.Electrical Engineering Dep.

Electrical Machine Lab

NO LOAD CHARACTERISTIC OF DC MOTORS

OBJECTIVES
Determination of no load losses of different types of DC motors.

THEORY
The losses during no-load conditions of Dc machine will be
mechanical, copper, and iron losses.
The mechanical losses are caused by friction on bearings, brushes and
ventilation. They are not affected by the load and depend only on rotation
speed. Copper losses (field copper loss and small armature copper loss)
may be disregarded due to the low current absorbed in these conditions.
When in rotation, the rotor is subject to the alternating flux generated
by excitation winding on the stator and this causes the iron losses due to
hysteresis and eddy currents. So the input power to the motor P can be
written as:

P=V a × I a =Pm + Pir

Where Va = Armature voltage (V)

Ia = Armature current (A)
Pm = Mechanical power losses (Watts)
Pir = Iron power losses (Watts)

COMPONENTS
 DC Shunt Excitation Machine.
 DC Series Excitation Machine.
 DC Compound Excitation Machine.
 Power Supply.
 Tachometer.
 Ammeters.
 Voltmeters.
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 Cables.
.Electrical Engineering Dep. Electrical Machine Lab

PROCEDURE

DC Shunt Excitation Motor

1- connect the machine as in Fig.1.
2- Set the excitation voltage VDC2 and armature voltage VDC1=0.
3- Switch on the power supply and adjust V DC2 for Ifm=120 mA (Keep this
value constant through the test).
4- Start the motor by gradually increasing the armature voltage V DC1
(keep Ia<1.8).
5- When the motor is at nominal speed N=2500rpm measure the current
and voltage.
6- Decrease step by step the armature voltage and enter the values in
worksheet table.
7- Plot the graph between P vs. Va.

Va (V)
Ia (A)
P (W)

Fig.1

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.Electrical Engineering Dep. Electrical Machine Lab

DC Series Excitation Motor

1- connect the machine as in Fig.2.
2- Set the armature voltage VDC1=0.
3- Start the motor by gradually increasing the armature voltage V DC1
(keep Ia<1.8).
4- When the motor is at nominal speed N=2500rpm measure the current
and voltage.
5- Decrease step by step the armature voltage and enter the values in
worksheet table.
6- Plot the graph between P vs. Va.

Va (V)
Ia (A)
P (W)

Fig.2

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.Electrical Engineering Dep. Electrical Machine Lab

DC Compound Excitation Motor

1- connect the machine as in Fig.3.
2- Set the excitation voltage VDC2 and armature voltage VDC1=0.
3- Switch on the power supply and adjust V DC2 for Ifm=100 mA (Keep this
value constant through the test).
4- Start the motor by gradually increasing the armature voltage V DC1
(keep Ia<1.8).
5- When the motor is at nominal speed N=2500rpm measure the current
and voltage.
6- Decrease step by step the armature voltage and enter the values in
worksheet table.
7- Plot the graph between P vs. Va.

Va (V)
Ia (A)
P (W)

Fig.3

DISCUSSION
1- Comment on the curves obtained.
2- What are the types of the losses in the DC machines? 4