SupportPro Tips: Motor Brush Maintenance

If your conveyor isn’t performing as efficiently as it once did or if your motor is slowing then it could be due to the motor brushes.  It’s likely that you’re in need of motor brush maintenance.  

If proper motor brush maintenance is not performed, this may cause the motor to over ramp or even slow down. In extreme cases, lack of maintenance can lead to complete motor failure. In either case, the overall system performance will suffer. 

DC permanent magnet motors are widely used to power the conveying surfaces of the BestFlex Flexible Powered Roller Conveyors.  These particular motors have a pair of serviceable brushes that will wear down with use.  The motor speed, loads being conveyed and the number of start-stop cycles are among some of the factors that affect the brush life.  This means that your motor brush life will vary.  

As with any maintenance, disconnect unit power prior to performing any work. 

Begin the maintenance process by removing the two brush caps located in the motor housing in order to reach the brush insert. We suggest using a properly fitting flathead screwdriver to avoid damaging the cap.  

Next, confirm that the brushes are 1/8th inch or longer. The risk of armature damage increases if the brushes are run beyond this wear point. Start by checking the brushes beginning at the motor closest to the discharge end of the conveyor.  You may use this brush as a guide to check the other brush wear.  

After using clean, dry, compressed air to remove any dust built up on the coils and internal brush housing of the motor, you are ready to reinstall the brushes. Coils are to be replaced in the same orientation in which they were removed.  Align tabs correctly before placing and tightening caps. For motors that have not been maintained or are in high use, it may be necessary to remove the dust cap on the end of the motor for cleaning.  

Complete the procedure for both brushes before moving on to the next motor.  

Once all work is complete, connect the power back to the unit. 

By performing this simple maintenance procedure, the lifespan of your conveyor motors will be increased and equipment downtime will decrease.  

If you are not experiencing any issues, brush maintenance should only be conducted once a year as your conveyor ages.  

SupportPro provides this service as part of our preventative maintenance (PM) program. Contact our team to set up a PM visit with one of our factory trained service technicians.