DC MOTOR STARTERS

Need for starter in DC motors:

The staring current taken by the machine will be very high (of the order of 10 times of
rated current) as the value of R, is very small for a de machine. This current is many times more
than the full load rated current of the motor. Such a heavy inrush of current results in sparking at
the commutator, damage to armature winding, detoriation of insulation due to overheating and
quick acceleration, which may damage the rotating parts of the motor. To limit the armature
current to the safe value starters are used.
Two-point starters:
Two-point starters are used for starting de series motor which has a problem of overspeeding due to loss of load from its shaft. For starting the motor, the control arm is moved
clockwise from its OFF position to ON position against spring tension. The control arm is held in
ON position by a electromagnet. The hold-on electro magnet is connected in series with the
armature circuit .If the motor losses load the current decreases and the strength of the electro
magnet decreases and the control arm returns to OFF position, thus preventing the motor from
over-speeding. L, A are the two points of the starter which are connected to the supply and motor
terminals respectively.
Three-point starters:
The terminals L (line), F (field), A (armature) are connected respectively to the supply
Terminal, shunt field terminal and motor armature terminal. When the motor is at rest the starter
handle is in OFF position by a strong spiral spring. The starting resistance is connected between
studs 1, 2, 3,..... For starting the motor the starter handle is rotated to come in contact with stud 1.
Now, the shunt field and the holding coil (He) are connected in series across the supply whereas
the armature gets connected in series with the entire starting resistance. Since the current begins
to flow both in the field and armature windings the motor begins to rotate.
After the armature has picked up sufficient speed the handle is moved to stud 2 thereby
cutting out the resistance between stud 1 & 2. Movement of the handle is continued slowly till the
soft iron touches the holding magnet. The holding coil is also called as no-volt release (NVR).
If there is any power failure the electromagnet gets demagnetized and the spring brings
the handle back to OFF position. Another protective device called over load release (OLR) is
provided in series with the armature circuit. It is a small electromagnet. The motor current at

which the OLR should operate can be adjusted merely by varying the distance between the
electromagnet and the soft iron M.
If speeds above the normal are to be obtained the field current has to be reduced at a
certain value of reduced field current, the electro magnetic pull may become less than the spring
force .In such a case the starter handle returns to OFF position and the motor stops.
Thus a Three point starter cannot be used for wide range of speed control. This
disadvantage is overcome by a four point starter.

THREE POINT STARTER

Four point starter:

The starter has four terminals L,F,A &N which are connected to supply and the de motor. Here
the hold-on coil connected across the line instead of in series with shunt field. When the armature
touches the stud 1 the current is divided into three parts
1. Through the starting resistance and the armature.
2. Through the field.
3. Through the NVR and the resistance connected.
Under normal running condition the starter handle is in ON position. The function of R is to
prevent short-circuit of the supply mains in case of OLR operation. When HC gets shortcircuited by OLR the current through R is limited by its own resistance and the starting
resistance. Any change in current does not affect the current passing through the HC because the
two circuits are independent of each other. Therefore, the pull of the HC is unaffected and
remains more than spring pull for any value of speed.

INDUCTION MOTOR STARTERS

Need for starter in induction motors:
Induction motors take about 6 to 8 times its rated full load current at the time of starting. This
heavy inrush of current will cause a large drop in line voltage supplied to the motor. Other
machines connected to the supply system will be adversely affected. It is therefore recommended
that large three-phase induction motors should be started with reduced voltage across the stator
terminals at starting. Small motors upto 5hp ratings may be started direct on-line.
Direct on-line starting:
Indian electricity rules strict DOL starting of three-phase induction motors above 5hp. Fig.l
shows the circuit direct on-line starter. In the circuit in addition to fuses, thermal overload relay
has been used to protect the motor windings against overloads. When the on push button is
pressed the contactor coil A becomes energized and its contacts are closed. The motor gets
connected across the supply mains through the main contacts of the contactor. The motor
continues to get supply even when the pressure on the push button is released. Since the
contactor coil will then get the supply through the contact 'a' of the contactor. Contact 'a' of the
contactor is therefore called the hold-on contact.

When the OFF push button is pressed the coil gets de-energized, the main contacts of the
contactor open and the motor stops. In case of overloads the contact 'a' of the contactor will open
and the motor will stop. Fuses are provided for short-circuit protection.
Starting current of three-phase induction motors can be reduced to safe values by adopting
following concepts
1. Including resistors in the stator circuit at the instant of starting.
2. Applying reduced voltage at the instant of starting by using suitable starters.
3. Including resistors in the rotor circuit.
4. Including resistors in both stator and rotor circuit.
a)Primary resistors:Reduced voltage can be applied across the motor terminals by connecting resistors in series its
stator winding. In this way, the initial current drawn by the motor is reduced. However, it should
be noted that current varies directly as the voltage, whereas the torque varies as square of applied
voltage.
If the voltage applied across the motor terminals is reduced by 50%, starting current is reduced
by 50%, but torque is reduced to 25% of the
Full-voltage value. By using primary resistors (Fig.2), the applied voltage/phase can be
reduced by a fraction 'x' (and it additionally improves the power factor of the line slightly). This
method is useful for the smooth starting of small machines only.
b) Auto-transformers:
Such starters known variously as auto-starters or compensators consist of an auto-transformer ith
necessary switches. We may use two auto-transformers connected as shown in (Fig.3) or three
auto-transformers connected in open delta (Fig.4).This method of starting can be used both for
star and delta-connected motors. Reduced voltage is applied across the motor terminals. When
the motor has run up to say, 80% of its normal speed, connections are so changed that autotransformer are cut out and full supply voltage is applied across the motor. The switch making
these changes from 'start' to 'run' may be airbrake(for small motors) or may be oil-immersed(for
large motors) to reduce sparking.
There is also provision for no-voltage and over-load protection along with a time-delay device so
hat momentary interruption of voltage or momentary over-load does not disconnect the motor

from supply line. Most of the auto-starters are provided with 3 sets of taps, so as to reduce
voltage to 80, 65 or 50 per cent of the line voltage to suit the local conditions of supply.
c) Star-delta

starter:-

This method is used in the case of motors which are built to run normally with a delta connected
stator winding. It consists of a two-way switch, which connects the motors in star for starting and
then in delta for normal running. The usual connections are shown in (fig. when star connected,
the applied voltage over each motor phase is reduced by a factor 1/3 and hence the torque
developed becomes 1/3 of that would have been developed if motor were directly connected in
delta. Hence, during starting period when motor is connected, it takes 1/3rd as much starting
current and develops 1/3rd as much torque as would have been developed when it is directly
connected in delta.
d) Rotor resistance starter:

This concept can be used only for slip ring induction motor, in which, the terminals of the
rotor windings are brought out externally. In rotor resistance starter, the terminals of the rotor
winding are connected to a variable resistor through slip-rings as shown in (fig.6). Resistances
are fully in the circuit at starting, so that the starting 'current is reduced. Moreover the starting
torque is appreciably increased, because of additional resistance in the rotor' circuit at starting.
The external resistance in the rotor circuit is gradually cut out, as the motor speeds up and finally
the rotor winding is short-circuited during normal running condition.