Talk:Contactor
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[edit] Buzzing
When a contactor develops a buzzing sound, do they usually need to be replaced? I have that problem in a breaker box attached to my hydrokinetic heating unit. My contractor has consistently told me the buzzing sound is irrevalent. Since winter is upon us with cold temperatures and I have an off peak/on peak system depending on these contactors doing their job to heat the auxilary water tanks for on peak heat when temperatures lower than 30 for a heat pump, I think the contactors are beginning to fail. Reason being.....every few days the heat temperatures in our house begin to drop about 3 points. Am I right on my inclination and am I being scammed by the electrical installer????
- Wikipedia is the last place to look for fix-it information. Why don't you trust your contractor? Try another contractor? --Wtshymanski 18:35, 1 February 2007 (UTC)
- Use a DC rectified coil in the contactor, this will reduce any noise (also called chatter)80.195.94.134 00:15, 25 April 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Mention buzzing
How can Contactor not mention noise? Relay clearly says
Contactor relays can be extremely loud to operate, making them unfit for use where noise is a chief concern.
therefore how could it be that the Contactor page itself not mention noise, and what, if anything, one should do about it?! (One supposes the noise they are referring to is buzzing.) Jidanni (talk) 01:14, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
- Wikipedia should explain how things work and what they are used for, but not provide detailed instructions for designing or repairing things. Both relays and contactors make a noise when the contacts open or close. The noise level is proportional to the size of the device and the number of contacts. A small relay makes a soft click that may be difficult to hear. A large contactor makes a thud. I would not say that it is extremely loud, but you will certainly hear it if it is nearby and there is not a lot of other noise in the area. Contactors and large relays may hum or buzz when they are energized with AC power, but they can not ordinarily be heard very far away or in the presence of significant background noise. The buzzing of a contactor that energizes a nearby motor shold not be heard over the noise of that motor. It may not fail anytime soon, but it is not a good quality product either. -- C J Cowie (talk) 02:22, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
Yes, but a contactor, when first installed, makes a tiny buzz, but as the years go by, the buzz gets louder. The consumer wonders which of:
- normal, live with it
- dust off with forced air
- time to replace
- pending disaster
