The document discusses different types of thermal protection devices used in electric motors, including thermistors, thermocouples, and Therma-Sentry systems. Thermistors come in PTC and NTC varieties and must be used with a control module. Thermocouples generate low voltage signals requiring additional electronics. Therma-Sentry uses three embedded PTC thermistors connected to an electronic controller to protect against various failure causes.
The document discusses different types of thermal protection devices used in electric motors, including thermistors, thermocouples, and Therma-Sentry systems. Thermistors come in PTC and NTC varieties and must be used with a control module. Thermocouples generate low voltage signals requiring additional electronics. Therma-Sentry uses three embedded PTC thermistors connected to an electronic controller to protect against various failure causes.
The document discusses different types of thermal protection devices used in electric motors, including thermistors, thermocouples, and Therma-Sentry systems. Thermistors come in PTC and NTC varieties and must be used with a control module. Thermocouples generate low voltage signals requiring additional electronics. Therma-Sentry uses three embedded PTC thermistors connected to an electronic controller to protect against various failure causes.
The document discusses different types of thermal protection devices used in electric motors, including thermistors, thermocouples, and Therma-Sentry systems. Thermistors come in PTC and NTC varieties and must be used with a control module. Thermocouples generate low voltage signals requiring additional electronics. Therma-Sentry uses three embedded PTC thermistors connected to an electronic controller to protect against various failure causes.
nection plate which says Dual A thermistor is a non-linear resistance temperature detector, made from semi- conductor material. Each Voltage Wye Start, Delta Run specific thermistor has its with PWS on the Low Voltage. own unique resistance vs. How should I hook it up? temperature characteristic. There are two general
A: This motor has very
good versatility and may be types of thermistors. The positive temperature coeffi- cient (PTC) type has a resist- used in several power supply ance that increases with increasing temperature. The applications. It is a dual voltage PTC thermistor has a sharp machine and may be used on rise in resistance when the either voltage as defined on the temperature reaches the connection plate. It is designed 'knee', or switching point. for use on a Wye Start, Delta The negative temperature Run starter. This is a special coefficient (NTC) type ther- motor contactor which starts mistor has a resistance that decreases with increasing the motor on its Wye connec- temperature. U.S. Motors tion to limit the inrush and supplies the PTC-type thermistors. common ground). The thermistors wired then switches to Delta for run- As with RTDs, a control module must in series can be either wired in series ning. The motor must not be be used with the thermistors. The con- internal to the motor with only two leads run on the Wye connection for trol module is generally an externally brought out (usually for Canadian more than 30 seconds as severe excited solid-state device that senses orders), or wired in series in the outlet the thermistor resistance and switches box so that all six leads are brought out winding damage may occur. contacts when the thermistor input of the motor. U.S. Motors will bring all This motor may also be started resistance rises above a set resistance six leads out unless specified otherwise. across the line and run on the value. Thermistors have several advantages Delta connection. In addition, The thermistor trip temperature over RTDs, thermocouples and thermo- the motor may be used on the determines the point at which the ther- stats. Like thermostats, thermistors low voltage connection as a mistor resistance rises to a very high part-winding start motor, also value, thus tripping the controller. continued on back > Thermistors are available with different to limit the inrush required. trip temperatures. Each thermistor has After a brief period, it is one pre-set, non-adjustable switch switched to the full winding. point. Thermistors are normally installed in the end turns of the motor. Depending Have a question for the on the controller, they are either wired experts? Contact us in series, or in a special configuration at jim.bryan@emotors.com that can be referred to as a “common lead circuit” (four leads out including a product service BULLETIN
< continued from page one Sentry ® protects against the most 2. Therma-Sentry® assembly - typi- common causes of motor failure cally for NEMA frames 400 and smaller, have a tamper-proof pre-set switch including: high or low supply voltage, or FLA under 240 amps, mounted on the point, with a reset only after the motor unbalanced line voltage, single phase motor in a special partitioned conduit cools down. Due to their small size and conditions, abnormally high ambient box with the main motor leads in the heat sink construction, they have fast temperatures, blocked ventilation, second partition. response times. In mush-wound starting overload and running over- When specifying Therma-Sentry® at motors, non-rotor limited designs, loads. time of order entry, the mounting loca- thermistors can provide locked rotor The system consists of three PTC tion of the controller must be specified. protection. Also, since the controller thermistors embedded in the motor Options are: