What would happen if the commutator were removed from an electric motor?

Well, without commutator, the machine will not develop a unidirectional torque and motoring action will not take place. In a DC motor, at the instant when armature coil passes through magnetic neutral axis, current in armature coil must reverse to maintain torque in the same direction.

Why commutator is needed?

The commutator assures that the current from the generator always flows in one direction. On DC and most AC motors the purpose of the commutator is to insure that the current flowing through the rotor windings is always in the same direction, and the proper coil on the rotor is energized in respect to the field coils.

How does the commutator cause the motor to spin?

If the current in the coil were constant, the coil would stop in this position. So, the side of the coil that used to be a south pole is now a north pole. The commutator will keep swapping the contacts every half turn (when the coil is in the upright position). In this way, the motor keeps spinning.

What causes an electric motor to stop?

The most common cause of motor failure, and arguably the most difficult to overcome, is low resistance. Low resistance is caused by the degradation of the insulation of the windings due to conditions such as overheating, corrosion, or physical damage.

How does commutator reverse current?

In a generator the commutator picks off the current generated in the windings, reversing the direction of the current with each half turn, serving as a mechanical rectifier to convert the alternating current from the windings to unidirectional direct current in the external load circuit.

Does commutator rotate?

A commutator is a rotary electrical switch in certain types of electric motors and electrical generators that periodically reverses the current direction between the rotor and the external circuit. By reversing the current direction in the rotating windings each half turn, a steady rotating force (torque) is produced.

What happens when motor is overloaded?

6 – Operational overloads Motor overload occurs when a motor is under excessive load. The primary symptoms that accompany a motor overload are excessive current draw, insufficient torque and overheating. Excessive motor heat is a major cause of motor failure.

What is motor overload protection?

Overload protection is installed in the main control circuit or power line of motor to protect from damage due to mechanical malfunction overload conditions when it is running. The effect of an overload is an excessive rise in temperature in the motor windings due to current higher than full load current.

What is a commutator and how does it work?

Simply put, the commutator turns the coils on and off to control which direction the electromagnetic fields are pointing. On one side of the coil, the electricity should always flow “away,” and on the other side, electricity should always flow “towards.” This ensures that the torque is always produced in the same direction.

Why does the commutator ring of a DC motor need replacing?

These devices required frequent replacement and damaged the commutator rings. Modern DC motors typically use “brushes” made of carbon, which wear more slowly and cause less damage to the commutator. It’s important to note that the discussion above relates to traditional brushed DC motors, which are commutated by mechanical means.

What is a commutator in a torque converter?

Commutation is the process of switching the field in the armature windings to produce constant torque in one direction, and the commutator is a device connected to the armature, which enables this switching of current.

What is the function of the split ring commutator?

The split-ring commutator flip the current so that the forces experienced are also reversed, and it is this that allows the motor to continuously turn in one direction. But this explanation doesn’t account for why no forces are experienced when the coil in in a vertical position.