How to calculate the cumulative operating time of a motor
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Dear colleagues: In chemical production, it is common for the same piece of mechanical equipment to have two units labeled A/B or more. During normal operation, one unit is in use while the other serves as a backup; the equipment is switched periodically as part of the manufacturing process. As electrical engineers working in support roles, how can we determine the total number of operating hours accumulated by each motor over the course of a year? On the DCS dashboard, it is possible to calculate this by considering the operating status of the motors； Now, most low-voltage motor protectors also have a function for tracking cumulative operating time; however, it’s not a problem to calculate the total number of hours a single device operates in a year using such protectors. Based on your respective factory operations and experience, could you recommend a good timer that can be installed on a drawer cabinet, similar to an electric meter at home? It should start counting the operating time once the motor starts running, and stop counting when the motor stops. If you know of any good brands, please recommend them. With a timer, it is possible to check the base value on the gauge to determine the operating time and plan maintenance accordingly. Or could some fellow sea traveler recommend some other good method?
The timer on the DCS can be used directly; a program can be written such that the timer starts counting when the motor begins to run, stops counting when the motor stops, and then the elapsed time is displayed.
Are there any methods on the electrical cabinet? No need for the timer on DCS
There are timers that can be installed on electrical cabinets; our company has developed an independent timing system in which the timer starts counting when the motor begins to operate and stops counting when the motor stops. It is necessary for each cabinet to have an output signal.