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FAQ: AWA 2 and 3 (Advanced Winding Analyzer, series 2 and 3) 

Q: My AWA tester is reporting unbalanced measurements such as: .029/ .028 / .016 Ohms on a set of balanced resistances/windings. This is causing the AWA to report a “FAIL” and stopping my testing. This only seems to happen when I am on larger motors with low ohm values. (Below .050 Ohms)

 How can I correct it?

 A:  The AWA 2 and 3 testers are not rated for measurements below .020 Ohms. With that in mind there is a method, detailed below, for compensating the test leads/relays and clips resistances. (This procedure is ONLY applicable the AWA Version 3.03 software or earlier)

The AWA machine has a set of High Voltage relays in it for the Surge/Hi-pot/Stepped DC/Meg-Ohm tests. These relays may become pitted or slightly worn, internally – which can cause variations in the readings of the 2-wire ohmmeter inside the Baker AWA tester.

(This procedure WILL NOT correct such items as broken clips or test lead wires, it is for AWA sets in good working order –other than this issue)

1)      Start the Analyzer program, open a database

2. Open the "Test View".

3. Then "ENABLE MAINTENANCE".

4) Enter the maintenance password "bakerpas" (or user defined).

5) Enable calibration, as shown.

6) Enter the Temperature/Resistance test screen by pressing "3-Leads. Press the "CAL" button.

7) The screen will look similar to this.

8) Clip the three (1,2 and 3) red test leads of the Baker Advanced Winding Analyzer 2 or 3 together. Select "Test All Leads" - the Baker will begin to run a resistance test against the three shorted leads. You will now see numbers in the "Corrected" column which will correspond to the "Offset column in the "CAL" window. (Notice that "calibration" has set to 3" which is correct for the shortest leads test.

9)The idea is that the AWA numbers seen the the "Corrected" column, be transferred to the "Offset" column. If the numbers reported by the AWA in the "Corrected" column are different than the numbers of the "Offset" column, errors will show up as seen below. Changing these numbers will change the numbers on the display of the Baker AWA as seen in the example below.

10) When the numbers in the "Corrected" column, match those in the "Offset" column (within 1 to 2 digits) the three leads of the Baker AWA will be properly compensated.

The offset numbers are almost always between 575 and 875, if the numbers reported in the corrected column are different, this procedure will not correct the offset.

11) Now the calibration data must be saved, leave the Temperature/Resistance screen, return to the "Test View" and follow the example.

12) Now the calibration program must be disabled, follow the example below.

13) Now, close the Maintenance Program, as shown.

This concludes the method used to eliminate the offset errors caused by contact resistance.