I have been trying to find a definitive definition of a motor starter. The root of the question is whether or not a motor starter is a combined contactor and overload, or if it can be a contactor with a separate overload. On electrical schematics the difference would be between putting a C prefix on the contactor or an S suffix.

I have always used starter to mean a one piece contactor/overload setup. If they are separate I call one piece the contactor and the other the overload so that bill of materials knows that there are supposed to be two items.

Is there an actual definition somewhere? I haven't had luck finding one yet.

Thanks,

Robert