Best Posts in Thread: NORECO Meter query

Locked Rotor Amps, sometimes abbreviated LRA, is exactly what the name implies. If the rotor is locked and can't move while electrical power is applied, the motor will draw this many amps. Locked Rotor Amps are much higher than running amps, generally around five times max running amps.

full-load-amperage

This value can also sometimes be referred to as: Running Amps, Rated Amps, or just AMPS. ... For motors with a service factor of 1.0, drawing substantially more current than its rated-full-load-amperage indicates an overload situation.

If you can understand the above you will understand what I am about to explain to you here.

If you place an amp probe in the circuit of any motor you will get these kinds of AMP READINGS.

1. The motor is not turning (it is off). You power it up, (plug it in). The amps WILL momentary spike to Locked Rotor Amps and immediately drop back to its run amps.

2. You as a domestic user will not notice that very small bump in amps because of its very short duration in that spike and the fact that your motor load is also very small.

3. If you are a large commercial user like a machine shop or say a mall you MIGHT see a spike in your bill.

4. Here is where the money comes in; Add all the motors in the entire system both big and small. There will be a very large spike in the load at the power plant, (in amps), amps is money to the power producers.

5. Now you do the math. ALL of US will share in that spike in amps one way or another, $.

Just in case you were wondering. I owned and operated an Air conditioning service company for 18 years. You can not run an Air conditioning service company with out an extensive knowledge in both electricity and pluming. I got most of that knowledge by attending UAA for 4 years. UAA = University of Alaska Anchorage.