Every person who’s familiar with electric motors has heard of carbon brushes. But do you really understand what carbon brushes are and how they can be used in your home?
You might tend to think that carbon brushes look like toothbrushes or airbrushes. However, this isn’t the case. Carbon brushes don’t have bristles. Instead, they’re rectangular or squarish in shape with springs or coils above.
These brushes might have been named as such since old carbon brushes looked like typical wire brushes. However, the design wasn’t good enough to withstand electric motors’ pressure, leading to more effortless wear out and breaking down.
In general, carbon brushes are made from carbon alloy. These brushes play a vital role in holding and transiting current through electric motors. Without carbon brushes, any motor-driven appliance won’t function.
According to TDO Carbon, a carbon brush is a small part inside of an electric motor that’s used to conduct the electric current between the static and rotating part of a motor. This article will define what they are, their uses, and how they work.
What Are Carbon Brushes Used For In Your Home?
As already said, carbon motors hold and transport currents through electric motors. They’re responsible for conducting power and connecting rotating pieces in the motor to generate electric current. This means that every device or appliance with moving or rotating parts uses a carbon brush to function.
In simple terms, carbon brushes are the link between a motor’s static and operating parts. An electric circuit can be completed even without soldering the still and rotating components. In addition, these brushes carry rotating and static brushes that stick together during the motor’s operation.
The following are some uses of carbon brush in your home:
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Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans can’t work without carbon brushes. Because these fans need to rotate in order to cool you down, carbon brushes are important in making them work the way they should.
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Hair Dryer
If you have a hairdryer that helps you dry your hair conveniently, you can thank carbon brushes for that. Hairdryers, too, have rotating parts that use carbon brushes to function.
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Washing Machine
Tough stains and sweat are hard to remove from clothes when hand washing. However, they’re easy to get rid of when using a washing machine. Do you want to know why? It’s because washing machines use carbon brushes, making stain removal a walk in the park.
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Pressure Washer
Another powerhouse appliance that requires a carbon brush is pressure washers. Without this appliance, your outdoor space won’t have the makeover you desire. And without a carbon brush, your power washer won’t work efficiently.
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Grooming Razor
Micro carbon brushes ensure that grooming razors work without hitches. Thanks to that, men can have a clean-cut shave.
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Toys
Children are always happy when playing with their favorite toys. What you might not know is that toys use carbon brushes to move smoothly.
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Heating, Ventilation, And Air Conditioning System
Are your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems functioning correctly? If yes, the carbon brushes inside the appliance are working as they should.
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Television
Entertainment couldn’t be possible without carbon brushes that ensure television and other audio equipment are working efficiently.
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Vacuum Cleaner
Carbon brushes with lead are excellent for vacuum cleaners since they have tiny cross-sections that can clean with reduced power input. What makes carbon brushes to be the best brush material is that they’re excellent heat conductors.
Due to this factor, carbon brushes are perfect for powering your appliances. Carbon brushes are manufactured with proper material depending on where they’re used.
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Generator
When generators produce too much energy and heat, the brushes will expand. This process is technically referred to as thermal expansion. Luckily, carbon brushes aren’t vulnerable to thermal expansion. This means that they’re less likely to succumb to changes in shape and quality despite high temperatures.
Now that you know what carbon brushes are and their uses in your home, let’s look at how they work to ensure your devices are working efficiently.
There are three significant components involved in the mechanization of carbon brushes. The slip ring attached to the shaft is responsible for all mechanical procedures. You might not be aware that a brush is pushed towards the slip ring or commutator by the spring.
On the other hand, an electrical current is carried from one point to another after the commutator and the brush is in contact. The commutator’s surface should be rough and smooth in equal measures to ensure the contact is optimized. If the commutator is too rough or smooth, the motor will have functional issues.
Nevertheless, all parts of the carbon brushes aren’t involved in the contact process. Only some areas known as contact spots touch the commutator’s surface. In addition, these parts should be equally distributed to enhance brush balance for better performance.
Conclusion
Carbon brushes are responsible for transmitting electricity from the outside of the motor to the center part of the motor’s rotating area. Moreover, these brushes are essential in ensuring that the appliances in your home are working efficiently.
However, home application carbon brushes are smaller and softer than industrial and automotive ones. For example, micro carbon brushes are smaller and don’t require power from alternating current. Instead, they use battery-driven motors.
That said, they’re often vulnerable to wear and tear due to rubbing on a daily basis. With frequent friction, the commutator is likely to break. Fortunately, you can easily replace a worn-out carbon brush if it’s from a simple power tool like a drill.
On the other hand, without these brushes, your appliances won’t function accordingly, thereby affecting the quality of your life. If you feel your appliances aren’t working efficiently, you might want to check the carbon brush state or seek help from professionals.
Meanwhile, when choosing a replacement, you should ensure that you purchase a similar unit to the broken one. There are many different carbon brushes on the market, so be careful when buying one.
