Prevent Bearing Damage
Premature bearing failure is a major cause of motor downtime and costly repairs. Helwig Carbon uses proven silver graphite brush technology in a variety of bearing protection kits for motor shaft grounding. Our kits effectively divert induced electrical currents away from the bearings, protecting them from damage and failure. What’s more, our bearing protection kits are economical, easy to install, and offer the industry’s best shaft grounding performance.
THE CAUSES OF BEARING DAMAGE
Variable frequency drives (VFD) used on AC, and DC motors produce induced electrical currents on the motor shaft. This current seeks the path of least resistance to ground, which is typically through the motor bearings. When the current passes through the bearings, electrical arcs take place leading to fluting, pitting, and bearing damage. The fluted or damaged bearing surface causes noise, vibration, and premature bearing failure.
TYPICAL BPK APPLICATIONS: Motors with VFDs, HVACR, Pumps, Fans, and Blowers.
Explore Our BPK’s
BPK Product Line
*Enlarged to show detail
IM2
- Our smallest BPK has a small, durable brass holder containing a compression spring with a proprietary silver graphite brush
- Ideal for small size motors
- Typical Applications: HVAC, Small Pumps, Fans, Internal Mounts
- Dimensions: .241” x .75” x .75” inch (6.1 x 19 x 19mm)
- For special applications please contact us (800)-962-4851
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IM5
- Like the IM2, the IM5 has a slightly larger brass holder containing a compression spring with a proprietary silver graphite brush
- Ideal for small/medium size motors
- Typical Applications: HVAC, Small-Medium size Pumps, Fans, Internal Mounts
- Dimensions: .325″ x 1.0″ x 1.0″ inch (8.26 x 25.4 x 2.54mm)
- For special applications please contact us (800)-962-4851
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S
- Our Patented BPK-S uses a sealed Teflon holder containing a constant force spring with a proprietary silver graphite brush
- Ideal for contaminated environments and any size motor
- Typical Applications: Paper Industry, Foodservice, any contaminated environments
- Dimensions: .45” x 1.63” x 1.50” inch (11.4 x 41.4 x 38mm)
- For special applications please contact us (800)-962-4851
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SB
- Our Patented BPK-SB uses a sealed brass holder containing a constant force spring with a proprietary silver graphite brush
- Ideal for contaminated environments and any size motors
- Typical Applications: Motor OEMS, Paper Industry, any contaminated environments
- Dimensions: .45” x 1.59” x 1.52” inch (11.4 x 41.3 x 38.1mm)
- For special applications please contact us (800)-962-4851
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4
- The Original Bearing Protection Kit – protecting bearings for over 25 years – uses a durable brass holder to house a constant force spring and a proprietary silver graphite brush
- Ideal for medium-sized motors and harsh environments
- Typical Applications: Manufacturing, Medical, Steel, Elevator Industries
- Dimensions: .5” x 1.5” x 1.38” inch (12.7 x 38 x 35mm)
- For special applications please contact us (800)-962-4851
*Enlarged to show detail
AM
- Our largest BPK has a heavy-duty brass holder containing a durable constant force spring and a proprietary silver graphite brush with a red top to reduce vibration
- Ideal for large motors and shafts greater than 4”
- Typical Applications: Large Industrial, Marine and Military Applications
- Dimensions: .63” x 2.09” x 1.26” inch (16 x 53 x 32mm)
- For special applications please contact us (800)-962-4851
YOUR BEST CHOICE FOR DEPENDABLE BEARING PROTECTION
Effective shaft earthing and bearing protection from Helwig Carbon BPKs will divert the current from the motor shaft and provide the lowest resistance path to ground in an economical product. The result is the lowest shaft voltage and maximum discharge to ground through the kit rather than through the bearings or other components.
