# Real Noisy Contactor



## Fibes (Feb 18, 2010)

Cletis said:


> Have a large contactor (8 pole I think) making huge humming noise. It's fine for a while then huge humming sometimes goes away.


Can you recognize the tune, you might be able to teach it the words.


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## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

Cletis said:


> Have a large contactor (8 pole I think) making huge humming noise. It's fine for a while then huge humming sometimes goes away. Think it has like 60 amps of lighting load on it. I think it's a cheap DP style (which may account). I've heard things from laminations are off and WD-40 it, silicone pads between poles to clean, etc... I have also heard take it out since it's non UL listed DP junk and put in a nice EIC contactor with a good mil of cycles use v.s. cheap crappola 10,000 cycles


change to a mech held, elec operated if possible! no noise ever!


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Cletis said:


> Have a large contactor (8 pole I think) making huge humming noise. It's fine for a while then huge humming sometimes goes away. Think it has like 60 amps of lighting load on it. I think it's a cheap DP style (which may account). I've heard things from laminations are off and WD-40 it, silicone pads between poles to clean, etc... I have also heard take it out since it's non UL listed DP junk and put in a nice EIC contactor with a good mil of cycles use v.s. cheap crappola 10,000 cycles


You put WD-40 in it? Might as well trash it now.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

A good machine tool relay is a nice option. 

If you spray WD-40 on the contactor, step to the side and throw the switch. Watch the flame reach for a victim.


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## LBC Jesse (Apr 26, 2012)

maybe a weak coil.... I can build ya one like this...


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Cletis said:


> Have a large contactor (8 pole I think) making huge humming noise. It's fine for a while then huge humming sometimes goes away. Think it has like 60 amps of lighting load on it. I think it's a cheap DP style (which may account). I've heard things from laminations are off and WD-40 it, silicone pads between poles to clean, etc... I have also heard take it out since it's non UL listed DP junk and put in a nice EIC contactor with a good mil of cycles use v.s. cheap crappola 10,000 cycles


Not a true story. :no:


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*yep*

Ok. Well then when I go there later I'll take pics and write peter d. inside encloser. Would that work? YOu have a daily code word for me as I have 6 jobs today going on ??


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## LBC Jesse (Apr 26, 2012)

and these have 2.5 million electrical cycles (nema and iec rated)


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

LBC Jesse said:


> and these have 2.5 million electrical cycles (nema and iec rated)


You might have to sell Cleaduss some DIN rail to go along with those. Don't you suppose that would drive this project into the red if all he had figured in was some used drywall screws for mounting???


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## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

cletis, how many guys do u employ and what city are u in. i ask this cuz h get some of the most different work from resi **** to industrial. it must never get boring working for you!


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

LBC Jesse said:


> and these have 2.5 million electrical cycles (nema and iec rated)


What brand I cannot tell. The color looks like Telemechanique blue?
How many mechanical cycles are they rated for?

Edit. I see you're in the controls business. Do you have an online catalog. Who do you rep? I am sure now its not Tele as they cost alot and your signature says you sell less expensive stuff?


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

John Valdes said:


> What brand I cannot tell. The color looks like Telemechanique blue?
> How many mechanical cycles are they rated for?
> 
> Edit. I see you're in the controls business. Do you have an online catalog. Who do you rep? I am sure now its not Tele as they cost alot and your signature says you sell less expensive stuff?


It's a Mira apparently, or Cerus Industrial. Never heard of em.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

denny3992 said:


> cletis, how many guys do u employ and what city are u in.


He employs nobody because he's not an electrician. This whole thing is some act for some psychology research project he is doing.


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## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

Peter D said:


> He employs nobody because he's not an electrician. This whole thing is some act for some psychology research project he is doing.


so are u talking in third person? in not following the whole peter d is cletis to close!


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## LBC Jesse (Apr 26, 2012)

John Valdes said:


> What brand I cannot tell. The color looks like Telemechanique blue?
> How many mechanical cycles are they rated for?
> 
> Edit. I see you're in the controls business. Do you have an online catalog. Who do you rep? I am sure now its not Tele as they cost alot and your signature says you sell less expensive stuff?



Cerus Industrial (factory is in Portland, OR) the Mira style contactors are rated as such:
32a frame---9a, 12a, 18a, 25a & 32a= 15M mech, 2.5M elec
63a frame---35a, 40a, 50a, 63a= 12M mech, 2M elec
100a frame--- 65a, 75a, 85a, 95a 100a= 12M mech, 2M elec
130a- 400a frames 5M / 1M
400-800a 2.5M/ .5M

all with 5 year warrantys.. it took them several years to get NEMA's "blessing".. after repeatedly beating SqD and AB in operations (also meets or exceeds all IEC, UL, CUL, CE standards)

We are Distributors for Cerus Industrial, Federal Pacific transformers, saginaw enclosures, as well as stocking all the other major brands (SqD, GE, Siemens, Cutler.. etc etc..) we also just aquired a Temp Power skid company (pyramidpowersolutions.com)

we have fun selling breakers and control.. we take it pretty dang serious , test all of our used items, and buy all our new from reputable/ legal vendors...


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

Brand new contactors it appears


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## LBC Jesse (Apr 26, 2012)

yeah thats a CR463L80AJA... 8p 30a elec held w/ 120v coil... the buzzing may be the coil getting weak would be my first guess... $38 part should fix it... if not the coil.. then its either the base where the power poles attach ($88 part).. or the power poles themselves ($68 part)... just my thoughts..


