Brushless Motors Make Loaders More Reliable.

Eliminate maintenance costs for monitoring and replacing brushes on single-phase vacuum motors with a new option from Conair of Pittsburgh. The company now offers "maintenance-free" brushless motors on its loaders and small vacuum pumps--either on new models or as retrofits. This affordable option not only outlasts conventional four-brush motors but also increases throughput by up to 100%, Conair says. A brushless motor rated at 1.3 hp casts $200 more than the 0.875-hp four-brush motor it replaces. A 1.1-hp brushless motor will soon be available to replace the 0.625-hp, two-brush motor on smaller Conair loaders.

Due to frequent on/off cycling of loaders, normal motors usually require servicing within six months of installation and must be replaced completely in about three years, says Chuck Morgan, conveying product manager. "Brush-related maintenance casts on a single loader, including labor and components, can easily be $200 a year," he adds. In contrast, the new loaders should require no maintenance at all for their 5000-hr use life. One motor undergoing testing at Conair has logged over 400,000 loading cycles so far without maintenance or failure.