For AC motor codes, the higher the motor code indicates

• A. The higher efficiency
• B. The higher the torque per amp
• C. Lower torque
• D. The higher the motor code is from A, the higher the inrush current per hp

Answer: (D)

Motor design codes describe how a motor behaves at start. They indicate starting torque and the amount of starting current needed relative to the full-load current. As you move to higher codes, the motor is designed to develop more starting torque, which requires more current during inrush. That means the inrush current per horsepower increases with higher codes. So the statement about higher inrush current per hp is the best way to describe what a higher motor code signals. The code isn’t a direct measure of efficiency, and while starting torque rises with higher codes, the key takeaway is the relationship between starting current and torque at start, not steady-state performance.