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Headnote
Say It Right
Headnote
Don't assume that 'idle' means 'unloaded'
TO A MOTORIST STOPPED AT a traffic signal, idling describes what the automobile engine does until the light changes. What does idle mean for an electric motor? We don't have any universal definition. Why might that be important?
For several reasons, as we'll see.
If a motor is said to be "idle," one assumption is that it's running unloaded. (Let's not get into the sticky question here of just what "unloaded" can mean.)