How to wire contactor-power relay inline for lights?

[hevnbnd]

I have some 120 watt fluorescent fixtures that the inrush current is killing my light switches. Apparently the incoming current, upon being switched on, is too much and kills the switch's internal relay.

So my solution is to wire inline a contactor also known as a high power relay. I bought a http://ecatalog.squared.com/imagelib/?event=viewDetail&oid=09008926801e9a63&hid=0b00892680114563

I am not sure how to wire it. Looks like I bring the 120v in from my switch into the terminals on the side and then go out from the terminals on the end to my lights. My wiring Diagram

What does everyone think? Also don't suggest different type of switches....

 

[Steevo]

I do not see a wiring diagram on that link anywhere, but a relay typically uses one power source (your switched line) to activate the relay, which closes a magnetic switch that a second power source flows through. If you have it both powered by and passing the same circuit you already are using, you have done nothing to reduce the load on your switch.

 

[Aceman]

What I usually do is this:

take your lighting circuit right to the contactor

pigtail the neutral to the one side of the contactor coil

land the hot on one side of the contactor terminals, tap off that same terminal and run to your switch, this is your constant hot

from the other side of your switch run to the other coil screw

now you should only have one contacter terminal left, this is the switched output to the lights

 

[hevnbnd]

Happen to have a diagram?

 

[pattenp]

Here's a diagram....

 

[nehog]

What kind of switches are you using that seem to fail so frequently from a single 120 watt fixture? Make/model and link would be good. Most typical switches do not have relays.

 

[hevnbnd]

Switches are Control4 Thanks guys I got it now.

 

[hevnbnd]

Ok one more quick question. I currently have 2 banks of lights with 2 independent light switches. So I have 6 lights on Switch A & 6 Lights on Switch B. I was going to use one SPST Power Relay with each switch. Could I use one DPDT instead of the two separate SPST relays?

 

[pattenp]

How's that going to work? The DPDT only has one coil and is going to connect both sets of contacts when energized.

Edit: Never mind I was thinking of a standard DP contactor. The DPDT should work.

Edit2: Thinking more about it, it wouldn't wouldn't work because its an ON OFF ON contactor so one coil at a time can be energized so you couldn't turn on both banks of lights at the same time. I may be thinking this wrong.

 

[hevnbnd]

Thought that might be the case. Looks Like I will just use two SPST relays

 

[hevnbnd]

Anything wrong with mounting these power relays in the panel if there is room? Also can anyone verify pattenp's thoughts on DPDT?