What indicates that a centrifugal switch is malfunctioning?

A malfunctioning centrifugal switch is often indicated by the motor continuously drawing high current. In a properly functioning system, the centrifugal switch is designed to disconnect the start winding once the motor reaches a certain speed. If the switch fails to open, the start winding remains energized, leading to excessive current draw. This condition can cause overheating and damage the motor over time, along with causing the start winding to burn out.

In this situation, the motor would show symptoms like high current draw without the expected performance enhancement typically provided by the additional start winding, which is only meant to be active during startup. This scenario is crucial for maintenance and troubleshooting, as it reflects issues with the switch that need to be addressed to prevent further motor damage and ensure efficient operation.