1. V-Belt Drive Application Rick Stewart

2. WHAT WE WILL COVER: Belt Drives on HVAC Equipment:
Advantages, Terms, Belt Construction, Belt Length Variation, Replacement & Equipment Dynamics,
Proper Drive Maintenance:
Importance, Safety, Belt Tension, Worn Sheave, Increasing Drive Life
Energy Savings Opportunities:
Upgrade Belt, Sheave Wear & Proper Tension
Energy Savings Opportunities Part II:
Retrofitting old worn out drives
Sustaining Drive Efficiency:
Self- Tensioning Motor Bases & Automatic Bearing Lubricators
Summary:
Tools & Available Resources
Questions? & Contact Information

3. Belt Drives on HVAC Equipment

4. Equipment Dynamics OEM trends for smaller center distances.
This puts much greater but demands more for the entire drive
Shorter Center Distances – Increased Belt Cycles
Lighter Structural Framework – Harder to maintain
proper alignment & drive tension. Drive is twisted causing issues.
Higher Speeds – Need for better system balance to prevent vibration & noise issues.
Traditional Center
Distance Requirement
(20-28 inches)
New Center Distance
Trend
(12-18 inches)

5. Advantages of using V-Belt drives
Economical -Low initial cost and low cost to maintain
Quiet - Smooth, quiet operation
Clean- No lubrication is required
Easy to install & maintain – Belts wear gradually
Forgiving - Withstand installation/maintenance abuse & still give good drive life
Efficient – Drive performance between % when maintained & installed correctly
Availability – Replacements can be purchased everywhere
Versatile – cover a wide range of horsepower's & speeds
Rugged – Last for long periods of time Shock Absorbing 5

6. Key Terms and Definitions
Center Distance - Amount of distance between driver and driven shafts
Service Factor - Required Horsepower x Service Factor
= Design Horsepower
Datum Diameter – The Datum Diameter as the effective diameter for determine the pitch length of the belt for center distance calculation. Listed for A, B, C & D Sheaves. Adopted in 1987 by RMA/MPTA.
Pitch Diameter – The diameter where the belt cords are placed in a belt.
Torque - A twisting or turning force
As speed decreases, torque increases
Ratio – Driver divided by Driven

7. Belt construction What they do: Cogged Belts:
Wrapped Belt
What they do:
Transmit torque & Horsepower
Heat and Oil Resistant
Static Conducting
Low Vibration
Low Maintenance
Good for Shock Loads
Fabric
Polyester cords
Neoprene Rubber
Cogged (Raw-Edge)
Belt
Cogged Belts:
Transmit more horsepower
Run cooler; Ave 16º to 30º
Temperature Range -60º to +250º
Slightly louder
Need closer alignment
Fabric
Polyester cords
EPDM

8. Belt Length Variation RMA*
Standard Standard Datum Lengths Permissible Matching Matching Matching
Length Cross Section Deviation from Limits for Limits for Limits for
Designation A,AX B,BX C,CX D Std. Datum Lgth One Set Code Machine
This slide shows the industry standard matching tolerance for V-Belts vs. Browning Code 1 match and Browning Machine Match standards. Belt matching becomes more important on long center distance drives which use longer belts.
By RMA standards, belts over 62” can have a 0.3” or greater deviation in length for matched sets of belts. Browning only allows 0.24 on our standard Code 1 belts. On a 108.0” center drive, a 0.1” difference in belt length will cause a 2” sag in the longer belt.
Browning standards are much tighter than RMA standards. Our machine matched belts are matched under load while running.
* RMA = Rubber Manufacturers of America (also ANSI Standard) 27

9. Replacement Dynamics Always replace with like or higher design.
Different styles of belts may have the same dimensions, but mush different horsepower characteristics.
Replacing a B for a BX or a 5L with a B Belt will lead to:
Shorter belt life and continuing to install incorrect belt on drive.
Never mix new and used of different manufacturers on the same drive.
Cord location is different and may result in shorter belt life and maintenance issues with the unit.

