# Wiring Motors (High or Low Voltage?)



## 360max




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## JasonCo

360max said:


>


Okay, so in series. To get 208. This is my exact question:

"A motor has a nameplate wiring diagram as shown below. (Diagram is Wye with 9 leads). Select the correct connection of the leads where connected to the available 208, 3-phase branch circuit."

So, its a 120/208 3-phase 4 wire Wye system correct?
And to get 208 I just wire it in series, correct?

Appreciate your help, I think I understand now though


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## JasonCo

Okay, I 100% get all this now. Thanks for your help


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## Wirenuting

JasonCo said:


> Okay, so in series. To get 208. This is my exact question: "A motor has a nameplate wiring diagram as shown below. (Diagram is Wye with 9 leads). Select the correct connection of the leads where connected to the available 208, 3-phase branch circuit." So, its a 120/208 3-phase 4 wire Wye system correct? And to get 208 I just wire it in series, correct? Appreciate your help, I think I understand now though



Your not "Getting" 208 by wiring the motor. 208 is the voltage your wiring the motor to. 

A motor data plate will list the rated voltages for the motor and show the diagram of how to connect it to the system.


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## JRaef

Whether a motor is wired Wye or Delta has no bearing on the line voltage (unless designed as such). It has to do with power ratings, stator slot sizes, etc. You can have a 480V motor wound as Delta or for Wye, a 240V motor wound as Delta or for Wye, etc. It's a decision the motor mfr makes based on those other factors.


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## AK_sparky

JasonCo said:


> I'm just trying to better understand how to know if it is high or low voltage when wiring a motor. If I have a question that asks how to wire up a motor that has available leads of 208-volt, 3-phase. This is for a Wye motor. 208 is low voltage correct? But, this is a wye system so I assume its 120/208, so for wiring these things up, do I say that 120 is low and 208 is high? Just a bit confused. Thanks for your help!


Edit: Ignore what I wrote here previously. I was thinking of a 12 lead motor, but it looks like your example is for a 9 lead, which is more common.


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## ampman

A wye wound motor will have 4 individual circuits a delta wound motor will have three


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## AK_sparky

JasonCo said:


> Okay, so in series. To get 208. This is my exact question:
> 
> "A motor has a nameplate wiring diagram as shown below. (Diagram is Wye with 9 leads). Select the correct connection of the leads where connected to the available 208, 3-phase branch circuit."
> 
> So, its a 120/208 3-phase 4 wire Wye system correct?
> And to get 208 I just wire it in series, correct?
> 
> Appreciate your help, I think I understand now though


Motors don't get a neutral. Ignore your 120/208V 3P4W system. Only look at it as a 208V 3P3W system.


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## JasonCo

Okay awesome, good stuff. Makes sense that they don't get neutrals, sense I can have 230/460 Delta or 230/460 Wye motors, so the 1.732 rule doesn't even apply. Makes sense now


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## AK_sparky

JasonCo said:


> Okay awesome, good stuff. Makes sense that they don't get neutrals, sense I can have 230/460 Delta or 230/460 Wye motors, so the 1.732 rule doesn't even apply. Makes sense now


Right. And whether a 9 lead motor is wired wye or delta at the factory has no effect on whether your supply is wye delta.

Since the motor is a 230/460, and you have a 208V supply, you would wire it low voltage.

You would wire it high voltage if you were supplying 460V.

And note that a lot of motors have a low voltage range of 208-230V.


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## JasonCo

AK_sparky said:


> Right. And whether a 9 lead motor is wired wye or delta at the factory has no effect on whether your supply is wye delta.
> 
> Since the motor is a 230/460, and you have a 208V supply, you would wire it low voltage.
> 
> You would wire it high voltage if you were supplying 460V.
> 
> And note that a lot of motors have a low voltage range of 208-230V.


Thanks a bunch, good information right here. :thumbsup:
All the comments have been really informative, have read them all and appreciate everyone's help.


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## cabletie

You would wire it in series for high voltage, parallel for low. 

Regardless of the applied voltage, the windings are always set up to handle the low voltage. So you have to think, how will I wire it to get the low voltage across each winding?

If you wire the two windings in series you will get a voltage drop across the windings. So 460 applied, would be 230V across each winding. 

If you had 230V as the supply voltage, you would want to wire the windings in parallel. In a parallel circuit you would not get the voltage drop across the windings, so each winding would get the 230V. 

The same thing happens when it is wired for Delta

I hope that is not to confusing. 

Also if they haven't mentioned it, the numbers on the windings are always numbered in clockwise direction toward the center for Y. Also for delta, just not toward the center.


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## John Valdes

AK_sparky said:


> Motors don't get a neutral. Ignore your 120/208V 3P4W system. Only look at it as a 208V 3P3W system.


120 volt motors do.


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## MechanicalDVR

While many have eluded to it, just to be perfectly clear: wiring the motor for low or high voltage would depend on what voltage is available to supply the motor. Delta or wye is not relevant really.


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## AK_sparky

John Valdes said:


> 120 volt motors do.


Is it a neutral, or is it a grounded conductor??? 

John has a good point though, so in the interest of thoroughness, 3 phase motors don't usually get a neutral.


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## John Valdes

AK_sparky said:


> Is it a neutral, or is it a grounded conductor???


CCC - Current Carrying Conductor. :thumbsup: I don't like the term neutral either.
Being that it carries the full load current.
Doesn't seem to neutral to me. :laughing:


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## don_resqcapt19

ampman said:


> A wye wound motor will have 4 individual circuits a delta wound motor will have three


They each have six windings, but you cannot separate all 6 windings unless you have a 12 lead motor. The fact that you have a nine lead motor does not change the fact that the motor has six windings or coils.


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