Painting of motor housing

[kc7uno]

I am having a friendly argument with an ammonia refridgeration operator at a packing plant we have a contract with. We recnently purchased a new 60 HP tefc motor. He had previously painted the motors in the engine room blue with a hard polyurethane paint.

I told him that I do not think it is a good Idea to paint the motor. The motor is mettallic gold to begin with from baldor. I believe if he paints it this could contribute to the heat sinks not being able to tranfer heat away as efficiently and could void the warranty.

Can anyone give me any documentation if this has ever been asked or can anyone direct me to written documentation that it is not beneficial?

 

[petersonra]

I don't know that you are going to get much in the way of official documentation but from experience I can tell you that it is very common to paint motor housings. I doubt that a proper painting will reduce the heat transfer in other than a negligible way.

 

[brian john]

Bob:

I think the paint may inhibit heat transfer marginally, will this affect motor life, that I do not know, but I would bet it might have minimal effect. But I have seen motors that recieve a paint job yearly and after 10-12 years there is a thick coating, I would think this would have an impact on heat transfer.

Will one coat of paint void the warranty, call Baldor.

 

[mdshunk]

I seriously doubt that metallic gold paint sinks any more or less heat than no paint at all. It is so normal to paint motors, that if this caused some issue, our industry would know by now. Metallic gold has been Baldor's corporate color for some time now. If you're ordering an OEM motor from them, you can get it whatever color you want it. If painting motors mattered, they would have a 'do not paint' label on them, in much the same way smoke detectors do. Quite normally, when you take a large motor to the rebuild shop, they will also repaint the motor housing in whatever color they happen to use or have handy. I got a 20 horse motor back from being rewound... when I took it in it was half black and half rusty. When I got it back from being rebuilt, it was glossy John Deere green. It was for a barn cleaner, so it was okay !