277 Volt 100 Amp contactor burned out

[Fred B]

Got a call today for lighting out after a transformer outside blew up yesterday. (Not their's) On checking strong ozone odor at the contactor location. Control circuit is tripped. Indication of burning on the old Square D 3ph contactor. Store is shut down until lighting can be restored. Would anyone here hook it up temporary until a contactor can be obtained using Polaris connectors to get the lighting panel powered? Any reason this not a good idea other than lights cannot be turned off?

 

[augie47]

They should be able to use the breaker as a switch if needed.
"Jumped" many of them out temporarily.

 

[hillbilly1]

Do it all the time at the Orange boxes, they just want the store back up and running and don’t care about the power bill.

 

[Fred B]

Could that transformer blowing have caused the contactor to fail? If it was, anyone want to make odds that there will be other things down stream failed? Or could the old contactor been the weak link and failed before anything else?

 

[retirede]

Could that transformer blowing have caused the contactor to fail? If it was, anyone want to make odds that there will be other things down stream failed? Or could the old contactor been the weak link and failed before anything else?

I wouldn’t expect a transformer failure to take out a downstream contactor. It’s more likely something else (surge?) took them both out.

 

[hillbilly1]

Under voltage or EMS chattering contactor due to a phase loss is a frequent cause of failure. Especially if it’s a mechanically held contactor.

 

[mayanees]

Got a call today for lighting out after a transformer outside blew up yesterday. (Not their's) On checking strong ozone odor at the contactor location. Control circuit is tripped. Indication of burning on the old Square D 3ph contactor. Store is shut down until lighting can be restored. Would anyone here hook it up temporary until a contactor can be obtained using Polaris connectors to get the lighting panel powered? Any reason this not a good idea other than lights cannot be turned off?

I would treat that strong ozone odor as an arcing fault taking place behind a cover and would be cautious not to get exposed to it..

 

[petersonra]

Got a call today for lighting out after a transformer outside blew up yesterday. (Not their's) On checking strong ozone odor at the contactor location. Control circuit is tripped. Indication of burning on the old Square D 3ph contactor. Store is shut down until lighting can be restored. Would anyone here hook it up temporary until a contactor can be obtained using Polaris connectors to get the lighting panel powered? Any reason this not a good idea other than lights cannot be turned off?

I see no reason not to. There is no safety issue. Just can't turn off the lights.

 

[Fred B]

Thank for your replies, nobody had a SD in stock, special order only and 2+ weeks out, so went to supply house to get some Morris splices, they didn't have an SD but did have a GE with a higher max current rating that had been on shelve for a while, ordered for someone else and they didn't end up needing it, so they sold to me for a discount. Only difference needed to put on some Crimp lugs as the GE was bolt on and the SD was a compression lug. Other than that it all bolted right in and the lights came on to applause from the store employees.