Lower efficiency, lower power factor, are the features of which of the following motors?

• A. Three-phase synchronous motor
• B. Three-phase induction motor
• C. Single-phase induction motor
• D. DC shunt motor

Answer: (C)

The efficiency and power factor of single-phase motors are usually low. Thus at full-load a 186 W motor (1/4 hp) has efficiency and poor factor of about 60 percent. For the same size, the single-phase induction motors develop about 50% of the output as that of three-phase induction motors. The starting torque is also low for asynchronous motors / single phase induction motor.
The low power factor is mainly due to the large magnetizing current, which ranges, between 70 percent and 90 percent of full-load current. Consequently, even at no-load these motors have a substantial temperature rise. The power factor of 3-phase motors is of the order of 0.85 lagging, whereas it is 0.55 to 0.6 for single-phase motors.
The relatively low efficiency and power factor of single-phase induction motors is a consequence of their fractional horsepower ratings. The efficiency of 3-phase motors is quite high of the order of 80 to 90 %, while single-phase motors hardly work with an efficiency of 55 to 60 %.