Measuring Motor Shaft Voltage and Bearing Currents with the Fluke 190 Series II ScopeMeter portable oscilloscope

Voltage pulses from a variable speed drive can couple from a motor’s stator to its rotor, causing a voltage to appear on the rotor shaft. When this rotor shaft voltage exceeds the insulating capacity of the bearing grease, flashover currents (sparking) can occur, causing pitting and fluting of the motor bearing race, damage that can cause a motor to fail prematurely. This application note explains how to use the Fluke 190 Series II ScopeMeter test tool and a shaft voltage probe to measure motor shaft voltage and bearing currents.

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The Fluke 190 Series II ScopeMeter portable oscilloscope

You go into a lot of tough situations in your job. Sometimes you need the power of both an oscilloscope and a multimeter, but are cautious about taking a portable scope into the field with you. You don’t need to worry anymore. The new ScopeMeter Series II can go anywhere you do, bringing field tough power that will keep up with anywhere.

Now you can use a ScopeMeter in CAT-IV environments, while using two or four input channels to test multiple phases simultaneously, and quickly solve complex problems.

The first scopes on the market with CAT III 1000 V/CAT IV 600 V rating, the new 190 Series II brings an unprecedented combination of performance and ruggedness into the field.

View the ScopeMeter 190 Series II product page »