What does a gauge number mean?
Steel comes all different sizes in shapes, when you purchase it in the sheet format the thickness is portrayed by a guage number. Sheet steel gauges are much like wire gauges, the lower the number the larger the material. here are four NEMA insulation classes based on thermal endurance of the system for maximum temperature rating purposes. These are listed on the motor's nameplate and are either A, B, F, or H. These codes indicate the maximum temperature the motor insulation can withstand without failure.

Gauge Size - Inches 10 0.1345 12 0.1046 14 0.0747 16 0.0598 The graphic portrays an approx. 600% enlragement of the cross section of several common sizes of sheet steel.

What are the benefits of thicker steel?
Steel comes all different sizes in shapes, when you purchase it in the sheet format the thickness is portrayed by a guage number. Sheet steel gauges are much like wire gauges, the lower the number the larger the material. here are four NEMA insulation classes based on thermal endurance of the system for maximum temperature rating purposes. These are listed on the motor's nameplate and are either A, B, F, or H. These codes indicate the maximum temperature the motor insulation can withstand without failure.

What does the rating mean?
There are four NEMA insulation classes based on thermal endurance of the system for maximum temperature rating purposes. These are listed on the motor's nameplate and are either A, B, F, or H. These codes indicate the maximum temperature the motor insulation can withstand without failure.

NEMA insulation ratings assume the motor is operating within its rated ambient temperature. Ambient temperature is the air temperature surrounding the motor and is also indicated on the nameplate.

What causes a motors internal temperature to rise?
- Stalling (Keeping your foot pressed on the accelerator when the vehicle is not moving)
- Loading/Overloading (Causing the motor to do more work than it is rated to do, i.e. steep grades, heavy burden, heavy towing)
- Extreme Ambient Temperature (Motors are most efficient at ambient temperatures below 40°C or 104°F)

What are the effects of overheating a motor?
- Each 10 Degree C rise above the motor's rating can reduce motor life by one-half.
- Raised commutator bars....
- Extreme temperatures can fail a motor instantly

What are the benefits of a higher motor insulation rating?
- The higher the insulation class rating of the motor the more resistant it is to these negative effects of any given temperature.
- Increased motor life over a lower rating when doing the same amount of work