Which statement about service factor is true?

Which statement about service factor is true?

• A. The ability to operate continuously at rated horsepower
• B. The ability to operate at higher horsepower for a limited time
• C. The motor's maximum allowable voltage
• D. The starting current rating

Answer: (B)

Service factor is about how much extra load a motor can safely deliver beyond its rated horsepower for a short period. It’s a multiplier of the rated horsepower that allows a motor to run at a higher output during brief peaks, such as startup surges or temporary overloads, without overheating. This is why the statement describing the motor’s ability to operate at higher horsepower for a limited time is the true description of service factor. The other ideas—continuous operation at rated horsepower, the motor’s voltage rating, or starting current—are not what service factor describes.

Service factor is about how much extra load a motor can safely deliver beyond its rated horsepower for a short period. It’s a multiplier of the rated horsepower that allows a motor to run at a higher output during brief peaks, such as startup surges or temporary overloads, without overheating. This is why the statement describing the motor’s ability to operate at higher horsepower for a limited time is the true description of service factor. The other ideas—continuous operation at rated horsepower, the motor’s voltage rating, or starting current—are not what service factor describes.