trouble shooting when you arent there

[ptonsparky]

Dang it's dark in here.

Dang it's dark in here.

IIRC, those contacts are all the same, you just rotate the cover as needed.

I suffer from HUA syndrom frequently so please correct me if wrong.

For the size of AB I pulled apart there is no noticable difference in the size of contact, whichmeans nothing, and the cover is reversible if you trim it just so.:dunce:.:ashamed1:

A CH definte purpose contactor was the only item I could easily turn the cover on. No aux contacts to worry about.

 

[ActionDave]

For the size of AB I pulled apart there is no noticable difference in the size of contact, whichmeans nothing, and the cover is reversible if you trim it just so.:dunce:.:ashamed1:

A CH definte purpose contactor was the only item I could easily turn the cover on. No aux contacts to worry about.

No HUA in Kearney today. Those AB contactors are reversible so the coil can be up or down. Different models may have different ratings for the aux contacts.

 

[kwired]

No HUA in Kearney today. Those AB contactors are reversible so the coil can be up or down. Different models may have different ratings for the aux contacts.

I am mostly familiar with Telemechaniqe units. From what I recall the coil can be turned around so coil terminals can be "up" or "down" but don't think it is easy to reverse the cover so that the aux contact is labeled as a power contact, might be possible but not something real easy to do.

Then there is the fairly cheap Fuji contactors from Automation Direct - there is no permanently installed aux contacts you must add them in the field - so don't forget to order one if your application needs one.

 

[Fulthrotl]

looks like the contact is smoked. take one with you, and change it out,
and i suspect the problem will go away.

if the contact is giving as poor a connection as it looks like you have,
then the motor will start pulling load like it's single phasing, and trip
the overload.

 

[Jraef]

That is an IEC contactor and the coil wires are on the bottom like the one next to it even though the Line and T labels are reversed. You can pop the cover off and switch it to match but it's hardly worth the effort. I bet that burnt one has been replaced once already.

I'll check on a contactor like that on my desk at work, but I think the problem may be related to that issue. The cover is indeed on upside down, but I don't believe it is designed to be able to fit like that, I think it is keyed. That will mean that the cover was forced on by someone in the past and may be interfering with the proper operation of the contactor armature.

 

[ptonsparky]

View attachment 12551 View attachment 12551

Look carefully and you can see this cover is keyed.

My contactor may be different than the OPs but It does appear that his has the motor load on the Aux contact. View attachment 12552

 

[ptonsparky]

View attachment 12553
With proper orientation.

 

[ActionDave]

View attachment 12557 View attachment 12558
I said it wrong. You have to flip the coil. That keeps the contacts in the proper arrangement, or just put the thing in upsidedown and make sure you don't run the motor through the aux contacts.

 

[Jraef]

View attachment 12557 View attachment 12558
I said it wrong. You have to flip the coil. That keeps the contacts in the proper arrangement, or just put the thing in upsidedown and make sure you don't run the motor through the aux contacts.

That's right.
You can ORDER that contactor with the coil terminals up, or down, different part numbers. 100-C09 will have the coil on the TOP, 100-C09U will have the coil terminals on the BOTTOM. That can end up relating to then whether or not you are using the power contacts or the aux contacts if trying to line them up the same. The aux contacts may look the same, but they are NOT rated the same. The main power contacts on that model are rated for 32A thermal, but only 9A inductive, i.e. motors under AC-3. The aux contacts are NEMA A600, so make 60, break 6, 10A continuous, but are not rated for motor loads at all. The closest they have is an AC-15 rating, for coils and such, as only 2.5A, 1/3th that of the main contacts. Worse yet, the aux contacts are not required to open and close at the exact same time as the power contacts on basic contactors like this. They are required to do that on what are called SAFETY contactors, but these are not safety contactors; so the aux contacts might be closing AFTER or opening BEFORE the others. That would expose the aux contacts, even IF rated the same, to burning faster.

My guess: someone mistakenly ordered the contactor with the coil on the top side compared to the others, i.e. the others were 100-C09U, they ordered a replacement 100-C09 then flipped it over to make the coil wires line up on the bottom. Then they terminated the motor leads in the same position as the others, which resulted in one pole being terminated on the aux contact instead of the power contact.

 

[ActionDave]

That's right.
You can ORDER that contactor with the coil terminals up, or down, different part numbers. 100-C09 will have the coil on the TOP, 100-C09U will have the coil terminals on the BOTTOM. That can end up relating to then whether or not you are using the power contacts or the aux contacts if trying to line them up the same. The aux contacts may look the same, but they are NOT rated the same.

I'll see your that's right and raise you one not quite....That is the same contactor in my pics. It is a used one that I changed out of a dry cleaning machine. The coil terminals were on the bottom when I removed it and the replacement came with terminals on top.

I don't think there is a U on the part number. I'll have to check next time I'm back at the shop, but that won't be for a few days.

I know for sure if you open it up you can flip the coil so that terminals are on top but the contacts stay in the same order and it fits back together with no problem; the "key" fits. I bet if you order a C09U it is just a C09 already flipped.

My guess: someone mistakenly ordered the contactor with the coil on the top side compared to the others, i.e. the others were 100-C09U, they ordered a replacement 100-C09 then flipped it over to make the coil wires line up on the bottom. Then they terminated the motor leads in the same position as the others, which resulted in one pole being terminated on the aux contact instead of the power contact.

I agree with you about that. In my case I just installed the replacement contactor "upside down" but made sure that I did not run the motor through the Aux contact. I don't think the guy that installed the one in the OP's case did.

One more thing... the C09 was in pton post. Mine is a C12. I bet if he flips his coil instead of cover his key will fit too.

 

[ptonsparky]

My picture in Post 27 was done by turning the upper contact assembly 180. The cover is on correctly, although the catalog # is now wrong. :roll:

 

[electricalist]

Sorry I've been sick bad.
Although I didn't install them I wanna say the box it comes in if you slowly unfold it, it has a diagram to turn the coil 180

 

[ActionDave]

Sorry I've been sick bad.
Although I didn't install them I wanna say the box it comes in if you slowly unfold it, it has a diagram to turn the coil 180

Are you sure that's not the fever making you delirious?

 

[ptonsparky]

Sorry I've been sick bad.
Although I didn't install them I wanna say the box it comes in if you slowly unfold it, it has a diagram to turn the coil 180

Dang. Wrong again. I turned the contacts, not the coil. That's what I get for not reading the directions.

 

[sparkyrick]

Look at the one next to it. Is it upside down?

The contactor is upside down, look at the "Dryer" label.

 

[ActionDave]

The contactor is upside down, look at the "Dryer" label.

One must be able to see all sides as equal, then one's view of up or down is universal.