You are correct, a mechanically held contactor rarely ever needs a pulse, although it can be controlled by one.
Most likely the wrong coil voltage, existing voltage applied, letting out the magic smoke.
Technically, and here we are often very technical. A mechanically held contactor always needs a pulse to open or close. IF you wish to control it with a constant on/off signal additional components are required. I still remember the first time I discovered this it was ASCO and the component was an accessory 47 which will still come up on Google (which didn't exist then) as to what it does. So, one must, at a minimum request a mechanically held contactor with 2 wire control, or be more specific about the other parts, or expect to have the above problem.
Most have built in clearing contacts, but there are still manufacturers that need a pulse kit. The cheap GE ones still do, I think ASCO makes them, but also carries the Siemens name too.
Are you measuring the voltage across the black and red? If so you are reading phantom voltages since there should not be any voltage between them. The black should read 120 volts to the white when the contactor is told to close by the time clock and the red should read 120 volts to white when the contactor is told to open.100A MCB in adjacent panel.
Feeder goes to panel board. Here it splits. One feeder to bottom panel, 120V SP breaker feeds timer.
Rest is direct feed to line side of contactor. Load side of contactor feeds upper panel, with all individual lighting breakers.
Out of timer is the two switch legs, standard, and a neutral, to line side of relay. Load side of relay is black and red. 12” away, someone extended the red wire with A piece of black, and the black with a piece of red. Why I don’t know.
The output of this relay is shown as 30VDC. Red and black land on A1 and A2 of new contactor.
New contactor is an ABB AF-52-30-11-13. My supplier found it for me, based on needing a 3 phase contactor for 208Y, at minimum 75 Amps, as that is what was there before. Box says 100-250VAC. Worthless papers shipped in the box show short circuit rating for 480 and 600 volts.
I cannot seem to find any info on what the required input voltage on the control circuit is. When I called them yesterday at 1:00 in the afternoon, they were already closed.
I did find one website where it said input voltage on the control circuit is 20-60VDC, and 24-60VAC. I usually just run the control wires from the Intermatic direct to the A1 and A2, but I can’t seem to confirm this is what this contactor can handle.
Yep, coil is melted! Kinda weird they are using DC. The old contactor says its coil voltage is 110-277.
Then your contactor is jammed. Time for a new one.
It’s either melted from the wrong voltage applied, or defective from the factory. The white bar should easily push in, and return out on its own. It is made to attach auxiliary contacts to, and activate those contacts when the coil is energized. Can you get a better picture of the contact block on the bottom? That should be the coil. Where the red and black wires are now, are power terminal screws for providing power to the control circuit off the line side. I will see if I can get a 360 picture of that contactor to be sure.
