This paper proposes a second-order thermal model for electrical machines. The goal of this model is the prediction of the average winding temperature during short and long thermal transients up to the steady-state conditions. First, the thermal parameters of the electrical machine are determined by a DC test. Then, the proposed model is characterized and validated using AC tests. The accuracy of the proposed thermal model has been verified comparing the computed temperatures with the measured ones. The maximum error found during the thermal transient is lower than 3%, an excellent result comparing the complexity of a total enclosed fan cooled induction motor and the simplicity of the proposed model.