Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/668983
N ew motor efficiency standards soon taking effect are going to have a major impact on electric motor buying habits in the groundwater industry. Beginning June 1, 2016, newly purchased 1 hp to 500 hp industrial electric motors will be required to meet NEMA Pre- mium® efficiency standards, or they cannot be manufactured or imported into the United States. Historically, many of the motors used to pump groundwater and drive other water industry applications have not been subject to federal regulation. What does the new standard mean? In a nutshell, it means you should expect some changes the next time you're in the market for a motor. Why motors are regulated Federal regulation of motor efficiency is still relatively new, dating back only to 1992 passage of the Energy Policy Act. This act introduced North America's first energy stan- dards and regulations for HVAC equipment, lamps, and a limited number of general purpose motors. Enforced by the Department of Energy (DOE), the new regulations established efficiency requirements using levels defined by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) went a step further in 2007, establishing energy efficiency standards for a much broader scope of electric motors not covered by the efficiency ante, requiring these motors meet new criteria set by NEMA for premium efficiency motors. The first round of changes stemming from the EISA 2007 standards went into effect in December 2010. Round two, which will officially take effect June 1, 2016, will include ver- tical electric motors and most other types of motors used in water industry applications. DOE has identified nine motor characteristics to determine if a motor must meet the NEMA Premium standard. They in- clude motors ranging from 1 to 500 hp, rated at 600 volts or less, and with a 2-, 4-, 6- or 8-pole configuration (See sidebar: Is my motor covered by the new regs?). Only a handful of pump motors fall outside the scope of the new DOE ruling, including submersible motors and definite- purpose, inverter-fed motors (See sidebar: Exempt Motors). What it means to you One of the biggest reasons why most motors were histori- cally exempt from EISA and Energy Policy Act regulations was a technical one. DOE had not identified a test procedure manufacturers could use to verify NEMA Premium efficiency. That changed in 2014 when DOE established an expanded testing method for electric motors. By expanding testing, DOE can hold all motor manufacturers to efficiency levels as tested according to test standard IEEE 112 Method B, or the equivalent CSA C390. But there is a catch: DOE's testing procedures rate a motor's efficiency in standard conditions, which assumes the motor will operate in an environment with an ambient temperature of 25°C and at an altitude of 3300 feet or below. Because the procedures call for motors to be tested in a hori- zontal bearing arrangement with standard deep groove ball bearings, their efficiency ratings also do not factor in the effi- ciency losses they might experience due to high thrust-bearing losses. DOE continues on page 28 (Left) Vertical hollow shaft motors used in water and other pumping applications will need to meet NEMA Premium stan- dards on June 1, 2016. Twitter @WaterWellJournl Department of Energy Introduces New Motor Efficiency Regulations New rules will impact virtually all water industry motor purchases. By Patrick Hogg WWJ May 2016 27