FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

ELECTRICAL MACHINE AND DRIVE LABORATORY
(KEK333)
CAPACITOR MOTOR
THEORY
The motors which are operated by a single phase supply are known as single- phase motors. The
motors are small in size and mostly made in the fractional horse- power range. The single phase
motors are not self starting. An extra winding is provided to run the single- phase motor which is
known as auxiliary/ starting winding. After starting, the main winding is enough to keep the motor
running.

PRE- LAB
1. List down the three types of single phase induction motor.
2. Draw the schematic diagram and the torque speed characteristics of the capacitor type
induction motor.

PART A: STARTING BEHAVIOUR

OBJECTIVES
1. To examine the starting behaviour of a capacitor motor.

LIST OF EQUIPMENTS
Experimental Panel System.
Unit description

1000 W
Siries number

Voltage supply

10 25 400

5.400

Pendulum machine

Control unit

Display panel

10 25 900

5.900

Starting capacitor

10 25 420

5.420

3 x 12 42 940

4 F

10 15 043

5.43

Operating capacitors, pluggable

Combination panel
Coupling collar

31 00 000

Coupling cover

31 00 003

Shaft cover

31 00 005

Current transformer

25 00 920

Voltmeter

Ammeter (2x)

Capacitor motor with centrifugal

switch
Connection mask

30 27 400

MSA400

31 25 401

400F

Capacitor motor

30 27 410

MSA410

Connection mask

31 25 402

400

Alternatively:

PROCEDURE
1. Establish the connections according to the current diagram.

2. Switch-on the motor and off again upon a short time repeatedly. Describe the results.
3. Switch-on the motor and start the shaft carefully to the right. Describe the results. Stop the
motor.
4. Switch-on the motor end start the shaft carefully to the left. Describe the result.
5. Modify the arrangement of the circiut for the examination of the starting behaviour of a
capacitor motor according to the illustration and the current diagram.

6. Before starting the circuit adjust the operating elements of the control units as follows:
Type of power

1000 W

Operating switch on position:

off

Switch nconst., Mconst. position:

Mconst.

Switch Torque range position:

10 Nm

Switch Speed range position:

1500

Turn on the control unit by using the master switch. Push the reset button, the red
glowing LED must nor light anymore, otherwise you did a mistake during the setup.
7. Turn the operation switch from off to Mconst.. The belonging LED glows green. Start the
motor at C = 0 F (capacitor is not connected). Measure the starting torque MA and current
IHI. Disconnect the motor immediately upon reading the values again. Enter the measured
values to the table. Repeat the experiment with the required capacitance values of the
capacitors according to the table.
C
F
MA
Nm
I

12

IH

8. Represent MA, I, IH as the functions of the capacitance values C of the capacitors graphically.

QUESTION/DISCUSSION
1. Why will the capacitor motor will not develop any starting torque without capacitor?
2. Which influence does the capacitance of the capacitor in the auxilliary winding exert upon the
starting torque of the motor?
3. How does the current value in supply line and auxilliary winding change with increasing
capacitance value of the capacitor?
4. How does a continuing increase of the capacitance value of the capacitor affect the auxilliary
winding?

CONCLUSION
What can you conclude from the above experiments?
NOTE
Write a complete report to include: Title, objective, procedure, results, discussion and questions,
conclusion and references.

REFERENCES
Mohamad Abdus Salam (2005). Fundamentals of Electrical Machines
NK DE, PK Sen (2006). Electric Drives

PART B: STARTING CIRCUIT WITH CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH

OBJECTIVES
1. To examine the starting circuit of a capacitor motor with centrifugal switch.

LIST OF EQUIPMENTS
Experimental Panel System.
Unit description

1000 W
Siries number

Voltage supply

10 25 400

5.400

Pendulum machine

Control unit

Display panel

10 25 900

Combination panel

10 15 043

Starting capacitor

10 25 420

Plug-in capacitor

5.900

3 x 12 42 940

Coupling collar

31 00 000

Coupling cover

31 00 003

Shaft cover

31 00 005

Voltmeter

Ammeter (2x)

Gyrating mass

31 17 011

Capacitor motor

30 27 400

MSA400

Connection mask

31 25 401

400F

Capacitor motor

30 27 410

MSA410

Connection mask

31 25 402

400

Alternatively:

PROCEDURE
1. Establish the connections according to the current diagram. Load the capacitor motor with
capacity values for starting and operating capacitor according to the table.

System
Starting capacitor CA
Running capacitor CB

1000 W
30 F
12 F

2. Before starting the circuit adjust the operating elements of the control unit as follows:
Type of power
Operating switch on position:
Switch nconst., Mconst. position:

1000 W
off
Mconst.

Switch Torque range position:

10 Nm

Switch Speed range position:

1500 rpm

Turn on the controlunit by using the master switch. Push the reset button, the red glowing
LED must not light anymore, otherwise you did a mistakeduring the setup.
3. Start the motor and observe at which speed the centrifugal swith will disconnect the capacitor
CA. Describr the result.
4. Describe the strating circuit with centrifugal switch.

QUESTION/DISCUSSION

1. Why must a starting capacitor be connected to the system during the running-up of the
capacitor motor?
2. What will happen in case the starting capacitor is not disconnected after running-up?

CONCLUSION
What can you conclude from the above experiments?
NOTE
Write a complete report to include: Title, objective, procedure, results, discussion and questions,
conclusion and references.

REFERENCES
Mohamad Abdus Salam (2005). Fundamentals of Electrical Machines
NK DE, PK Sen (2006). Electric Drives