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Redacted for being stupid and not reading thoroughly.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Cletis must have been trespassing again.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Going_Commando said:


> Is that #12 or #10 on terminals only rated for up to 14 awg? Maybe my eyes are just messing with me.


It says coil terminals, the contactor terminals are probably rated for up to #10.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Peter D said:


> It says coil terminals, the contactor terminals are probably rated for up to #10.


Derp. I hate it when I type stupid stuff like that. I think I have been on this website too long, just looking for problems where there aren't any.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Zog said:


> You put WD-40 in it? Might as well trash it now.


 I know a guy that tried that on his brakes when the wear-indicator started squealing. It happened years ago and I still haven't let him live it down.

-John


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Peter D said:


> It says coil terminals, the contactor terminals are probably rated for up to #10.


Actually those POS contactors have very small coil terminals.


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

Peter D said:


> Not a true story. :no:





Cletis said:


> Ok. Well then when I go there later I'll take pics and write peter d. inside encloser. Would that work? YOu have a daily code word for me as I have 6 jobs today going on ??





Cletis said:


> Brand new contactors it appears


nice Cletis :thumbup:

PeterD :jester::whistling2:


for those keeping score:
Cletis 3
PeterD 0


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

BBQ said:


> Actually those POS contactors have very small coil terminals.



Once again, never, ever speak where the BBQ hasn't spoken yet. You're guaranteed to lose.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Peter D said:


> Once again, never, ever speak where the BBQ hasn't spoken yet. You're guaranteed to lose.


I just remember jamming 12 AWG into them and they were listed for 14. :jester:

Crappy GE junk.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

BBQ said:


> I just remember jamming 12 AWG into them and they were listed for 14. :jester:
> 
> Crappy GE junk.


Yeah, I remember is was almost impossible to get #10 into the RR7 terminals at your favorite fabric store.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Aren't those capable of being mechanically held with the right parts? I bought one of those or a similar model earlier this year and had it set up that way.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

nrp3 said:


> Aren't those capable of being mechanically held with the right parts? I bought one of those or a similar model earlier this year and had it set up that way.


Yes, you can do that.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

It was handy too, two wire set up, directly replaced the electrically held one with no additional wiring. As for quality, haven't had enough experience with this stuff to know. Made the noise go away and a nice markup.


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## noarcflash (Sep 14, 2011)

I do mostly residential work. How can I learn about lighting contactors ? any why they use them. Maybe one day I'll work for a commerical company....


Thanks !!!


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

noarcflash said:


> I do mostly residential work. How can I learn about lighting contactors ? any why they use them. Maybe one day I'll work for a commerical company....
> 
> Thanks !!!


If you have a lot of lights, and they all need to turn out at the same time (like, for example, parking lot lights when it gets dark), you'd be hard-pressed to find a photocell capable of handling anything more than a few amps. Therefore, you use a contactor. The photocell's only function is to energize the coil of the contactor, which closes it, along with several terminal contacts attached to it. Those contacts are much heavier-duty, and can handle larger amperage circuits.

It's just like a heavy duty relay.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

erics37 said:


> If you have a lot of lights, and they all need to turn out at the same time (like, for example, parking lot lights when it gets dark), you'd be hard-pressed to find a photocell capable of handling anything more than a few amps. Therefore, you use a contactor. The photocell's only function is to energize the coil of the contactor, which closes it, along with several terminal contacts attached to it. Those contacts are much heavier-duty, and can handle larger amperage circuits.
> 
> It's just like a heavy duty relay.


I designate you the forum :nerd:.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Peter D said:


> I designate you the forum :nerd:.


Thank you :nerd:


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## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

BBQ said:


> Crappy GE junk.


 
I agree, those contactors are junk.


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## noarcflash (Sep 14, 2011)

erics37 said:


> If you have a lot of lights, and they all need to turn out at the same time (like, for example, parking lot lights when it gets dark), you'd be hard-pressed to find a photocell capable of handling anything more than a few amps. Therefore, you use a contactor. The photocell's only function is to energize the coil of the contactor, which closes it, along with several terminal contacts attached to it. Those contacts are much heavier-duty, and can handle larger amperage circuits.


so the coil is 120v, and the contactor poles are rated whatever needed. is there a wiring diagram online somewhere ?

thx for the info.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

noarcflash said:


> so the coil is 120v, and the contactor poles are rated whatever needed. is there a wiring diagram online somewhere ?
> 
> thx for the info.


You can get contactors with coils at just about any standard control voltage. Some varieties can even be changed out without having to get a new unit entirely.

And yeah, the poles are rated for whatever you need. The higher the rating, the more expense of course. Lots of times it's better to use several smaller contactors than one big one.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

denny3992 said:


> change to a mech held, elec operated if possible! no noise ever!


THAT IS NOT TRUE, it makes noise when it pulls in and drops out.:thumbup:


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

BBQ said:


> I just remember jamming 12 AWG into them and they were listed for 14. :jester:
> 
> Crappy GE junk.


That also they have very lousy AIC rating as well I don't know if you allready see GE contractor blow up but myself I did see couple so far.

Merci,
Marc


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## deverson (Feb 15, 2012)

Dust or dirt on the pole faces. Disassemble and clean. reassemble, disassemble again because you forgot something and reassemble.


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