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Your Motor is Broken.
Here's Why That's Actually Good News.
The $88,800 savings nobody tells you about
Look, I'm not going to waste your time.
Your motor died. You're panicking. You're Googling "emergency motor replacement" at 2 AM like it's WebMD for industrial equipment. You think you need to spend $15,000 on a new motor.
You don't.
And here's why that's the best news you'll hear all week.
The $15,000 Mistake Everyone Makes
Let me tell you what happens when a motor fails at most companies:
- Motor stops spinning
- Maintenance guy panics
- Boss says "just buy a new one"
- You wire $15,000 to some distributor
- Wait 3 weeks for shipping
- Lose $75,000 in downtime
- Install new motor
- Feel like you solved the problem
Total cost: $90,000
Actual problem solved: Maybe
Here's what SHOULD happen:
- Motor stops spinning
- You call us: (720) 626-9805
- We test it (takes 20 minutes)
- We say "your bearings are shot, everything else is perfect"
- We fix it for $1,200
- You get it back in 3 days
- It runs for another 15 years
Total cost: $1,200
Actual problem solved: Yes
I used to think buying new was easier. It is easier. It's also stupid.
Why Motors Don't Actually Die (They Just Give Up)
Here's the thing nobody tells you about electric motors:
They're basically immortal.
A motor is just copper wire wrapped around iron. That's it. Copper and iron don't have an expiration date. The pyramids are still standing and they're made of rocks. Your motor is made of better stuff than rocks.
So why did your motor "die"?
It didn't die. Parts of it gave up.
Think of it like a car. When your car won't start, you don't buy a new car. You replace the battery. Or the alternator. Or you put air in the tires because you ignored the light for 6 months.
Motors are the same way.
- Bearings (wear out, get contaminated, get over-greased by Jerry)
- Windings (get wet, get old, get zapped by lightning)
- Rotor bars (break from being started 47 times a day)
- Connections (get loose because nobody torques anything)
- The motor frame (it's literally a chunk of cast iron)
- The shaft (unless you really, really try)
- Your ability to spend money on things you don't need
The Repair vs. Replace Math That'll Make Your Accountant Cry (Happy Tears)
Let's do some math that actually matters:
Scenario: 50 HP Motor Failure
NEW MOTOR ROUTE:
REPAIR ROUTE:
And here's the kicker - that repaired motor will last just as long as a new one. Sometimes longer, because we actually give a damn about doing it right.
We've rewound motors that are older than most employees. They're still running. The employees quit. The motors didn't.
"But What If It Breaks Again?"
This is the question everyone asks.
"What if I repair it and it just breaks again?"
Fair question. Here's the answer:
What if you buy a new one and IT breaks?
New motors break too. I've seen brand new motors fail in 6 months because:
- Someone installed it wrong (soft foot is real, people)
- The electrical supply was garbage
- Nobody aligned it (0.010" off is enough)
- It was made on a Tuesday by someone who hates their job
New doesn't mean reliable. New means expensive.
We give you a 1-year warranty on repairs. Full parts and labor.
If it breaks because we screwed up, we fix it free.
If it breaks because Jerry greased it with a fire hose again, we'll fix it, but we're going to have a conversation about Jerry.
The Secret Nobody Tells You About Motor Repair
Here it is:
Most motors are repairable.
Like, 80-90% of failed motors can be fixed for less than buying new.
But nobody makes money telling you that.
- The motor distributor wants to sell you a new motor. That's how they eat.
- The equipment manufacturer wants you on their latest model. Planned obsolescence isn't a conspiracy theory - it's a business model.
- The "consultant" wants you to upgrade everything because they get a percentage.
We just fix motors. That's it. That's the whole business.
We make money whether you repair or replace. But we've been doing this for 50+ years, and we've learned something:
Customers who feel ripped off don't.
It's shockingly simple.
When You Actually SHOULD Buy New
I'm not saying NEVER buy new motors.
Sometimes you should. Here's when:
- We're talking 1940s vintage
- You can't get parts anymore
- It's in a museum. Or should be.
- Frame is cracked beyond repair
- Core is damaged (from catastrophic failure or Jerry again)
- It fell off a forklift
- Old motor is 85% efficient
- New motor is 95% efficient
- Energy savings pay back in 2 years
- Math actually works
- Oversized by 300%
- Running on VFD but not inverter-rated
- Someone installed it in 1987 and it was wrong then too
In these cases, we'll tell you "buy new."
We'll even help you pick the right one.
