reversing switch on a single pole single phase electric motor?

1dogandnoexes · Jan 12, 2023

I have a single phase single pole motor originally wired with a black lead, a brown lead, and a green lead. Is anyone familiar with this color combination? There is no information anywhere on the motor or under the access plate on wiring it. Is there any way short of trial and error, which could damage the motor, of telling whether I can use this motor with a reversing switch?

BT Fabrication · Jan 12, 2023

2 wires and a ground, i would be safe without seeing that it wouldn't work.

magneticanomaly · Jan 12, 2023

If you have a single-phase squirrel-cage induction motor, it can run either way. What determines which way it goes is, I think, which end of the start winding the start capacitor is connected to.
I think you need access to both ends of the start winding to change this, which means four leads
Hopefully someone who knows more than I do will correct me.
.

L Vanice · Jan 12, 2023

Green is usually a ground wire. To reverse a single phase induction motor, you need four wires in addition to the ground. Some motors have no provision in the external wires or connecting provisions for reversing.

In my experience, a non-reversing induction motor was probably designed with low cost in mind and meant for a specific application, like a budget quality air compressor. General purpose motors are possible to reverse.

Is there such a thing as a single pole motor? First time I have seen the term.

Larry

JST · Jan 12, 2023

You will not know if you can reverse it unless you open up the wiring box on the motor and determine if there are two more wires in there which can be disconnected and swapped to reverse direction of rotation.

If there are, then those two can be brought out and run to a reversing switch. (if it is just running the wrong direction, with no need to externally switch directions, you can reverse them and move on)

If there are no extra wires in the box, then it would take more effort than is probably justified to make it externally reversable.

Almost Retired · Friday at 6:11 AM

normally motors that can be reversed have a tag on the outside showing how to do it
if you have only two leads and dont have that tag it is extremely unlikely that it is reversible

JST · Friday at 10:19 AM

The tag on older motors is often on the reverse side of the wiring box cover.

DDoug · Friday at 10:22 AM

I did dig down into a motor's windings just once to pull out those starting winding leads, but I would not recommend it to the OP.

1dogandnoexes · Friday at 11:24 AM

Thanks all. looks like I'll have to find a new motor at one point.

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