Contactor and Relay

Overview

Contactors and relays are the electromechanical switches in the control cabinet that apply power to the motor, operate the brake and prove the safety circuit is intact. They switch on every trip, so contact erosion and coil failure are a matter of when rather than if. One Elevator supplies replacement contactors, safety relays and the coil and contact sets used in most elevator control cabinets.

Applications

They are fitted in the control cabinets of passenger lifts, freight elevators, hospital beds lifts and escalator drives in residential blocks, office towers, hotels, hospitals and industrial sites, and suit OTIS, KONE, Schindler, Mitsubishi, ThyssenKrupp and Fujitec panels. Main contactors, brake contactors and safety relays are the three that generate the most call-outs, and symptoms include chattering, welded contacts, a burnt coil smell and a lift that stops at random floors.

Types and Range

• Main and motor contactors from 9 A to 400 A
• Brake contactors and brake control relays
• Safety relays and monitored relay units
• Auxiliary, timing and latching relays
• Contactors with AC and DC coils from 24 V to 400 V
• Auxiliary contact blocks, coils, arc chutes and spare contact sets

Coil voltage and contact rating are matched to the original cabinet specification.

Selection Guide

Order by confirming three things: coil voltage and frequency, contact rating and number of poles, and the auxiliary contact arrangement. Replace a contactor as a complete unit once the contacts are pitted, because filing them back changes the contact gap and shortens the life of the new part. Each unit is tested for pickup and dropout voltage, contact resistance and insulation before dispatch. Where two contactors share the same duty, we recommend replacing both, since the second one is usually close behind the first.

Ordering and Lead Time

Tell us the cabinet model, coil voltage and contact rating, and we will cross-reference the part and return a firm quote, usually within 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions

How do I select a contactor?

Give us the coil voltage, the contact rating and the utilisation category. A contactor rated for AC-1 will not last in an AC-3 duty.

When should a contactor be replaced?

When the contacts are pitted or the coil buzzes. Pitted contacts heat up and eventually weld, which takes the whole control circuit down.

Can you match a discontinued contactor or relay?

Often, yes. Send the old part number with the coil voltage and we will check it against current patterns before you order.