TECHNICAL NEWS Issue l

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Quarterly Technical
Newsletterof Australia's
leading supplier of
low-voltage motor control
WELCOME TO THE
and switchgear.

INAUGURAL EDITION OF
NHP TECHNICAL NEWS!
We welcome you to YOUR INPUT to product types or
this the first edition of the Your input on the articles features for clarification
NHP Technical News. published is most purposes.
Three to four publications welcome, and we look
will be produced annually, This first issue covers
forward to receiving
providing a wide range of some basic application
details of any special or
application and design interesting application studies in voltage drop/
criteria for the motor interruptions, with some
problems.
control and distribution simple, yet effective
We will endeavour to means of overcoming
fields.
present articles in a non- these problems.
The details provided in promotional manner - that
this, and future issues, is is, on their technical and/ 'WE LOOK
actively supported by our or application basis only, FORWARD TO
numerous Principals, and however, reference will HEARING FROM
also our extensive field be made from time to time YOU'
and technical personnel
throughout Australia.

FEATURE ARTICLES
As a lead up to the
forthcoming feature
articles we will begin with
a fundamental application
Contactor control study which we trust will
circuits and power bring about a more
supplies 2 knowledgeable approach
to motor starters for their
Latched contactors 2 ultimate application,
rather than a somewhat
Contactors with 'hypothetical' approach to
delayed drop-out 3 what may work.
Motor control equipment
Customising delayed
drop-out control 4
 Contactor Latched
control circuits contactors
and power The addition of a latching
supplies device to standard contactors
allows the contactor to remain
closed for extended periods of
POWER SUPPLIES
time without the need for coil
power. This may be
Momentary loss of voltage
advantageous in situations
in power supplies can lead to a
Typical contactor with where there is a possibility of
number of problems, not the
mechanical latch short supply failures. Such
least of which could be an
failures are frequently
interruption of a production
encountered on networks,
process or essential supplies in
particularly when HV
hospitals, buildings, etc.
overhead lines are struck by
Often the supply loss is of a lightning, causing temporary
short duration; perhaps just a opening and re-closing of the
few cycles, The effect on HV protection devices.
computers and similar
apparatus is well known, and POWER DISTRIBUTION
solutions such as the use of a
In other applications the
UPS (Uninterruptable Power contactor may be used for
Supply) are readily employed. power distribution switching,
However, •temporary Joss of such as for automatic lighting
voltage in contactor and motor or general power reticulation.
control circuits can also result In these cases temporary loss
in operational difficulties, and of only one phase (which could
such situations are discussed be the control phase), does not
further:- necessarily mean that services
on the other phases should be
LOSS OF VOLTAGE disconnected.
The loss of voltage may not be The advantage when using a
complete as it may only occur latched conta~tor is that part of
in one phase, dip to, say, 50 the lighting or distribution
per cent of normal (brown- network can continue to
out); or alternatively all three function . .,
phases may dip simultaneously With motor starting contactors,
due to the starting of large a short supply dip or
loads elsewhere in the system. interruption may not
In such cases it is possible to necessitate the contactor
offer some solutions to the disconnecting the load.
most common causes. • Of course, this would depend
on the application, and care
must be taken to ensure that
the contactor can be released
when required.

Latched contactors circuit

diagrams

NHP Technical News, issue I

OPERATION OF THE
LATCH
The latching device can be If necessary, the latch coil can
fitted to contactors, as shown be energised from a separate
in the illustrations. The source or DC supply voltage.
contactor coil, KlM, is
Because latch coils are not
energised momentarily to close
intended to be permanently
the contacts. Once closed, the
energised, the circuit should be
contacts remain in this position arranged in such a way that
held by the latching
voltage is removed from the
mechanism. The latch
latch coil as soon as the
incorporates a release coil,
contactor is released. •
KlR, which needs to be
energised momentarily in order
Mechanical latch
to release the contactor.

Contactors DELAYED RELEASE

FEATURE
with delayed The delayed release feature is
drop-out of particular benefit in areas
with weak supply networks.
With short suppl y dips, or
Some contactor ranges utilise momentary loss of voltage, the
a DC controlled magnet system contacts will remain closed.
fed via a rectifier, and can
therefore be used with both AC This feature will also prevent
and DC control supplies. contactor 'chatter' , and, as a
A closer look at the internal result, the reliability of the
control system of these main contacts are not
contactors reveals a twin coil jeopardised. In addition,
arrangement. By utilising the because the contactor stays
stored energy of the coils, and closed during short power dips
additional components, the it will not be necessary to

00
contactor can be arranged so as manuall y restart the switched C1 •

to give different drop-out load (usually a motor), a)

