arc on contact plate

Erin G.

Joined Mar 3, 2005
167
Originally posted by komet_p@Jun 19 2005, 12:30 AM
can anyone tell me the way how to reduce arc on contact plate of contactor
[post=8609]Quoted post[/post]​
I'm not sure what your application is, so I can only refer to my experience with reducing arc flash when contacts are opening on motor starter/contactors.

On old-fashioned, high-load, heavy-duty motor contactors, a blowout coil was used. A coil is placed physically next to each contact, and it is briefly energized as the contacts are opened. The intense magentic field around the coil (which has the same polarity as the arc) would "blow" the arc away from the contacts as they opened, reducing wear and tear on the contact surfaces.

These day, every one has pretty much changed over to using vacuum breakers as high load motor starter/contactors. Since the breaker contacts are enclosed in a vacuum chamber, there is very little (ideally no- ) arc when the contacts open.

If you give some more specifics about your application, I'm sure we can give you more specific answers, but I hope this helped.
 
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