Determining faults in multiple bearings using one vibration sensor

A method for analyzing the health of a dynamoelectric machine, comprising:

• providing the machine with vibration-generating components, at least one of which has vibration characteristics different from others;
• obtaining a vibration signature from a vibration sensor connected to the machine;
• processing the vibration signature, the processing including scanning a frequency region adjacent to a resonant frequency of a vibration transmission path from one of the components to the vibration sensor for harmonic frequencies of the components;
• and
• determining the condition of the components from characteristics of the vibration signature at frequencies associated with each of the components.

A method for analyzing the health of a dynamoelectric machine, comprising:

• providing the machine with bearings, at least one of which has different vibration characteristics from the others;
• obtaining a vibration signature from a vibration sensor connected to the machine;
• processing the vibration signature;
• and
• determining the condition of the bearings from characteristics of the vibration signature at frequencies associated with each of the bearings.

A method for analyzing the health of a dynamoelectric machine, comprising:

• providing the machine with ball bearings, at least one of which has a different number of balls from the others;
• obtaining a vibration signature from a vibration sensor connected to the machine;
• processing the vibration signature;
• and
• determining the condition of the bearings from characteristics of the vibration signature at frequencies associated with each of the bearings.

A dynamoelectric machine diagnostic system, comprising:

• means for sensing vibrations, said means for sensing vibrations operative to sense vibrations from at least two bearings of a dynamoelectric machine;
• each bearing having a unique vibration characteristic with respect to the means for sensing vibrations;
• and
• means for processing the vibration characteristics, said means for processing the vibration characteristics being able to correspond the vibration characteristics to the respective bearings and to determine the health of each of the bearings.