Which action would correctly address a three-phase motor that runs backward after rewiring?

• A. Reverse the direction of the capacitor
• B. Check the voltage on the leads
• C. Decrease the amperage on all leads
• D. Change the location of 2 of the 3 leads

Answer: (D)

Rotation direction in a three-phase motor is determined by the order of the three supply lines. If you swap two of the leads, you reverse the phase sequence, which changes the rotating magnetic field and makes the motor spin in the opposite direction. That’s why changing the location of two of the three leads correctly addresses backward rotation after rewiring. The other options don’t fix the direction: a capacitor isn’t used to set rotation in standard three-phase motors, so altering it won’t change the spin; checking the voltage on the leads helps diagnose supply issues but won’t correct the rotation; reducing amperage on all leads would just weaken the motor and won’t alter the phase order. Remember to power off and lock out/tag out before adjusting wiring, and follow the motor’s wiring diagram to swap the correct leads.