Contactor contacts questions
- Thread starter 930dreamer
- Start date
Aceman
Well-known member
Not yet, keep running it.
Technically when the contactor metal is eroded/worn away, ie. down to the copper substrate.
The other unasked question is,
when should they be replaced??
That of course depends on the application. In a high load ( run at or near the rated capacity of the contactor), high cycle environment ( hundred to thousands of contacts per day), and/or a critical application ( device down causes loss of $$ or even life), and given that you tore it down already you would be remiss if you didn't replace them. Conversely if your running this on your compressor, or your going to use it in your phase convertor, as Aceman said " keep running it" as it will probably out last you!
William.....
malibu101
Well-known member
Has anyone priced a contact kit? I occasionally need to buy some at work.
They are astronomically priced!
They are astronomically priced!
Super Mech
Well-known member
I had the contacts stick on my 3 phase Ingersoll Rand compressor on Friday. I tried in vain to locate a new magnetic starter with no luck. I called Grainger and they could not interchange the Siemens number. I was in their catalog that they sell the contacts separately. Man those suckers are expensive. I cleaned up the contacts with some emery paper and will try to nurse it along until I can find the exact replacement starter so I don't have to buy a starter/safety together.
OP
I'm hoping this will be used to start a 30 hp converter, it will have an easy life with me. $162.90 at Southland electric for contacts.
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I figured that you were going to run it on the new convertor. With a few cycles per day it will out last you no problem!
I have a few SQd contactors in use and they aren't too bad. The top of the line stuff is still the A&B NEMA stuff. I don't even look at the contacts anymore when I grab a used one out of my stock pile, it's not worth my time to even look to see if they are good. They are rated at about 1/2 a million to over 1 million cycles depending on load. The only down side to them is the heaters are about $15.00 each and most of them I have were probably setup for 240V, and have the wrong heaters for my use in them.
William....