10. Belt Design Life: Factors that can reduce belt life:
FHP are:
8000 Hour
Design Life
Classical
& 358 are:
25,000 Hour
Design Life
Looking at both the inside cover of the Reference Guide, it is important to note that 5L and B sections have approximately the same top width and will actually fit in the same groove. However, 5L and B section belts have dramatically different Design Lifes. FHP (5L) belts are designed for an average of 8000 hours of life, whereas Classical and 358 belts, such as BX and 5VX belts, are designed for an average of 25,000 hours life. In addition, not only do different cross sections have different design lifes, but they also have different horsepower ratings as we will now see.
Different Cross Section have Different Design Life & Different Horsepower Ratings
Factors that can reduce belt life:
Excessive sheave groove wear & improper alignment
Lack of proper tension of the drive
Temperature: High Ambient or from a process

11. Proper Drive Maintenance

12. Proper Maintenance Important
Poor Maintenance Cost Time! Time is Money!
Doing the same or more with fewer people!
Resources leave & don’t get replaced
Budgets getting cut!
Less money to do all the things in need to get done.
Looking for Higher Return on What I do get to spend!
Return on Investment to the Organization (ROI).

13. Safety First! Always turn off and lock out power source.
Observe all other safety procedures.
Wear required protective gear or equipment, based on site requirements.
Loss of production hours.
Critical System – Unscheduled downtime

14. What do you see once the belt guard is removed?
Inspect the Drive
What do you see once the belt guard is removed?
Look at the drive elements – belts, sheaves, bearings
Inspect belts for signs of failure:
Glazing or cracked sidewalls
Uneven wear on sidewall of a belt
Excessive belt dust
Check sheave alignment
Inspect sheave
Even Groove wear
Belts bottoming out
Any bearing lubrication issues
Excessive heat
Inspect the blower for other problems

15. Inspect Sheaves on a regular basis
Clean dirt or rust out of sheave groove
Dirt and rust are abrasive to belt
Inspect for damaged or worn grooves
Check wear with groove inspection tool or straight edge
The smaller sheave (Motor) will show wear first

16. When do sheaves need replacing?
Check sheaves every time belts are changed.
The smaller diameter sheave (usually the motor sheave) will always wear out first, typically needs to be replaced with every 3rd or 4th belt change.
Sheave Groove Wear
Belt should never ride in bottom of groove
Check for groove wear >1/32”
Worn sheaves load on the end cords higher, lead to rapid belt failure and more frequent replacement

17. What happens with continued use of worn sheaves
Loose adequate sheave sidewall contact. This can cause belts to slip causing excess friction & heat causing the belt to fail prematurely.
Sheave walls become “dished” which reduces the ability of the V-Belt to wedge in the groove.
Less contact between the groove and belt surfaces.
Reduced air flow for the blower unit.
The smaller sheave will always wear out faster. In many cases this is the motor sheave, this will change the drive ratio & reduce air flow.
Belt cords are un-evenly loaded.
Not much different than using a new and used belt or 2 different manufacturers belts on the same drive. Just internal to the belt.
Uneven wear on multiple groove sheaves can create uneven load sharing across all belts reducing efficiency and possibly creating vibration and noise.

18. Aligning Sheaves
4 point static contact with straight edge ensures alignment
4 point static contact per side when using cord or string
Can use a laser, but they are expensive, need to be maintained and take a some time when variable pitch sheaves are involved.
2008 Emerson Power Transmission, All Rights Reserved

19. Misalignment & V-Belt Angle
Sheave should aligned within tolerance of specific style of belts:
Wrapped Belts (FHP, A, B & 5V): ± 2˚
Notched Belts (AX, BX, 3VX & 5VX): ±1/2˚
There are 3 Basic Types of Sheave & Shaft Misalignment

20. How to correctly tension belts
The good old “Thumb Rule”
Deflect the belt about ½ inch
Too little tension the drive till the belt chirps on start up!
This generates heat and will cause belts to fail prematurely
Too much tension can over load the bearings!
Excessive load can damage the motor and fan bearings
Move the sheaves as close to the bearings as possible
Reduce the cantilevered load on the shafts
This is what most technicians are using! +
Motor
Blower
What should be using!
Accuracy and Consistency are Key!

