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#218421 04/19/17 02:10 PM
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 378
F
frank Offline OP
Member
Schneider LC1D09......Cant figure out how to get to and check the contacts on this contractor. Ive had other electricians look at it and no one seems to be able to get to them.One said it must be disposable but there is no way this can be .I can see that the body has a sleeve but cant get it apart.You have to be able to check contacts.

frank #218422 04/19/17 02:28 PM
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 378
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frank Offline OP
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So i go to the Schneider site and they say the contractors are not user serviceable.How is that possible that you cant check contacts as they are OEM on high cycling compressors. Serviceable isn't the issue predictive maintenance is .

frank #218423 04/19/17 08:40 PM
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 32
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About you can do is measure the voltage drop across each contact with it operated under load. You should be very close to zero volts. Checking for ohms may be an indicator but it does not prove it actually is carrying the load.

I have taken things like this apart in an emergency and tried to fix them but it is always a temporary fix if it works. Get a new one coming.


Greg Fretwell
frank #218424 04/20/17 09:24 AM
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,335
S
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I'm not happy with Schneider Electric's website. I have older documents on the LC1D09 relay. I used them myself. I'll l get on my computer later. Once I can get to work. It's only 5am here now


"Live Awesome!" - Kevin Carosa
frank #218428 04/20/17 12:52 PM
Joined: Jul 2004
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I was pretty disappointed with the Schneider site too. There was more information on 3d party sites.


Greg Fretwell
frank #218444 04/28/17 11:05 PM
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 101
J
Member
Originally Posted by frank
So i go to the Schneider site and they say the contractors are not user serviceable.How is that possible that you cant check contacts as they are OEM on high cycling compressors. Serviceable isn't the issue predictive maintenance is .

You have run into the difference in philosophy between IEC and NEMA contactor designs. Everybody thought IEC contactors were great because they were cheaper and smaller than NEMA contactors, and according to the sales literature, lasted just as long. But the story they tell leaves out a LOT of information. They are not at all the same, and you can see that in this photo of contacts rated for the same motor current:
[Linked Image from machineryequipmentonline.com]
In addition, NEMA contactors are designed around 1 million electrical operations, but 6 million mechanical, meaning the contacts are expected to be replaced at least 6 times. IEC is designed around 1 million electrical operations under perfect conditions, then they are thrown out. There is nothing repairable in them. But really you must determine exactly how often your machine is going to start, under what conditions, and predict how long you want the contactor to last. They give you a long complicated set of charts for engineering each and every contactor specifically for each machine. But we don't bother with all that here in North America, we were used to NEMA concept; throw the worst you can at it and it survives, if it's easier than that, it survives longer than you. When an OEM mixes the NEMA mindset against the IEC cheapness, the end user suffers in the long run. All the OEM was concerned about was lasting out their warranty...

Last edited by jraef; 04/28/17 11:06 PM.

JRaef

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