Most motors do not burn out — they are worn out from the outside in, starting at the bearings. A modest lubrication habit doubles the life of the fleet.
Right grease, right amount
More grease is not better: a churning, overfilled bearing runs hotter than a lean one. Follow the relubrication quantity on the drawing, and never mix incompatible thickeners — purge through if the grease type changes.
Intervals that respect reality
Relubrication intervals shrink with speed, temperature and contamination. A washdown bay or a hot roof fan may need service four times as often as the plant-room pump next door on the same schedule.
Listen before it fails
Bearing damage announces itself weeks early as rising vibration and noise. A monthly walk with a vibration pen — or just a screwdriver to the ear — finds failures while they are still a bearing swap, not a rewind.
Shaft currents on drive duty
Inverter-fed motors can pass current through the bearings, fluting the races. If a drive-fed motor eats bearings, ask about insulated bearings or a shaft grounding ring before blaming the grease.