"'' c

delays. therefore reducing the RT

-
-
•
M2
c
possibility of production ..,. VOR

The standard contactors are down-time.

delivered with the drop-out
From an operational point, the Delayed Dropout
delay set to 150-200ms. By
making simple wiring changes delayed drop-out feature also
inside the control module the prevents ' pumping' and
delay can be increased to uncertain operation,
between 0.5 and 1 second. particularly when controlled
Alternatively, breaking the via series devices such as
suppl y directly in the coil pressure switches and
supply (DC side) will result in thermostats. •
a release time of approximately Fast Dropout
20ms (Ml + M2). Circuit diagram - typical
delayed drop-out contactor

NHP Technical News, issue I

 NHP Electrical
Engineering Products
Pty ltd A.C.N. 004 304 812
Internet http://www.nhp.com.au
MELBOURNE
43-67 River Street,
Richmond, Vic. 3121
Phone: (03) 9429 2999
Fax (03) 9429 1075
SYDNEY
incorporate a pull in and 30-34 Day Street North,
Silverwater, N.S.W. 2128
hold winding. Utilising Phone: (02) 9748 3444
u 01 Rl
< CA3-PL-01 the existing 110 volt AC Fax: (02) 9648 4353
02 lk BRISBANE
> supply, each contactor
0 +.> - --. 25 Turbo Drive,
circuit was fitted with a Coorparoo, Old. 4151
bridge rectifier, capacitor Phone: (07) 3891 6008
and resistor. Fax: (07) 3891 6139
ADELAIDE
The addition of a rectifier 50 Croydon Road,
Keswick, S.A. 5035
and electrolytic capacitor Phone: (08) 8297 9055
raised the DC voltage to Fax: (08) 8371 0962
Typical delayed drop-out·circuit approximately 165 volts, PERTH
38 Belmont Ave.,
requiring the addition of a Rivervale, W.A. 6103
resistor R 1 to limit Phone: (08) 9277 1777
Fax: (08) 9277 '1 700
voltage on the hold
Customising delayed winding to 110 volt DC.
NEWCASTLE
575 Maitland Road,
drop-out control Using the components Mayfield West, N.S.W. 2304
Phone: (02) 4960 2220
shown, the contactor will Fax: (02) 4960 2203
hold in for a time duration TOWNSVILLE
When using smaller occasional voltage drop- 62 Leyland Street,
of approximately 0.5
contactors the coil cannot outs occurred at irregular Garbutt, Old. 4814
seconds. Phone: (07) 4n9 0700
provide sufficient stored intervals. This resulted Fax: (07) 4775 1457
energy to give any in contactors de-ener- This was sufficient time ROCK HAMPTON
appreciable delay. gising, necessitating the to alleviate unwanted 208 Denison Street,
Rockhampton, Old. 4700
However, it is possible to need for manual restarting interruptions to the Phone: (07) 4927 22n
use additional compon- of those drives controlled process caused by other Fax: (07) 4922 2947
ents to provide the by pushbutton stations. dips. For longer voltage TOOWOOMBA
Cnr Carroll St. & Struan Crt.,
required delay drop-out The voltage drop-outs drop-outs the motor drives Toowoomba, Old. 4350
facility. were .only of a short had run down sufficiently Phone: (07) 4634 4799
duration, yet production low to n~cessitate restar- Fax: (07) 4633 1796
In the example above, CAIRNS
downtime was ting in any case. 14/ 128 Lyons Street,
contactors were controlled
unacceptable because Bungalow, Old. 4870
by a II 0 volt control The values shown apply Phone: (07) 4035 6888
manual restarting was
supply derived from a to Sprecher + Schuh Fax: (07) 4035 6999 (
required. DARWIN
control circuit transformer contactors CA3-37 to 3 Steele Street,
common to many drives For those important drives CA3-72 (18.5-37kW) . • Winnellie, N.T. 0820
in a motor control centre. affected, the contactors Phone: (08) 8947 2666
Fax: (08) 8947 2049
The nature of the supply were fitted with standard
reticulation was that II 0 volt DC coils which Agents:
HOBART
199 Harrington Street,
Hoba~ Tas. 7000
Phone: (03) 6234 9299
Fax: (03) 6231 1693
LAUNCESTON
59 Garfield Street,
Contact NHP for all your Launceston, Tas. 7250
Phone: (03) 6344 8811
Fax: (03) 6344 4069
BURNIE
switchgear requirements 6 Wellington Street,
Burnie, Tas. 7320
Phone: (03) 6432 2588
Fax: (03) 6432 2580

from the one source

Editorial content: - Please address all enquiries to 'The Editor - 'NHP Technical News'
PO Box 199, Richmond Victoria 3121.
NHP Technical News. issue I