Capacitor motor

The capacitor motor is a machine for converting electrical energy into mechanical energy (rotary motion). Capacitor motors are single-phase AC motors with squirrel-cage rotor. The rotary field in the stator is generated with the help of an additional capacitor, from which the name capacitor motor originates. In order to improve starting torque, a starter capacitor is used in addition to the operating capacitor. The capacitance of the starter and operating capacitors can be adjusted, and direction of rotation can be selected. The Revolution (Switch) parameter indicates as of which speed switching from the starter capacitor to the operating capacitor takes place.

The exploded view of the motor makes it possible to manually wire the stator coils and the capacitors to operating voltage.

Terminals 1 and 2 make reference to the operating capacitor. Terminals 3 and 4 make reference to the starter capacitor including a centrifugal switch, which opens when a specified speed is exceeded (parameter: Revolution (Switch)). Terminal 5 is a rotary terminal mechanism. A motor test bench or a further motor can be connected here, for example. (The direction of rotation is usually reversed via the connection. This can be selected with the connecting cable.)

The capacitor motor’s characteristic data (for example winding resistances, inductances, number of pole pairs etc.) are automatically ascertained in the background after entering the performance data. Details can be found in the following separate section: Simulation of rotating machines.