Major OEMs choose our solution as their preferred method to protect motor bearings. Unlike other options, this sliding electrical contact technology uses a proprietary silver graphite material that provides superior voltage mitigation. Advantages include:
- Longevity: will typically outlast the unit it is installed on
- Most effective shaft grounding technology, proven to minimize damaging induced shaft currents
- Provides lowest resistance path to ground
- Low to high current carrying capacity
- Stock kits fit most motors and multiple shaft sizes
- Easy to install and maintain
- Numerous options for a wide variety of conditions
- Internal mount options avoid exposure to outside and contaminated environments
- Custom mounting brackets are available by contacting us at carboncrew@helwigcarbon.com or (414)-354-2411
MORE EFFECTIVE THAN THE CARBON-FIBER RING
Bearing Protection Kits™ mitigates shaft voltage and other electrical noise. The following oscilloscope screenshots compare induced shaft voltage with our BPK-4 vs. a carbon-fiber ring. Lower voltage values is more effective for bearing protection. Peak-to-peak voltage for Helwig’s solution is more than 5X lower in resistance than the carbon-fiber ring, which significantly reduces the risk of induced shaft currents flowing through the bearings.
Unprotected Motor Shaft
Motor Shaft with Carbon-Fiber Ring
Motor Shaft with BPK-4
These results were measured through our Patented BPK-Probe™ and conclude that a Helwig BPK effectively ensures against the risk of bearing damage, therefore improving the life of the motor.
Oscilloscope screenshots were taken in a control testing environment, using our Patented BPK-Probe™. The test was conducted on a 10HP Nidec motor with the following specifications: 460VAC, 1765 RPM, and driven by an Emerson VFD at 52Hz
Typically reduces shaft voltage to less than 1 volt up to greater than 1MHz
Tough brush holder design for challenging environments
Only highly conductive silver graphite brushes in our BPKs
Increased motor performance, less maintenance
Our BPKs typically last around 10 years*
*subject to motor specifications, product selection, and application environment
Bearing Protection Selection Guide
Helwig Carbon bearing protection kits (BPK) fit a variety of motor shafts, offer several mounting options, and are easy to install and maintain. BPK will deliver many years of superior performance in shaft grounding, typically outlasting the unit they’re installed on.
For motor shafts over 6 inches please call Helwig Carbon (800)-962-4851
BPK Blog Posts
Electric motor bearings fail for a variety of reasons but the two most common reasons for electrical failure are circulating and common mode currents. Circulating currents are found in all motors. The severity of the problem and therefore the risk to the motor bearings is
Problem Overview: The Patent Pending BPK-Probe™ is an easy to use instrument specifically designed to measure the risk for damage to motor bearings, gearboxes, or other devices that are susceptible to electrical discharges, also known as common-mode. These discharges are typically the result of
The Century® JuggerNaut® condenser fan motor from Regal Beloit® comes standard with a BPK-IM2, our smallest shaft grounding option. The IM2 will provide many years of protection against harmful common mode currents passing through the motor bearings. These motors are designed as a drop-in replacement for existing models, to work with VFDs, and withstand high operating temperatures.
Check out our newest application brief: “Bearing Protection Kits in Universities”. This application brief covers the usage of Helwig’s Bearing Protection Kits at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. UNL was looking for reliable bearing protection after they experienced motor failure due to bearing damage, despite using a popular competitor’s solution. They tested our BPK-4 shaft grounding solution and were convinced that our unit would protect their motors from harmful shaft discharge. UNL now has Helwig’s BPK solution specified into their requirements for any motors controlled by VFDs.
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Understanding Circulating Currents
March 25, 2020
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COVID-19 Update
March 24, 2020
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COVID-19 Announcement
March 17, 2020
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CELEBRATE WITH US
—50 Years of Brush Holder Innovations—March 10, 2020
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PRESS RELEASE: Helwig Carbon Products, Inc. acquires J Ream Manufacturing, Inc.
March 2, 2020
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Fractional Horsepower Brush Design
February 28, 2020
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Achieving an ROI with the BPK-Probe™
January 30, 2020
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Even the strongest Juggernaut needs a little help from a small silver graphite brush.
January 14, 2020
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How to handle a request for a harder or softer brush grade.
August 20, 2019
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New Silver Graphite Grade Excels in Grounding Applications
July 16, 2019