In this paper, the stray load losses due to the air gap spatial harmonies effects on the rotor squirrel cage are considered and a simplified induction motor equivalent circuit able to include them in the machine power balance is reported. In the proposed model, an additional resistance appears in series with the stator impedance. This additional parameter has been defined on the basis of power balance considerations applied to the induction motor classical theory. The complete theoretical analysis together with the guidelines to measure the equivalent circuit parameters are reported in detail. Finally, the proposed approach has been experimentally verified using five total enclosed fan cooled induction motors.