Topeka Electric Motor is a distributor for Baldor, Leeson, TECO-Westinghouse, U.S. Electric, Century (formerly A.O. Smith), Techtop, and Lafert Motors. We maintain an inventory of nearly 100 different single-phase and three-phase motors that are most commonly needed.

 

We stock three-phase motors ranging from 3/4 to 75 horsepower. We have access to and can sell almost any brand of motor you are looking for. Several of our suppliers have warehouses in Kansas City, so we can often obtain a motor on the same day or next day.

 

Our experienced employees are very good at tracking down hard-to-find motors. At Topeka Electric Motor, we do more than just sell you a motor at a competitive price! Our expertise allows us to provide you with valuable advice to help you purchase the right motor at the right price. With over 125 years of experience, we are a one-stop shop for motor, pump, or gearbox needs in Northeast Kansas.

When it comes to buying a new motor, the primary factor is always the price of the motor. Sometimes, the brand of the motor is a consideration. Very few buyers focus on a very important factor - motor efficiency and the lifetime cost of electricity it will consume. Even a 50-hp motor may consume thousands of dollars of electricity per year. Over the lifetime of the motor, electricity costs will dwarf the initial motor cost.

 

When purchasing a new motor, the buyer needs to look at the life-cycle cost of the motor. Life-cycle cost includes the electricity consumed by the motor during its lifetime. Electricity costs represent up to 96% of the total life-cycle cost, while the initial cost is only about 3% of the cost, and installation and maintenance makes up the remaining 1%. Initial cost certainly should not be ignored, but more thought should be given to the cost of electricity consumed over the life of the motor. A small increase in motor efficiency can pay big dividends over the life of the motor. 

Premium efficiency motors usually cost 15% to 30% more than the old standard efficiency motors, but the additional investment usually has a payback period of two years or less. Your payback gets shorter as the rate per kilowatt hour goes up and as the amount of the run time of the motor goes up.

 

Effective December 19, 2010, federal law has changed the way motors were manufactured and sold. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) requires motors manufactured after December 19, 2010 meet the NEMA Premium Efficiency ratings. Many standard efficiency motors were no longer manufactured. Effective June 1, 2016, additional motors were required to be premium efficient. Fractional horsepower motors are now premium efficient.

 

If you have numerous motors in your facility, it is advisable to implement a Motor Management Plan. This includes an inventory of your motors and collecting all of the nameplate information of the motors, including the motor efficiency information. The plan will include an analysis of motors that should have backups on your shelf. Your analysis should also include whether inefficient motors should be replaced before they fail or whether it is appropriate to wait until it fails.

 

Let Topeka Electric Motor be your resource for motor efficiency. If you want to learn more about motor efficiency and implementing a Motor Management Plan, call us or you can visit the Motor Decision Matters website at motorsmatter.org. Motor Decision Matters is a consortium of power utilities and motor manufacturers dedicated to providing information to the public about motor efficiency.