Because here's what we learned after rewinding 10,000+ motors:
We're not in the motor repair business.
We're in the "keep your equipment running" business.
Sometimes that means repair. Sometimes that means replace.
Always that means being honest.
The Actual Process (Because Mystery is for Magic Shows, Not Motors)
Here's exactly what happens when you call us about a broken motor:
DAY 1:
- You call: (720) 626-9805
- We ask smart questions (not "have you tried turning it off and on")
- We pick up your motor (same day in Denver metro)
DAY 2:
- We test everything:
- Megger the windings (checks insulation)
- Check for grounds, shorts, opens
- Spin the shaft (technical term: "does it turn")
- Look at bearings (are they crunchy?)
- Document everything with photos
STILL DAY 2:
- We call you with ACTUAL diagnosis
- Tell you exactly what's wrong
- Quote exact price (not "we'll see")
- Explain repair vs. replace math
- You decide (we don't pressure you - your money, your choice)
DAY 3-7:
- We fix it:
- Rewind if needed (computer-controlled precision, not "close enough")
- New bearings (the right ones, not whatever's in stock)
- Balance the rotor (to 0.0005" - yes it matters)
- VPI varnish treatment (makes windings bulletproof)
- Test everything again
- Document final results
DAY 7-8:
- We deliver it back
- It works
- You don't think about it for another 10 years
Total time: 3-7 days average (rush service available)
Total stress: Minimal
Total savings: Thousands
Why This Matters Right Now
Your motor is broken right now. Or it will be soon.
(If it's not broken, congratulations - you're reading this for fun. You're weird. I respect that.)
You have two choices:
- Panic
- Order new motor
- Pay too much
- Wait too long
- Repeat in 5 years
- Call us: (720) 626-9805
- Get honest diagnosis
- Make informed decision
- Save money
- Sleep better
I'm biased. Obviously. This is literally our job.
But here's the thing:
We've been doing this since the 1970s.
We're still here because we don't bullshit people.
- We tell you what's actually wrong.
- We quote you fair prices.
- We fix it right.
- We warranty our work.
That's it. That's the whole secret.
It's so simple it's almost boring.
Except the part where you save $50,000.
That part's not boring.
The Thing I Wish Someone Told Me
I used to think motor repair was sketchy.
Like, who repairs motors? Just buy new ones. That's what normal people do.
Then I learned something:
The companies that repair motors are doing just fine.
The companies that always buy new ones are... not.
Because motors fail. That's what they do.
It's not IF. It's WHEN.
And when you're replacing motors every time instead of fixing them, you're burning money.
Money you could spend on:
- Better equipment
- More capacity
- Actual upgrades that matter
- Jerry's retirement party (finally)
One company we work with had a "replace everything" policy.
They spent $380,000 on new motors in 3 years.
We showed them the math.
Now they repair.
They spent $140,000 in the same period.
Savings: $240,000 over 3 years
They used that money to buy actual new equipment that increased capacity 30%.
That's what happens when you stop wasting money on things you don't need.
What to Do Right Now
If your motor is broken:
📞 Call: (720) 626-9805We'll tell you if it's worth fixing. No games. No pressure. No BS.
Also call us: (720) 626-9805
Because motors don't just suddenly die. They give warnings. We can test it BEFORE it fails. Fix problems when they're cheap. Schedule repair during planned downtime instead of 2 AM on Saturday.
That's called "preventive maintenance."
Most people ignore it until their motor is a very expensive paperweight.
Don't be most people.
One Last Thing
I used to think motors were boring.
They're not.
They're just honest.
A motor does exactly what you'd expect, every single day, until it can't anymore.
It doesn't complain. It doesn't send passive-aggressive emails. It just spins.
Until it doesn't.
And when it stops, you get to make a choice:
Spend a fortune replacing something that isn't broken.
Or fix what's actually wrong and move on with your life.
We've been helping people make that choice since the 1970s.
We'll still be here when your motor breaks.
(It will. Sorry.)
Call Us: (720) 626-9805
Colorado Electric Motors
Fixing motors since before it was cool. (It's still not cool.)
P.S.
If you made it this far, you're either:
a) Procrastinating something important
b) Actually interested in motor repair
c) Both
Either way, we should talk.
P.P.S.
Yes, we answer the phone at 2 AM.
No, we don't judge you for calling.
Yes, we've heard worse problems than yours.
(Probably.)
📺 NEXT EPISODE
"I Rewound 10,000 Motors So You Don't Have To"
Coming in 2 days...