OL0 Motor Control Copyright 2003 Kilowatt Classroom, LLC.

Motor Overload Protection

Purpose of Motor Overload Protection

The National Electric Code (NEC) defines Motor Overload Protection as that which is intended to protect motors,
motor-control apparatus, and motor branch-circuit conductors against excessive heating due to motor overloads and
failure of the motor to start. Motor Overload Protection is also commonly referred to as “Running Protection”.

System Protection
Note: Motor Overload Protection is not intended to protect against motor branch-circuit short-circuit and ground
faults. In a combination starter, this type of protection is provided by fuses, a circuit breaker, or a Motor Circuit
Protector (MCP). This protection is commonly referred to as “Short Circuit Protection” and is shown circled in red
in the schematic below.

Fractional horsepower single-phase motor overload protection may be by: the Branch Circuit Protection, a Separate
Overload Device, an Integral Thermal Protector, or Impedance Protected, or a combination of these methods, de-
pending on whether or not the motor is permanently installed, is continuous-duty, and is manually or automatically
started. Refer to the NEC Articles 430.32 - 430.34 for details and exceptions.

Overload protection for single and three-phase AC motors in the small (above 1 horsepower) and medium horse-
power range is typically provided by one of two methods: Thermal Overload Relays, or Solid-state Overload Re-
lays.

Overload protection for large three-phase motors is sometimes provided by Thermal Overload Relays which are con-
nected to Current Transformers (CT’s). However, most new installations utilized microprocessor-based motor pro-
tective relays which can be programmed to provide both overload and short-circuit protection. These protective re-
lays often also accept inputs from Resistance Temperature Devices (RTD’s) imbedded in the motor windings
(usually two per phase) and the relays are capable of displaying the winding and motor bearing temperatures, and
provide both alarm and trip capability.

Typical Schematic Diagram

Three-Phase Across-the-Line Starter with Thermal Overload Protection
See Sheet 5 for an operational description of this circuit.

MCP Motor Overload Protection

NEC Articles 430.31 - 430.44
M OL
L1

OL
L2 MOTOR To Control
FU1 FU2 OL
L3
Integral Thermal Protector/s (if used)
are inside motor and sense motor wind-
X1 X2 120 VAC Control Circuit ing temperature. See NEC Article 430.32

Motor Branch-Circuit Short- START

Circuit and Ground Fault STOP OL
1 2 3
Protection. M
NEC Articles 430.51 - 430.58 Ma
FU3 High temperature on overload heater due to
excessive current opens control circuit OL contact,
drops-out the M contactor, and stops the motor.

Motor Control Circuit NEC Articles 430.71 - 430.74

Schematic Diagram Notes

• The three-phase power circuit is shown in bold black.

Sheet 1

• The single-phase 120 volt control circuit is shown with light-weight black lines.
• The bold black dashed lines indicate a mechanical connection and show that all three poles of the MCP
operate simultaneously as do the three poles of the Main (M) Contactor .
OL1 Motor Overload Protection Copyright 2003 Kilowatt Classroom, LLC.

Thermal Overload Blocks

Overload heaters work on principle that motor load (and therefore motor temperature) is directly related to the
current drawn by the motor. Current flowing from the motor contactor to the motor passes through the motor
overload heaters (one per phase) which are mounted in the control overload block. If the motor current exceeds
the desired value, the heat produced by the motor overload heater will cause a control circuit contact in the
overload block to open, drop out the contactor coil, and stop the motor. Manufacturers provide Heater Selec-

System Protection
tion Charts from which the correct heater is chosen based on the motor nameplate Full Load Amps (FLA).

Overload Heater - Shown in installed position.

Overload Reset
Overload Heater Push Button
Schematic Symbol

Overload Contact
Connection Terminal

Eutectic Alloy Barrel

(Heater Removed)

Pointed Heater Position Tab

Eutectic Alloy Type

Center phase heater shown removed. On this style of overload block the heater can be mounted in one of four
possible positions for fine adjustment of the trip value. Each position places the heater in a slightly different
proximity to the melting alloy barrel. The heater has a pointed position indicator tab which shows the selected
mounting orientation.

Calibration Adjustment
Varies OL trip setting from Factory installed coil jumper from
85% - 115% of heater table overload contact (red wire).
value.

Wire spring position sets Overload Heaters

OL unit for manual or One per phase
automatic reset.

