Asset type
Medium voltage motor monitoring
SAM4 monitors MV motors from 1kV to 15kV — detecting winding insulation degradation, rotor bar faults, partial discharge indicators, bearing wear, and electrical supply issues. These high-value assets are too expensive to let fail.
At a glance
- Monitoring method
- Electrical Signature Analysis (ESA)
- Sensor location
- Motor control centre (MCC)
- Voltage range
- 1kV–15kV
- Drive type
- DOL, soft starter, MV VFD
- Motor types
- Synchronous and induction motors
- Faults detected
- 5 fault types
- Typical lead time
- 4–16 weeks before failure
Why monitor MV motors
"A single MV motor failure can cost €100K–500K"
MV motors drive critical process equipment. Replacement lead times are months. Vibration sensors often cannot be installed on these assets due to ATEX zones or accessibility constraints. ESA from the MCC is often the only practical monitoring option.
typical cost of an MV motor failure — including replacement, installation, and production loss.
typical lead time to replace an MV motor — critical equipment cannot tolerate extended downtime.
SAM4 detection lead time — often the only practical way to prevent unplanned shutdowns.
What SAM4 detects on MV motors
Five fault types from one sensor location
| Fault type | What's happening | How SAM4 detects it | Typical lead time | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winding insulation degradation | Insulation breakdown, tracking, thermal aging, partial discharge | Stator current harmonics increase as insulation integrity decreases | 4–16 weeks | Full |
| Rotor bar faults | Cracked or broken rotor bars, end ring fractures | Rotor bar pass frequency sidebands appear in the current spectrum, motor current signature analysis (MCSA) | 4–12 weeks | Full |
| Partial discharge | Insulation voids, contamination, moisture ingress, dielectric breakdown risk | High-frequency current components (>10 kHz) indicative of arcing inside windings | Weeks–months | Partial |
| Bearing degradation | Inner/outer race defects, rolling element wear, lubrication breakdown | Characteristic bearing fault frequencies appear in the motor current spectrum | 4–12 weeks | Full |
| Electrical faults | Supply quality issues, harmonic distortion, phase imbalance, soft starter faults | Voltage and current imbalance analysis — direct measurement at the MCC | Continuous | Full |
Detection capability depends on drive topology, sampling rate, load variation, and operating conditions. See ESA detection constraints.
Installation on MV motors
30 minutes. No motor access required.
Access the motor control centre
SAM4 installs at the MCC — the same panel your electricians already access. Safe installation in controlled environment. No hazardous zone constraints.
Clip voltage and current sensors
Sensors clip directly onto the motor supply cables. No invasive wiring modifications. Works with DOL, soft starters, and MV VFDs.
Connect and commission
The SAM4 gateway connects via cellular (4G/LTE) — no dependency on your IT network. Monitoring starts immediately. First diagnostic results within 48 hours.
Where MV motors are monitored
Industries using SAM4 on MV motors
Water & Wastewater
Large submersible motors, main pump drives. Critical infrastructure protection and efficiency monitoring.
Chemicals
Process pump motors, compressor drives, reactor agitators. High-value equipment in complex processes.
Oil & Gas
Injection pump motors, process compressor drives. Critical assets in remote locations.
Metals & Mining
Primary crusher motors, large fan drives, mill motors. High-torque applications in severe duty.
Pulp & Paper
Main pump motors, fan drives, refiner motors. Energy-intensive operations with critical equipment.
See SAM4 monitoring motors
A 30-minute demo shows SAM4 running on MV motors like yours — with real fault data, real diagnostics, and real early warning.