contactor location

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normbac

Senior Member
It is a violation to install a contactor in an electrical panel. Its a 20 x 48 120/208 panel with plenty of room at bottom. If not a violation would this be a bad practice for other reasons? Wiring it to a shunt trip for kitchen.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
From what I understand, it's not permitted. You need a separate box, maybe above the ceiling. I've done that using empty stubs or the most convenient existing J-box.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
What is the setup? I've seen contactors, I've seen shunt trip breakers for kitchen equipment, but never both on the same equipment.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Shunt-trip breakers need a voltage applied to trip. Contactors need to lose power to 'trip.'

PM sent.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Shunt-trip breakers need a voltage applied to trip. Contactors need to lose power to 'trip.'

PM sent.

You did not tell me anything I did not already know. I was trying to clarify exactly what the OP's intentions are. Makes no sense to use both methods at same time. He mentions both in the OP.
 

Finite10

Senior Member
Location
Great NW
Shunt-trip breakers need a voltage applied to trip. Contactors need to lose power to 'trip.'

PM sent.

I'd be interested in his situation -hope he replies to your PM. I'm thinking he may need both. Like dropping a fryer if the ansul system loses power...
?

I wouldn't put it in a panel myslef - unless there's no wall space or it's a wash-down area. Only his AHJ knows for sure, I guess.
 

normbac

Senior Member
What is the setup? I've seen contactors, I've seen shunt trip breakers for kitchen equipment, but never both on the same equipment.

Was going to use the contactor so the MUA would come on when exhaust was switched on. Planned on energizing MUA, gas valve & hood lights load on contactor with shunt that would trip from Ansel.
There are no other receps at area that need shutdown.
Is there a better way.
TIA
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
You can buy panels with the contactor built in, whole panel control or split buss, but I think that putting an aftermarket contactor in would probably violate the UL listing. Most Fire suppression systems give you the choice of N/O or N/C contacts, so either electrically held contactors or shunt trip breakers can be used.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
You did not tell me anything I did not already know. I was trying to clarify exactly what the OP's intentions are. Makes no sense to use both methods at same time. He mentions both in the OP.
Oops! I should have PM'ed the OP.

OP. PM me if you need help with wiring.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Most Fire suppression systems give you the choice of N/O or N/C contacts, so either electrically held contactors or shunt trip breakers can be used.
The ones I wire almost always provide a pair of SPDT microswitches. If there is a prewired panel, you just connect everything to it.

I've found using many pre-wired panels to be almost as complicated to wire as scratch-wired systems.
 

normbac

Senior Member
Don't know if I explained correctly I planned on use a two pole contactor energized with two circuits one shunt and one regular cb exhaust switch could close contactor which would energize Mua gas valve hood light and exhaust fan From the microswitch I would wire it to the shunt if there was a fire the microswitch would shutdown the shunt cb which would close the gas. Mua and lights. While exhaust would keep running Am I missing something or is. This a poor design? Thanks for the help
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
It is a violation to install a contactor in an electrical panel. Its a 20 x 48 120/208 panel with plenty of room at bottom. If not a violation would this be a bad practice for other reasons? Wiring it to a shunt trip for kitchen.


You would not be putting a contactor in a 'panel' you would be putting the contactor in a cabinet that also contains a panel. In my opinion there is nothing in Article 312 that prohibits it.

Is it 'bad practice'? Certainly some will think so, I personally do not see a problem.
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
The ones I wire almost always provide a pair of SPDT microswitches. If there is a prewired panel, you just connect everything to it.

I've found using many pre-wired panels to be almost as complicated to wire as scratch-wired systems.

I agree, and I have found with some manufactures, the shunt trip output is driven by a N/C contact on a relay, in which a power failure to the building can cause the breakers to trip due to the time lag of the relay re-opening the contact.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
You would not be putting a contactor in a 'panel' you would be putting the contactor in a cabinet that also contains a panel. In my opinion there is nothing in Article 312 that prohibits it.

Is it 'bad practice'? Certainly some will think so, I personally do not see a problem.
Likewise, I don't know of any Code article that prohibits it
(and, like Bob, I see no problem)
 
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