My motor is making a strange noise. How do I know if it’s serious?
It depends on what kind of noise. Electrical problems (humming, ringing, arcing) point to winding issues or insulation breakdown. Mechanical noise (grinding, knocking, scraping) usually means bearing wear or misalignment. The distinction matters because most electrical failures start as mechanical ones. A failing bearing that goes unaddressed can drop the rotor into the stator and turn a quick repair into an extensive rewind.