation of other
equipment.
 It is not desirable to start large motors direct on line
(giving full voltage to the stator). Normally with
motors beyond 5 HP, starters are provided.
 For reduction in the starting current, a lower voltage
is applied to the stator, especially for the squirrel cage
induction motors. Full voltage is only applied when
the motor picks up speed.
METHODS OF STARTING MOTORS
 Full-Voltage Starting
 Reduced-Voltage Starting

 Current Limit Starting

FULL-VOLTAGE STARTING
 A full voltage or across-the-line, starter is
designed to apply full-voltage to the motor upon
starting.
 Can be used if:
 High starting current does not affect the power
supply system
 Machinery will stand the high starting torque

 Types
 Manual
 Magnetic
MANUAL FV STARTING
 Consists of an on/off switch with one set of
contact for each phase and a motor overload
protection
 No electrical closing,

 during power interruption contacts remain closed

and immediately restarts when power is restored
 When overload is sensed, starter handle moves to
the center. It cannot be reclosed unless the relay
is reset manually

 Designed for small AC motors (10 hp or less) at

voltages ranging from 120 to 600V.
SAMPLES

Manual are mounted near the motor that is being controlled.

MAGNETIC FV STARTING
 Contacts are closed by energizing a holding coil
which enables the use of automatic and remote
control of the motor.
 Automatic pilot devices can be mounted almost
anywhere on the machine
MAGNETIC ACROSS THE LINE STARTER
MAGNETIC ACROSS THE LINE STARTER
TIME STARTING OF TWO MOTORS
REDUCED-VOLTAGE STARTING
 Used for two primary reasons
 Limits line disturbances
 Reduces torque to the driven equipment

 When reduced voltage is applied, current and

torque are reduced
TYPICAL REDUCED-VOLTAGE STARTERS
 Primary Resistance Starters
 Auto-transformers

 Wye-Delta Starters

 Part-Winding Starters

 Solid-State Starters

 Note: These can be used only where low starting

torque is acceptable
PRIMARY RESISTANCE STARTING
 Resistances are connected in series with each
motor stator lead during the starting period
 The voltage drop in the resistors produces a
reduced voltage at the motor terminals
 After a definite time, timer contacts closed which
short-circuits the resistors and applied full
voltage to the motor.

 Application: Conveyors, belt-driven equipment

and gear driven equipment
SAMPLE
AUTOTRANSFORMER STARTING
 Instead of Resistors, Step-Down autotransformer
is used to reduce the line voltage
 Autotransformer starters offer the greatest
reduction of line current of any reduced-voltage
starting method
 Multiple taps permit voltage, current and torque
to be adjusted to satisfy different starting
conditions

 Application: Crushers, fans, conveyors and

mixers
SAMPLE
WYE-DELTA STARTING
 Also referred to as Star-Delta Starting
 During starting, motor windings are connected in
wye the in delta after the motor has begun to
accelerate
 When in WYE, low inrush current, compared
when in DELTA

 Application: three-phase AC Motors where all 6

leads of the stator are available, AirCon
equipment, compressors and conveyors
SAMPLE
PART-WINDING STARTING
 Used for motors wound for dual-voltage operation
such as 230/460 V motor
 Power is applied to part of the motor windings on
start-up and then connected to
SAMPLE
AUTOMATIC SHUT-DOWN
 Part winding motors are very sensitive to the
length of time that one winding can be connected
before thermal damage occurs.
 If the second winding is not connected to the
power line within a short period of time, the first
winding can be severely damaged.
 Watchdog Timer is used to disconnect power to
the motor if the second winding is not energized
within a predetermined time.
 Its function is to watch for proper operation of
the circuit each time the motor is started.
 These are often set for twice the amount of time
necessary for the second winding to energize.
OPEN AND CLOSED TRANSITION FROM
START TO RUN
 Reduced-Voltage starters must make a transition
from reduced voltage to full voltage
 There is a line current surge, which depends on
 type of transition used
 speed of the motor

 Two methods of Transition

 Open-Circuit Transition
 Closed-Circuit Transition
OPEN AND CLOSED TRANSITION FROM
START TO RUN
 Open-Circuit Transition
 Disconnects motor from the for a brief period
 Produces a higher surge current

 Closed-Circuit Transition
 Motor remains connected during transition
 Causes less electrical disturbance
OPEN AND CLOSED TRANSITION FROM
START TO RUN
 Open-Circuit Transition
 Disconnects motor from the for a brief period
 Produces a higher surge current

 Closed-Circuit Transition
 Motor remains connected during transition
 Causes less electrical disturbance
SOFT STARTING
 Limit motor starting current and torque by
ramping or gradually increasing the voltage
applied to the motor during the selected starting
time
 Commonly used in operations requiring smooth
starting and stopping of motors or driven
machinery
SOFT START
CONTROLLERS
DC MOTOR STARTING
 Small DC Motors are often started directly
across-the-line because they have low inertia,
which permits them to gain speed quickly,
causing a rapid increase of counter-EMF to limit
in-rush current.
 Direct Current is more difficult to interrupt than
Alternating Current
LOAD CONTACTS
THE HOLDING & PICK-UP COILS
 One method of momentarily providing a strong
magnetic field during pick-up and then reducing
the current flow to the coil is to insert a current
limiting resistor in series with the contactor coil.
CURRENT LIMITING STARTER
 When large DC motors are to be started, current
in rush to the armature must be limited. One
method of limiting this current is to connect
resistors in series with the armature.
 When the armature begins to turn, counter-EMF
is developed in the armature. As counter EMF
increases, resistance can be shunted out of the
armature circuit, permitting the armature to
turn at a higher speed. When armature speed
increases, counter EMF also increases.
Resistance can be shunted out of the circuit in
steps until the armature is connected directly to
the power line.
FIELD CURRENT RELAY
 Limiting the starting current of the armature
isn't the only factor that should be considered in
a DC control circuit.
 Most DC motor control circuits use a field current
relay (FCR) connected in series with the shunt
field of the motor.
 The FCR insures that current is flowing through
the shunt field before voltage can be connected to
the armature.
 If the motor is running and the shunt field opens,
the motor will become a series motor and begin to
increase rapidly in speed. If this happens, both
the motor and the equipment it's operating can
be destroyed. For this reason, the shunt field
relay must disconnect the armature from the line
if shunt field current stops flowing.
DIRECT-ON-LINE STARTER
 It is simple and cheap starter for a 3-phase induction
motor.
 The contacts close against spring action.
 This method is normally limited to smaller cage induction
motors, because starting current can be as high as eight
times the full load current of the motor. Use of a double –
cage rotor requires lower staring current( approximately
four times) and use of quick acting A.V.R enables motors of
75 Kw and above to be started direct on line.
 An isolator is required to isolate the starter from the
supply for maintenance.
 Protection must be provided for the motor. Some of the
safety protections are over-current protection, under-
voltage protection, short circuit protection, etc. Control
circuit voltage is sometimes stepped down through an
autotransformer.
DIRECT-ON-LINE STARTER