Contactor coil replacement or rewind help needed.

[RedDawg]

Hello. I have a Furnas 15BE1BBGX173 contactor (for large air compressor) with a defective coil. It is from 1984, 2-pole with a 240v coil which has already had the magnet wire removed from the bobbin. I believe it will work if I can find a replacement coil, or I can rewind this one if I can learn the wire size (probably around #34) and number of turns (probably between 2500-3000). This is for an historic restoration project, any help is appreciated. Thanks.
P.S. Furnas was bought by Seimens but no help there that I can find.

 

[hillbilly1]

Looks like a DP contactor, those are usually non-replaceable coils, and you just buy another one. Easily acquired, most major manufacturers make them. The OL block is separate? Correct.

 

[ptonsparky]

Historic is 1984? Wow.

A picture of the contactor would help. I have some good stuff I've saved.

 

[Dsg319]

Likely run into problems of re-winding the coil yourself if your dealing with an inspector. Would probably need a motor shop or somewhere to do it with certs for that.

 

[Jraef]

Furnas Class 15 were "Definite Purpose" contactors, sold to OEMs as "one and done" components intended to be the absolute CHEAPEST way to accomplish a function and to last only as long as the OEM warranty would last. They were never designed to be repaired, only replaced. That market is so down-and-dirty that after Siemens bought Furnas, they got out of the DP business and sold those contactors off to another company called "Mars", who eventually dropped it too.

Chances are that if you went through all the trouble to wind a new coil, you will have spent 3x what a new contactor is worth, then end up finding that there was something else wrong with it anyway.

 

[GoldDigger]

How important to the restoration is using original parts?

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

 

[hillbilly1]

Furnas Class 15 were "Definite Purpose" contactors, sold to OEMs as "one and done" components intended to be the absolute CHEAPEST way to accomplish a function and to last only as long as the OEM warranty would last. They were never designed to be repaired, only replaced. That market is so down-and-dirty that after Siemens bought Furnas, they got out of the DP business and sold those contactors off to another company called "Mars", who eventually dropped it too.

Chances are that if you went through all the trouble to wind a new coil, you will have spent 3x what a new contactor is worth, then end up finding that there was something else wrong with it anyway.

They are still available sold under the Square D and also Siemens name.

 

[kwired]

Is your time worth anything? trying to rewind that probably cost more than buying a new currently in production DP contactor. Factor in how much life is still in contacts and might be even more worth while to just go that route as you also starting with new contacts.

Didn't find quick and easy information on your model but if two pole likely is rated no more than maybe 40 amps. Automation direct has 40 amp 2 pole DP contactors for $14.50. If you do find an OEM coil for what you have I bet it cost more than that.

 

[garbo]

Hello. I have a Furnas 15BE1BBGX173 contactor (for large air compressor) with a defective coil. It is from 1984, 2-pole with a 240v coil which has already had the magnet wire removed from the bobbin. I believe it will work if I can find a replacement coil, or I can rewind this one if I can learn the wire size (probably around #34) and number of turns (probably between 2500-3000). This is for an historic restoration project, any help is appreciated. Thanks.
P.S. Furnas was bought by Seimens but no help there that I can find.

Back in the early 70's we had a great motor rewind shop rewind a size 2 or 3 obsolete motor starter coil. Gave it to them at lunch time and next morning we had the coil. We only used it for a few days until we had time to replace starter. The expoy coated coils that they went to maybe 45 years ago a big improvement. Seldom burn out. Think the Cadillac of motor starters Allen & Bradley installed some kind of temperature sensor that permanently opens up when a high coil temperature occurs preventing the coil from swelling.

 

[ptonsparky]

We had a area church that had a DC coil to pull in the hammer to ring to the bell. Not sure if our local shop could rewind that anymore.

 

[norcal]

Why bother with a old contactor, replace it. Time and money spent trying to revive old products is not cost effective most of the time.

 

[zbang]

The OP mentions that this is a historic restoration project, and with those you always try to repair or get exact replacements of the original part. Imagine a vintage Mustang or Corvette and just slamming in whatever ignition coil sort of fits..... that's not restoration, that's barely even "repair".

It's not always about fastest or cheapest, sometimes it's about most original.

 

[kwired]

The OP mentions that this is a historic restoration project, and with those you always try to repair or get exact replacements of the original part. Imagine a vintage Mustang or Corvette and just slamming in whatever ignition coil sort of fits..... that's not restoration, that's barely even "repair".

It's not always about fastest or cheapest, sometimes it's about most original.

Restored cars not quite the same thing as restored buildings though, unless the components of a control panel are part of something you want to be part of a display. If not that contactor is probably hidden where nobody knows or cares about whether it is from the time period of the rest of the building.

Seen working wood shops from late 19th century, open shafts, pulleys, belts that would originally been powered by water wheel but for the museum and working display purposes the main shaft is now driven by an electric motor.

 

[winnie]

The OP doesn't give specifics of what is being restored. If it is the _compressor_ that is being restored, then I can see the value of rewinding the coil to keep things 'exact'.

In which case I second the recommendation of finding a motor rewind shop to attempt the job. It will likely cost several times what a new equivalently rated contactor would cost, and this wouldn't even address any wear and tear on the contacts, but if the goal is to get the original hardware working, then so be it.

-Jon

 

[ptonsparky]

Furnas 15BE1BBGX173 search returns a pressure switch.

I'm starting to throw good stuff out so a picture of the wanted item may help.

 

[kwired]

1984 design on this sort of thing isn't much different than what is commonly available today though, main difference might be that the name Furnas was discontinued and Siemens took over that product line, and maybe somewhat minor modifications have occurred since then.

 

[norcal]

1984 design on this sort of thing isn't much different than what is commonly available today though, main difference might be that the name Furnas was discontinued and Siemens took over that product line, and maybe somewhat minor modifications have occurred since then.

Did Siemens keep the pressure switch line? They did sell off parts to Hubbell.

 

[ATSman]

We worked on an old Russelectric transfer switch at a jail and found a burnt motor operator/ gearbox.
Took it to a local rewind shop (circa 1880's San Francisco)
They rewound the motor and found a slip ring missing on the gearbox that caused the motor to jam and burn out the motor.
They replaced the C-ring on the worm gear, repaired it and and solved the problem for pennies.
Cust was happy as a clam since we saved them a ton of money for a new ATS.
PS: If you try to order parts from Russelectric/ Siemens these days it takes forever. I am still waiting 3 months now for some timers..
But if you try and order a motor/ gearbox it is obsolete, they and ASCO always want to sell you a new switch!
Tony