All You Need To Know About Contactors

Contactors And Its Importance

Ever wondered what keeps your electrical appliances running? From blowers, pumps, power tools, machine tools, household appliances, to even disk drives, electrical motors keep a lot of applications running with efficiency. Now you must wonder what keeps the electrical motors running? The answer lies in electrical contactors. These are devices that are used for switching on and off an electrical circuit. You may confuse this with an electrical relay, but both devices have some distinctions. Relays, for instance, are used in applications with lower currents, whereas contactors are used in applications with higher currents.

Types of Contactors

As there are different types of electric motors used for different appliances, so are the contactors. Depending on the type of motor and its capacity, you can opt for different contactors. Each contactor comes with its own application and features. While there are differences, the main purpose of a contactor remains to manage and break high current load. 

Their capacity is huge, where an average contactor can break currents from a single volt to thousands of volts. For example, a contactor can handle currents of over 5000 amperes and power above 100kW.  Your use will also determine the size of the contactor that ranges from a hand-held device to measuring a meter or more.

Components of Contactors

To better understand how a contactor operates and manages such high currents of power, it’s important to understand the many components of a contactor.

The coil - Perhaps the most important part of a contactor is the coil. It is what provides the force that helps to close the contact points. 

Enclosure - Enclosures are found in many applications that manage electricity. Contactors are no exceptions. These enclosures primarily provide insulation and protection to anyone touching the device.

Contacts - The part of the contactor that carry the current are known as contacts.

These aspects are what make contactors efficient in their application. It’s important to opt for contactors from reputed manufacturers and brands because if any sub-par component is used, it can reduce the durability of contactors.

While contactors have amazing capabilities, there is also a concern associated with them. This concern surrounds the life expectancy of contactors. Since these devices are opened and closed frequently, their longevity is impacted. This is because the closing and opening of contactors lead to the creation of electric arcs. This is what damages the contactors.

Efficient & Cost-Effective Contactors by Schneider Electric

These concerns can be mitigated easily by purchasing a single-phase contactor or contactor switches from a reputed brand. Schneider Electric is a brand that has consistently offered high quality and durable products to consumers. When you purchase electrical contactors or other electrical protection appliances from Schneider Electric, you can be assured that you will receive products that are efficient, durable, high quality. You can trust Schneider Electric to offer cost-effective products that add value to your life.

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