What is a Contactor?

It is an electromagnetic driven switch

applied for electrical power engineering.
Function of a Contactor
As current flows through the coil, the core
produces a magnetic pull which causes
the armature and the core to seal.
The contacts connected to the armature
changes from normally open to close or
from normally close to open. When de-
energized, the contacts return to their
normal position as the armature also
returned by a spring.

T1
L1
L2 L3
T3
T2
Fixed
Contacts
Movable
Contacts
Insulated
Contacts
Mounting
(Movable)
Pressure
Spring
Stationary
Electro Magnet
Coil
Terminals
Coil
Magnet
Shading Coil
Moving
Armature
(Plunger)
Parts of a Contactor
The contacts connected to the armature
changes from normally open to close or from
normally close to open. When de-energized,
the contacts return to their normal position as
the armature also returned by a spring.
As current flows
through the coil,
the core produces
a magnetic pull
which causes the
armature and the
core to seal.
Schematic Diagram
L 1
L 2
L 1
L 2
L1 13 L2 11 23
T1

21 L3
24 14 T3 T2 22 12
a
b
A1
A2
Contactor coil
L1 L2
R
T1
L3
T
T3
S
T2
Line Side
Load Side
Power Contacts
13 11 23 21
24 14 22 12
Auxilliary Contacts
13
14
1
1
1
st
normally
open contact
3
4
self holding
or
self latch
11
12
1
1
1
2
1
st
normally
closed contact
interlock
contacts
13-14
23-24
normally
open
11-12
21-22
normally
closed
Thermal Overload
Electrical problem:
over voltage
under voltage
phase imbalance or
single-phasing( phase loss )
short-circuits which can surpass
the breaking capacity of the contactor
Any device using electrical energy
could malfunction due to :