Electric Motor Storage
Discover the best ways to protect your industrial motor while it’s in storage, and ensure that it’s ready when you need it.
Your industrial electric motors are high-value items that you rely on for the success of your projects. When a motor goes down, it never hurts to have a spare ready so you can keep operations running smoothly.
However, industrial electric motors are finely tuned pieces of equipment. Following best practices is essential to ensure that your motor remains in good operating order throughout the storage period. It’s the best way to ensure that your spares are there for you when you need them most.
Read on to learn our top tips for properly storing and caring for your industrial electric motors!
Defining your storage timeline
The first thing to consider before storing your motor is how long it is likely to stay in storage. The longer you are storing your motor, the more things that will need to be done to prepare and maintain it for the duration of its storage.
Short-term storage (under 30 days)
Short-term storage is anything up to a month. When storing a motor for the short-term, you primarily just need to keep it protected from the weather, and ambient vibration.
It’s best to store your motor in a clean, dry area indoors. Outdoor storage is never recommended.
Ambient vibration can come from rail lines, busy roads and large industrial equipment in regular operation. Even over the short-term, these vibrations can damage your motor. If you’re unable to find a location completely removed from ambient vibration, we recommend storing the motors on pallets or using rubber boarding to absorb the vibrations.
Long-term storage (30 + days)
When storing your motor for months or even years, you will need to take additional steps to keep the motor in good working order.
You should store your motors indoors in a clean and dry area whenever possible. If your storage area is not climate-controlled, condensation can form on the windings if the temperature drops below the dew point.
If your motor has space heaters, you can energize them while the unit is in storage to prevent condensation. If you don’t have space heaters, you can also try lowering the dewpoint in the room by using a dehumidifier to prevent condensation.
Preparing your motor for storage
If it’s likely you’ll be storing your motor for more than a few weeks, you’ll want to take additional steps to ensure that all parts remain in good working order. It’s particularly important for you to take steps to protect machined surfaces, bearings and windings.
Control the temperature to protect windings.
This is especially important when your motor is being stored in an area that is not climate controlled. Ideally you’ll want to keep your motor 5-10 degrees Celsius above room temperature to prevent condensation inside the motor. If you are unable to control the room temperature, you have several options. The first is to utilize the heaters included within many electric motors. These can be activated while the motor is in storage to prevent any condensation within the unit. You can also explore using a dehumidifier to reduce the overall moisture in your storage area. This will effectively reduce the dewpoint and lower the risk of condensation.
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Duke has the region's leading industrial storage facility. We think of everything so you don't have to.
Protect against ambient vibration
Just as with short-term storage, ambient vibration is a serious concern when storing your motor. If your storage area is close to large industrial equipment, highways, rail lines, or other sources of significant ground vibration you will want to take steps to mitigate any damage to your motor. Placing your motor on pallets or rubber boarding should be sufficient to absorb the vibrations for the long term.
Lubricate bearings
It’s best to thoroughly clean all bearings before storage. You can then fill the bearing cavities with lubricant to prevent rust or damage during storage. When the motor is ready to be used again, just make sure to remove the excess lubricant before operating.
Raise carbon brushes
Lifting carbon brushes away from the motor surface is recommended to limit the possibility of chemical reactions that can damage your motor.
Relax springs
Highly compressed springs can be subject to wear and tear, even when the motor is just sitting in storage. It is a good idea to relax all springs when storing your motor, then tighten them again when ready for use.
Document everything
Your motor is only useful if you can remember where you kept it, how long it’s been stored and what maintenance has been performed. Create a detailed record that records all these important details, and you’ll be able to make more informed decisions when you bring your motor back on line.
Maintaining your motor while in storage
Your motor is only useful if you can remember where you kept it, how long it’s been stored and what maintenance has been performed. Create a detailed record that records all these important details, and you’ll be able to make more informed decisions when you bring your motor back on line.
Want the pros to handle it?
Duke has the region's leading industrial storage facility. We think of everything so you don't have to.
Rotate motor shaft regularly
Rotating the motor shaft can redistribute lubricant on machined surfaces and prevent rust or corrosion. Try to rotate the shaft on your stored motor at least once a month.
Coat surfaces
Coating surfaces with a light oil such as CRC 3-36 can help protect your motor components from moisture and corrosion while in storage.
Inspect regularly
When performing other maintenance activities, make sure that you also complete a quick inspection of your motor to ensure that there is no visible pest damage or condensation.
Full-service storage options
If you’ve made it this far, you probably are starting to appreciate that a lot goes into the proper storage and maintenance of your high-value industrial electric motors. You need to have the right space to store your gear properly and the time to regularly inspect and maintain it.
If you’d rather leave it to a team that specializes in industrial motor storage, please check out Duke’s storage services. We handle everything from preparing to maintaining and inspecting your motor, and keep detailed records for you so you never have to worry about losing track.
Sound interesting? Click below to start exploring our managed storage options today!
Want the pros to handle it?
Duke has the region's leading industrial storage facility. We think of everything so you don't have to.
