1. A unit for recording operating information of an electric motor, said unit comprising: a motor controller communicatively coupled to an electric motor, said motor controller comprising a processing device configured to control said unit, collect operating data from an electric motor, and identify at least one of a motor failure and a motor controller failure; a protective circuit communicatively coupled to said processing device; and a memory device communicatively coupled to said protective circuit, said memory device configured to receive and store motor operating information after at least one of a motor failure, a motor controller failure, and a user provided power-down instruction, the operating information provided by said processing device via said protective circuit, said protective circuit configured to limit a voltage applied to said memory device.