21. Energy loss from Belt slip (result of poor tensioning)
98%
Optimal
82%
Under-Tensioned
Percent Slip
Under-tensioned V-belts slip which causes efficiency
loss, premature belt wear and sometimes noise.

22. So why are Belts under tensioned?
Belts that are “rolled” onto the sheaves without adjusting the motor base do not apply sufficient tension to prevent belt slip.
Old belts are cuts off the drive and the motor base is not repositioned toward the blower the belt is forces over the rim of the sheaves.
This damages the cores of the belt and if a screwdriver or pry bar is used, could create nicks in the groove of the sheaves.
Worn sheaves don’t provide adequate sheave sidewall contact. The belt are pulled deeper in the grooves providing less over all tension to the drive. Belts go slack after being run for a little while. When they seat themselves in the groove of the sheave.
Replacing belts and moving the motor base back
to a “preset mark” does not ensure proper tension.
Using an idler can help to apply tension but must be adjusted or re-adjusted to provide the proper force.

23. Installing NEW Belts Installing new belts:
Use all the same brand on the drive.
Never Pry Belts onto sheaves.
Double Check Belt HP Rating
Verify motor nameplate HP rating
Example: 1760 RPM

24. Energy Saving Opportunities

25. The Browning “Save the Green Campaign!”

26. HVAC Fan and Blowers
Proper Belt Tension – 10-15% loss if under-tensioned
Belt type – 3-5% gain by replacing wrapped V-Belts with raw edge V-Belts
Maintenance % loss can occur due to Sheave wear
Ask to see our Energy Calculator that can run specific
application for horsepower and by state.
2008 Emerson Power Transmission, All Rights Reserved

27. Energy Efficiency for Different Belt Types Wrapped vs. Raw Edge
Raw edge cogged V-Belts provide a higher coefficient of friction with the sheave groove wall. This creates less slip when the belts are properly tensioned.
Raw edge belts directly replace wrapped belts (BX48 replaces B48).
Raw edge belts transmit more Hp than the equivalent wrapped belts.
Raw edge belts provide better sheave groove wall contact than wrapped belts, even when used with smaller diameter sheaves.

28. Energy Loss from Worn Sheaves
“As a sheave wears, the belt fits more loosely in the groove, so loads don’t transmit as well. This causes an uneven load distribution across the belt tension member, with more load being applied at the belt edges. The effect is similar to that of high temperature.
Because of this uneven loading, worn sheaves reduce belt life by as much as 50%. But their adverse effect on efficiency is even more costly. The efficiency of a belt drive with visibly worn sheaves and loose, slipping belts can easily drop below 90%. To translate this into operating costs, consider a 50-hp belt-driven machine that costs $25,150 (at $0.07/kWh) to operate year-round. The efficiency loss due to loose, slipping belts and worn sheaves costs about $1,300 per year, more than enough to replace the belts and sheaves several times” Power Transmission Design – June Neville W. Sachs, Salvaterra & Associates
Sheave Groove Wear
Worn sheaves cause more load on the end cords – and more rapid failure
Check for groove wear 1/32 “
2008 Emerson Power Transmission, All Rights Reserved

29. How to correctly tension a belt
If belt span is 32” then a properly tensioned new V-belt should only deflect ½ inch when 8.0 lbs. of force is applied.
Deflection calculated: Span/64 in this example 32/64 = .5 or ½”
If deflection is greater than ½ inch, more tension must be applied by adjusting the motor base.
Each drive is unique.
Move sheaves as close as
possible to the bearings.
Reducing the overhung load &
stresses on the bearings
Span = 32” +
Motor
Blower
8.0
lbs.

