Determining which type motor you need may not be an easy task. There are many different types available today. Before you order, there are a number of parameters that need to be addressed. So how can you properly accomplish this? This article is written to assist you in determining which motor is best for your application.
First and foremost you will need to know what voltage source is available in your application. Electric motors can be classified as either AC (Alternating Current) or DC (Direct Current). Alternating current types only run on AC Voltage and direct current types only run on DC Voltage. There is also a step motor that can run on both AC and DC voltages.
Once you have established which power source you have you will need to determine which style will work for your application. AC motors can be sub-divided into the following: Single Phase Induction, Three Phase Induction, Two Phase Servo, and Hysteresis Synchronous. DC motors can be sub-divided into: Brushless DC, Brush DC, and Stepper types.
Next we need to understand the different characteristics of each type in order to properly match a motor to its application.
A single phase induction motor is connected to a single voltage line. An external capacitor is required to make this motor operate. The different types of single phase induction motors are distinguished by which method they are started. The four basic types are: split phase, capacitor start, permanent split capacitor, and capacitor start/capacitor run.