Reset Push Button Motor “T-Lead” Connections at

bottom of each heater.
Overload Contact Terminals
One side of OL contact is factory Bimetallic Type
wired to coil terminal (red wire). Shown Plugged into Bottom of Contactor

Ratchet Wheel
Sheet 2

Overload Heaters
Assortment of various types. Two units on left are eutectic alloy type, other three are for bimetallic overload
blocks. Heater on left incorporates ratchet wheel and alloy barrel into heater element.
OL2 Motor Overload Protection Copyright 2003 Kilowatt Classroom, LLC.

Thermal Relay Operation

Operating Principle

The term eutectic means “easily melted”.

The eutectic alloy in the heater element is a
material that goes from a solid to liquid

System Protection
Melting Alloy Type Overload
state without going through an intermediate
putty stage.
Heater Element
When the motor current exceeds the rated
value, the temperature will rise to a point
POWER FROM CONTACTOR where the alloy melts; the ratchet wheel is
then free to rotate, and the contact pawl
Ratchet Wheel moves upward under spring pressure allow-
Pawl ing the control circuit contacts to open.

After the heater element cools, the ratchet

wheel will again be held stationary and the
CONTROL POWER FROM
CNTL TRANSFORMER X2 overload contacts can be reset.

Contact Opening Severe fault currents can damage the heater

Normally -Closed (NC) Overload Contacts Spring element and they should be replaced after
such an occurrence. However, normal
overloads, usually, will not affect the heater
element or alter its accuracy.

Bimetallic Type Overload

Overload Heater
Power from Contactor Motor T Lead Connection

Bimetallic Strip Insulated Spacer.

Bends downward. Pushes contact open.

Toggle-Type Spring Contact NC Overload Contact

Normally closed, snaps open In motor control circuit.
(up) when pushed down by
insulated spacer.
Stationary Contact

Motor Starting (MS) Switch

Designed to protect small single-phase motors.
Mounts in standard switch box.

On-Off Toggle Switch

Switch Box Mounting Ears
Sheet 3

Plug-in Heater
OL3 Motor Overload Protection Copyright 2003 Kilowatt Classroom, LLC.

Typical Heater Selection Chart

How to Use the Overload Selection Chart

Shown below is an overload chart for Cutler Hammer, Citation Line Starters. Assume you have an Enclosed Type
C300, NEMA Size 2 Starter, and that the motor nameplate Full-Load-Amps (FLA) is 11.0 amps. For this example
you will use TABLE ST-3. Look down the TABLE ST-3 column until you find the heater range that includes the

System Protection
FLA for your motor and then look across to the Heater Coil Catalog Number column to select the correct heater.

Sheet 4
MC1 Schematic Diagram Copyright 2003 Kilowatt Classroom, LLC.

Three-Phase Across-the-Line Starter

Schematic Diagram

MCP
M
OL
L1

OL
L2 MOTOR
FU1 FU2 OL
L3

Motor Control
X1 X2 120 VAC Control Circuit

START
STOP OL
1 2 3
M
Ma
FU3

Circuit Description
In the schematic above, the three-phase power circuit is shown in bold lines and the single-phase control circuit
is shown by a lighter weight line. This circuit employs a standard START/STOP push button station and is
know as a Three Wire Control Scheme because it requires three wires (shown numbered above) from the
push button station to the other control components.

• For safety, this circuit uses a standard single-phase control transformer to provide low voltage (120 VAC)
control and the X2 bushing is normally grounded.
CAUTION: Some systems do not have a grounded X2! (This is sometimes done for continuity of
service reasons - so that a control system ground will not shut the system down.)
• The transformer primary is connected downstream of the Motor Circuit Protector (MCP) so that when the
motor control is turned off, the control circuit will also be de-energized - another important safety feature.
• After the fuse, the first control component is the STOP button.
• The normally closed Overload Contact is placed on the X2 side of the Main Contactor Coil M.
• Additional STOP push buttons are always wired in series, and additional START push buttons are always
wired in parallel.

Circuit operation is as follows:

• Close MCP to apply power to the circuit.

• Depress momentary START push button. This causes the Main Contactor Coil M to be energized.
• Main Contactor Coil M closes M contacts (3) to start motor and also closes the Ma auxiliary contact.
• Auxiliary Contact Ma seals around the momentary START push button which can now be released.
• The motor continues to run until the normally closed STOP push button is momentarily depressed.
• In the event of an overload, the overload heaters will open the normally closed OL contact and drop-out
the Main Contactor M and stop the motor.
• After an overload trip, the overload heaters must cool to permit resetting of the overload contact.
Sheet 5