A PowerPoint presentation by Terry L.

Robinson
2006
Back EMF…
…is the voltage-generating
effect of an electric motor’s
rotor turning within the motor.
…read between Common and
Start terminals.
…applied to Run Capacitor on
PSC motor circuit.
 R RUN WINDING

VOLTAGE INDUCED
330
0 VAC
120 IN ROTOR

RUN
C
CAP
370 VAC
Motor
fully VOLTAGE INDUCED
loaded IN START WINDING
pulls 8A
S START WINDING
Fully loaded…
…motor is under all of the load
that it is designed to handle.
…as if the panels are off of the
furnace and no filter in place.
Back EMF generated at
highest current.
 R RUN WINDING

VOLTAGE INDUCED
120
0 VAC
350 IN ROTOR

RUN
C
CAP
370 VAC
Motor
partially VOLTAGE INDUCED
unloaded IN START WINDING
pulls 7A
S START WINDING
Partially Unloaded…
…motor under a partial load
as if furnace panels and
filter in place.
RPM increases generating
a higher Back EMF and
decreased current.
 R RUN WINDING

VOLTAGE INDUCED
120
0 VAC
380 IN ROTOR

RUN
C
CAP
370 VAC
Motor
mostly VOLTAGE INDUCED
unloaded IN START WINDING
pulls 5A
S START WINDING
Mostly unloaded…
…low motor load is reduced due
to very dirty filter, blocked
Return Air, dirty Evaporator
Coil, and/or crimped Supply Air
Ducts.
High RPM generates high
Back EMF and low current.
Mostly unloaded…
…Back EMF generated may
be higher than the Run
Capacitor’s voltage rating
leading to Capacitor failure
or burning out the Start
Winding.
 R RUN WINDING

Back EMF VOLTAGE INDUCED IN

used with ROTOR
Hard Start Kit

C
START RUN
CAP VOLTAGE INDUCED IN
CAP
START WINDING

S
START WINDING

BACK EMF
1 2 POTENTIAL RELAY 5
 Pop up quiz…
1.The Run Capacitor is wired in
series with the Run Winding in a
PSC motor circuit.
A. True
B. False
 Pop up quiz…
2. Line Voltage is applied to the
Run Capacitor when the PSC
motor is operating.
A. True
B. False
 Pop up quiz…
3. When the Back EMF is the
lowest, the motor’s current is
high.
A. True
B. False
 Pop up quiz…
4. Closing Supply Registers will…
A. …load the Blower Motor
increasing Back EMF.
B. …unload the Blower Motor
decreasing Back EMF.
C. …unload the Blower Motor
increasing Back EMF.
 Pop up quiz…
5. Could a loss of refrigerant
charge cause theLossRun Capacitor
of charge unloads
on the Compressor circuit to
the Compressor
fail? increasing Back EMF –
A. Yes possibly above the
B. No capacitor’s voltage
rating.