Carbon Brushes: Products
Our Approach to Stock and Custom Carbon Brushes
Since 1928, Helwig Carbon has been the American industry leader in brush replacement, supplying thousands of generator, slip ring, and AC motor brushes for popular applications while also serving major OEMs. We offer 750 ready-to-ship stock parts as well as quick turnaround on custom-engineered brushes designed to meet the exact requirements of your motor or generator.
Choosing the right brush is essential to maximizing brush and contact surface life, as improper selection can lead to premature wear and damage.
Explore Our Stock Carbon Brush Products
Expertly Engineered. Superior Performance. Optimal Reliability
We offer 750 stock parts along with thousands of custom-engineered components. If you do not see your brush in our online catalog, please contact us for a quote.
Wireless Brush
- Sometimes referred to as shuntless brushes
- Common applications: FHP motors, micro-motors, power tools, household appliances, or other small DC motors
Tamped with Spring Brush
- Typically a smaller brush, with a tamped shunt surrounded by a spring coil and topped with a soldered cap
- Common applications: FHP motors, medical imaging equipment, tachometers, aerospace, power/signal/data transmission, and variable transformers (variac brush)
Tamped Single Wire Brush
- A brush with one wafer, one tamped shunt, one terminal.
- Common applications: DC Motors & Generators, industrial, elevators, lift trucks or forklifts, grinders, FHP Motors and paper mills, variable transformers (variac brush)
Tamped Multiple Wires Brush
- A brush with one wafer, two tamped shunts, one terminal
- Common applications: DC motors, slips-rings, power generation, general industrial, elevator, FHP motor, and railroad
Tamped Multi Section Brush
- Multi-wafer brushes, commonly with 2 or 3 wafers and connected to a single terminal. Wafers are often secured with a Helwig Red Top, which insulates the spring from carrying current and absorbs excess vibration.
- Common applications: Elevators, slip-rings, general & heavy industrial, paper mill and railroad
Riveted Single Wire Brush
- Typically a single wafer brush, one shunt wire, and one terminal. Riveted for extra secure brush-to-shunt connection and often includes a Helwig Red Top or a hammerplate.
- Common applications: Elevators, slip-rings, FHP motors, general & heavy industrial, paper mills, hydro or other power generation
Riveted Multi Wire Brush
- Typically a single wafer brush with 2 or more shunt wires and one terminal. Riveted for extra secure brush-to-shunt connection and often includes a Helwig Red Top or a hammer plate.
- Common applications: Elevators, slip-rings, FHP motors, general & heavy industrial, paper mills, hydro or other power generation
Riveted Multi Section Brush
- Multi-wafer brushes, commonly with 2 or 3 wafers and connected to a single terminal. Riveted for extra secure brush-to-shunt connection and often secured with a Helwig Red Top.
- Common applications: Elevators, slip-rings, general & heavy industrial, paper mill, and railroad
Tamped Pair Brush
- Paired brush wafers with separate shunts, commonly connected by one terminal.
- Common applications: Slip rings, lift truck or forklifts
Riveted Pair Brush
- Two separate brush wafers, with separate shunts paired at the terminal. Riveted for an extra secure shunt-to-brush connection.
- Common applications: Aerospace, lift truck or forklifts, FHP motors or industrial
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Explore Carbon Brush Resources
Learn how Helwig brushes perform across a wide range of industries on our Applications page, and access expert guidance on our Research and Literature page. You’ll find practical resources to help identify, select, and install carbon brushes, troubleshoot brush or commutator issues, and stay aligned with best practices.