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Will feeding the contactor's A1-A2 solenoid with DC damage the coil? Must I use a lower/higher voltage than the nominal AC? Thanks very much for any pointers.
It depends on the core of the contactor, some can operate with ac or dc.
If its a ac only coil and you drive it with dc for long periods you could burn it out.
Should say on the contactor if its ac or dc.
Whats the application, maybe we can help in other ways.
From experience the coil will work with DC but at a much lower voltage. It will get too hat with DC at the same voltage.
I used a variable transformer to find that the coil, rated at 120VAC, operated down to 70VAC (slow and poor).
Then using a variable DC supply I found the same [slow and poor] point and increased to a good point with about the same heating of the coil.
You know the contactor was not designed for this!
I just tried a medium sized relay and the coil appears to have the same pull in strength at 1/2 voltage DC.
You know the contactor was not designed for this!
Your results may very and is not guaranteed.
You know the contactor was not designed for this!
I think Ron is trying to tell that the contactor was not designed for this! Also the armature may become magnetized to some point and hold the contactor in after power is removed.
Yes, there are 2 kinds of core material for ac contactors, some are laminated (big ones) and some are just solid, sometimes with a shunt attached.
Remenance (magnetisation) as kinarfi says might also mess things up.
I understand contactors are pricey.
You might still be able to use them, switch ac with your dc signal using a small control relay and use that for the contactors coil, small control relays are a fraction of the cost.
I understand contactors are pricey.
You might still be able to use them, switch ac with your dc signal using a small control relay and use that for the contactors coil, small control relays are a fraction of the cost.
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Also the armature may become magnetized to some point and hold the contactor in after power is removed.
