Multimotor variable frequency overload

A method comprising:

• sensing current for a protected motor, the protected motor comprising a motor of two or more alternating current (“AC”) motors, each of the two or more motors protected by a motor overload, each motor overload protecting the two or more motors within a motor overload enclosure, each motor overload comprising one or more current sensors that sense current for the protected motor, each current sensor comprising a magnetic core, each current sensor comprising a conductor positioned within the magnetic core, the conductor providing power to the protected motor;
• determining a thermal state of the protected motor, wherein determining a thermal state of the protected motor comprises using a current signal from at least one current sensor of the one or more current sensors that senses current of the protected motor to determine the thermal state of the protected motor;
• and
• stopping current flow to the protected motor in response determining that the thermal state of the protected motor has reached a thermal limit,
• wherein the two or more motors are controlled by a single motor controller, wherein each output conductor of the motor controller is divided to feed each of the two or more motors.

A system comprising:

• an enclosure;
• a motor controller within the enclosure, the motor controller controlling two or more alternating current (“AC”) motors, wherein each output conductor of the motor controller is divided to feed each of the two or more motors;
• and
• two or more motor overloads protecting the two or more motors, each motor overload located within the motor overload enclosure, each of the two or more motor overloads being external to an enclosure housing a motor of the two or more motors, each motor overload comprising
• one or more current sensors, each current sensor comprising a magnetic core, each current sensor comprising a conductor positioned within the magnetic core, the conductor providing power to a motor protected by the two or more motor overloads (“protected motor”);
• and
• a motor trip module that stops current flow to the protected motor in response determining that a thermal state of the protected motor has reached a thermal limit, wherein determining that the protected motor has reached a thermal limit comprises using a current signal from at least one current sensor of the one or more current sensors that senses current of the protected motor to determine a thermal state of the protected motor,
• wherein the two or more motors are controlled by a single motor controller, wherein each output conductor of the motor controller is divided to feed each of the two or more motors.