Mechanical held vs Electrically Held Contactor

[MIDBLU]

I'm sure i'm going about this the wrong way -- and probably showing my stupiditty
but i will take all of that and promise to learn the proper way

BUT PLEASE CAN SOME DEFINE ELECTRICALLY HELD VS MECHANICALLY HELD CONTACTORS AND WHY A MECHANICALLY HELD CONTACTOR WOULD NEED ANY
WIRES TO CONTROL IT

thanx

 

[ActionDave]

This has what you are looking for and more-click here

 

[hillbilly1]

Electrically held requires a constant voltage to maintain contacts, where mechanically held only requires a momentary application of voltage to close or open the contacts. Some use two coils, while other designs use one coil. Most have clearing contacts that remove voltage from the coil(s) once the contact(s) have changed position. With electrically held, you only need one input, but with mechanically held, two inputs, one to close and one to open are required, (three wire control) unless an optional two wire control module (or relay) is used. (still three wires are required though, one 24 hour hot, and the switched hot)