Motor mounted or sepa- trips at a high resistance value, resist- winding end turns, one per phase, with rately mounted (customer control ance variations due to long lead runs the leads connected to a solid state panel). The most common specification can be tolerated. This feature allows electronic controller. The solid state is motor mounted, separately excited for one controller to be used for sever- controller can be supplied permanently (MMSE). al temperature sensing locations. potted in the main or accessory outlet VOLT SOURCE: U.S. Motors only pro- box, or as a separate module for vides separately excited control mod- Selection mounting in a control panel. ules. The control module must be sepa- Except for Therma-Sentry®, the cus- Note: The Therma-Sentry® controller rately excited by either a 115, 230, 460, tomer must advise the exact type of uses output triacs, which are specifi- or 575 volt source, or 380 volt/ 50 thermistor required so it will match the cally designed to operate directly in hertz. If not specified, 115v will be sup- controller. All orders that do not speci- series with mainline contactors. If a plied. The control module must be excit- fy the exact type of thermistor small interpose relay must be used, ed before the motor can be started. required will be delayed. Unless speci- the sealed VA rating of the interposing Excitation voltage must be sine wave. fied otherwise on the face of the order, relay must be greater than 10VA. three thermistors will be supplied. Difficulties may be encountered when Winding Thermocouples interfacing with solid state motor con- A thermocouple is a pair of dissimilar Types of Thermistors trol equipment (VFD’s, Soft Start, metal conductors so joined at one point 1. Power Control Corporation (PCC) etc.). Use with solid state starting that an electromotive force (EMF) is 8000 series are usually installed in the equipment may also result in false developed by the thermoelectric effects. 'common lead circuit' configuration. tripping. Any given set of thermocouple wires They cannot be installed in series as The leads from the three thermistors have a known "EMF vs. Temperature" false tripping will occur. PCC makes are connected internally in the ‘com- characteristic. numerous controllers for customers to mon lead circuit’ configuration. Thermocouples can only generate a select from The Therma-Sentry® system will only low-voltage, low-power signal, that is in 2. Texas Instruments (TI) 4BA series provide locked rotor protection for cer- the milli-volt range. Therefore the cus- thermistors are usually wired in series. tain motors. In form-wound motors, tomer must supply the electronic control Up to three thermistors may be the winding insulation is so heavy the equipment to translate the thermocou- installed in series without false trip- temperature gradient across the insu- ple voltage signal into a temperature ping the controller. The U.S. Motors lation to the thermistor is too great to reading, or to operate the control’s procedure is to bring out all six leads give the rapid response required to alarm or shutdown devices. and make the series connection in the prevent rotor failure. Also, for mush There are many types of thermocou- outlet box. The standard TI controller wound motors, only motors with a ples. The U.S. Motors’ standard types is a model 50AA control module. winding safe stall time less than the are copper-constantan, chromel-con- 3. Siemens Q63100-P, PTC thermis- rotor safe stall time will have locked stantan and iron-constantan. tors must be wired in series. Up to six rotor and starting overload protection. The standard installation procedure is Siemens thermistors may be wired in to install the thermocouples in the slot series without false tripping the con- Selection portion of the winding. If required by the troller. U.S. Motors standard procedure The Therma-Sentry® controller has customer, they can also be installed in is to install three thermistors in series one normally closed (N.C.) contact with end turns of the winding. The standard and bring all six leads out, making the a three amp control circuit rating. Thus quantity of thermocouples is six, series connection in the outlet box. For the Therma-Sentry® system is gener- installed two per phase. Canadian orders, the three thermistors ally used in applications where the are wired in series internally in the motor is shut down when excessive Selection motor, and two leads are brought out. temperatures occur. On customer The customer’s choice of monitoring We ask that this configuration be spec- orders, unless the customer order equipment dictates the type of thermo- ified when ordering. The Siemens specifically requires thermistors rated couples to be installed in the motor, so standard controller is a model 3UN for alarm temperatures, thermistors for orders need to specify the exact type of tripping unit control module. The con- shut-down temperatures are supplied. thermocouples required. Monitoring trol module has one normally open and The Therma-Sentry ® controller is equipment is not supplied by U.S. one normally closed contact. supplied in one of two styles: Motors. For more information about winding Therma-Sentry® 1. Therma-Sentry® service module - temperature protection, contact Ben Therma-Sentry® is a thermal protec- typically for NEMA frames 440 and Biondi, Product Service Engineer with tion system that is activated by exces- TITAN frames 449 and larger and for US Motors, at 314-553-3875 or sive winding temperature. Therma- remote mounting in customer panel. ben.biondi@emotors.com.
