How important is TEFC?

Loren Patterson · Dec 22, 2001

I'm just curious what everyone thinks about this... I know WHY having a TEFC motor is best, but I have found a 3hp baldor motor for only $50, in good working order, 1725 rpm, single phase, 115v, everything just right... but it has an open-dripproof enclosure... and I'm just thinking to myself.. would it be THAT bad to use this motor? I was wondering what everyone thinks...
Thanks for the input
- Loren P

rfrink · Dec 22, 2001

Loren,

Just a quick comment about your specs. A 3hp motor running on 110V will draw just under 35 AMPS. That is an excessive amount of current for typical 110V "home shop" electrics. I'm sure that your motor is probably dual voltage and can run at 220V....which would get the current into a manageable range (17 amps or so)....This should be considered with the price in case you need to make some electrical provisions the feed this baby with power and protection.

Other than that, I have several open frame motors that have been running for years with very little attention or maintainance. The price is certainly nice!

Take care,
Rob

tom mayo · Dec 22, 2001

If you are going to use it around any type of metal grinding and it is open.....the magnets in the motor will collect all the filings and kill the motor in short time. Otherwise no problem. What is stated above is right on......you should change it to 220v and you will have less breaker problems.

george tichbourne · Dec 22, 2001

The price is low enough to say "what the heck, I will run it until it eventually burns out". Like the others say the current draw at 110V is just too high, switch this one on and you will brown out the entire house.

Loren Patterson · Dec 23, 2001

What steps can I take to prevent metal filings from entering the motor? Hows about some sort of filter?
- Loren P

Will52100 · Dec 23, 2001

Loren, I have heard that you can use nylon panty hose or stockings as a filter, havn't tried it. I havn't found too many motors cheap, so I buy TEFC.

Harry Jensen · Dec 23, 2001

I've got an old 5hp motor mounted on one of my grinders (open & vented), and stretched a "T" shirt over the vent & duct taped it down....been there for awhile with no problems.

george tichbourne · Dec 23, 2001

Back in another life when I raced motorcycles we used the pantyhose trick to keep the air filters fairly clean but we sprayed them with air filter oil first.