2 HP motor overheating? 1

[Ripcord13]

We have a 2 hp motor connected to a gearbox that drives a 5' shaft which had two blades on the shaft to stir liquid in a 500 gallon vessel. Management decided to have maintenance install a third "more agressive" blade on the shaft and now the motor is drawing 7.2 amps and running at a temp of 176 degrees F. This is in a hazardous location room. Am I right in being a bit "uncomfortable" with this?

 

[DickDV]

In my view, as long as the ambient temp is at or below the nameplate rating (probably 40 degrees C, 104 F), then the only concern is not to exceed full load amps.

All this fussing about thermal curves and differential temps, etc. etc. become moot if the above is true.

There are exceptional cases (like motors running in a freezer at -20 degrees C) where you can cheat and get some extra over the nameplate rating but it doesn't sound like that kind of situation here.

Or, am I missing something?