30. Energy Saving Program Part II
Drive Retrofitting

31. Gather Data

32. Retrofit Project: 50 HP Supply Fan
Large Commercial Property
Management Company
Existing Drive: 4 Groove C128 belt drive
Redesign: 2 Groove 5VX1400 v-belt drive
Energy Savings: = Over $1300 per year
Solution: Expensive MVP Sheave on the motor & Companion Sheave on the Blower ALMOST 90% less than Existing Drive
Motor Sheave Cost: $2,276
Fan Sheave Cost: 1,113
Total Sheave Cost: $3,390
Total Sheave Cost for Retro Fit: $ 350
3 ½ Month - ROI

33. Retrofit Project – 50 HP Supply Fan Cost Savings Example
$959 per year in Energy Savings, using DOE 3% calculations
$2000 Sheave Replacement Cost Savings, comparing existing drive to new drive
Extend Belt PM Cycle from 12 months to 30+ months, annual belt cost alone is $340 – not including labor cost and time.
Existing (4) C120 Belt Drive New (2) 5VX1250 Belt Drive

34. What can be done to optimize drive life?
Properly tension belts.
Use a tool for consistency and accuracy.
Don’t use the “Rule of Thumb”.
Check sheave for wear on a regular basis & replace worn sheaves.
Always replace the existing belt with like or higher design.
Upgrading belt design may even improve drive life.
Make sure the drive in properly tensioned.

35. Sustaining Drive Efficiency

36. Auto Tensioning Motor Bases Spring Controlled Action
Promotes greater efficiency.
Compensates for variations in load
Compensation is obtained by combination of a one-piece movable carriage acted upon by a spring contained within the carriage
Carriage design promotes superior alignment

37. Offering

38. SealMaster GoldPlex-SPL-EM
FEATURES & BENEFITS
OPERATING RANGE
EFFICIENT LUBRICATION
One GoldPlex™-SPL (EM) Can Service up to 8 Bearings
UNIT CONSTRUCTION
High Strength Polymer Design
VARIABLE CONTROL PAD
Control Pad Allows for Variable Lubricant Dispensing
No Need for Activator Keys or Control Rings
GREASE CAPACITY
125 cc or 250cc
UNIT INSPECTION
Clear Top for Quick and Easy Inspection
CORROSION RESISTANCE
GoldPlex-SPL (V) Unit Is Supplied With Clear Plastic Cover to Protect Variable Control Pad
GREASE TYPE
Factory Filled with SealMaster GoldPlex™-HP Grease

39. Accessories – (V Unit Installation Kit)
REPLACEABLE SERVICE PACK
MULTI-BEARING CAPABILITY
Unlike the V Unit, The GoldPlex-SPL-EM Model Allows for Fresh Lubricant to Be Added when Unit Grease Bladder Has Been Depleted.
Using Divider Blocks, One SPL-EM Lubricator Can Be Installed to Service up to 8 Ball or Roller Bearings. Consult PPP-04 Catalog Installation Kit Selection.
SPL-EM
Divider Block
(1) Replacement Grease Pouch cc or 250cc
(1) Battery Pack
(1) Disposable Dust Cover

40. Tools & Available Resources

41. Browning V-Belt Energy Efficiency Calculation I-Phone App
Compatible with I-Touch and I-Pad
Viral Campaign with Facebook page and LinkedIn promotions
Magazine Ad Campaign centered around App Release committed

42. Belt Efficiency Calculator APP

43. Browning Toolbox Technician APP Where to Find Function

44. Connect With Us
Visit our website for: Application Engineering contact information, installation instructions, product interchange software
Visit our Facebook
Search Browning Belt Drives Save the Green. Join in on our belt drive conversations for energy savings and benefits.
ThePowerTransmission for the latest product videos and trade show clips about Emerson Browning brand belt drive products and online tools.
Download the Browning Energy Efficiency Calculator for your iPhone® or Droid®. Search “Browning vbelts”

45. Any Questions?

46. Contact Information