A three-phase motor is controlled by a forward/reverse starter. An electrician is testing the circuit and finds that when the 'Forward' button is pressed, the motor turns clockwise, and when the 'Reverse' button is pressed, the motor also turns clockwise. What is the most probable wiring error in the power circuit of the starter?

Question: A three-phase motor is controlled by a forward/reverse starter. An electrician is testing the circuit and finds that when the 'Forward' button is pressed, the motor turns clockwise, and when the 'Reverse' button is pressed, the motor also turns clockwise. What is the most probable wiring error in the power circuit of the starter?

Answer options: ✅ Two phases for the reverse contactor output are not interchanged.

• The control circuit's electrical interlocking is faulty.
• The overload relay is wired incorrectly.
• The 'Reverse' start button is wired to the 'Forward' contactor coil.

Correct answer: Two phases for the reverse contactor output are not interchanged.

Explanation: To reverse the direction of a three-phase motor, any two of the three phase conductors supplied to the motor must be interchanged. If the motor continues to run in the same direction when the reverse contactor is engaged, it means the phase interchange in the power circuit for the reverse operation has not been correctly implemented.