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Does a contactor need to be grounded? |
| Use only 600 volt wire. Lamp cord, extension cords are not rated 600 volt. Use copper wire only. Aluminum wire is fire risk and should be avoided or installed by professional. 30 amp breaker use 10 gauge / 120-240 volt 30 amp outlet can be installed on 30 amp breaker only/ use 10 gauge wire ... cannot be connected to 15-20-40 amp breaker.  Orange/ #10 gauge wire, with ground ... 30 amp capacity. Safe maximum: 30 x 80% = 24 amps. Buy: 10-2 gauge/ 30 amp 10-3/ 30 amp Southwire electric tools |
Yellow
12 gauge 20 amp 120 volt 20 amp outlet can be installed on 20 amp breaker, but not 15 amp breaker/ use 12 ga wire. ... cannot be connected to 30-40 amp breaker. 1  Yellow/ #12 gauge wire, with ground ... 20 amp capacity. Safe maximum 16 amps. Buy: 12-2 gauge/ 20 amp 12-3/ 20 amp NMB is house wiring UF is underground Rolls of stranded wire HOOK UP Wires |
White
14 gauge 15 amp 120 volt 15 amp outlet, AFCI, GFCI, timer, switch etc can be installed on 15 or 20 amp breaker. Never connect 15 gauge wire to 20-30-40 amp breaker.  White/ #14 gauge wire, with ground ... 15 amp capacity. Safe maximum 12 amps. Buy: 14-2 gauge/ 15 amp 14-3/ 15 amp NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
| 50-60
amp breaker use 6 gauge / 240 volt 50 outlet can be installed on 50 amp breaker only  Buy: 6-2 wire Southwire electric tools NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
40-50
amp breaker use 8 gauge / 240 volt 40 amp outlet can be installed on 40 or 50 amp breaker only  Buy: 8-2 wire Southwire electric tools NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
  Copper ground wire. Every device, load, metal enclosure etc must be grounded. Ground wire must be continuous throughout installation, never switched on-off, never used as a Neutral wire. Generally ... use same size as other wire in circuit Buy: 12 gauge copper ground wire Ground wire Green ground wire Ground pigtails Ground rods/ ground clamps at Amazon |
 Non metallic flexible cables must carry ground wire, but do not have hazard of short circuit causing injury from shock. Armored steel cable can be used as a grounded connection, and will protect wires from damage. Metal can be energized from an insulation failure. All conduit ...metal, plastic ... flexible and rigid ... must be attached to structure, and attached to enclosures, boxes. Movement, damage and deterioration are major cause of electrical failure. Buy: Non-metallic flexible conduit Power whip Armored cable Southwire armored cable cutter Pull boxes |
 Electrical tools must be insulated. Always best to disconnect power, but insulation failure, lack of proper grounding, grounded neutral, lack of GFCI, out-of-code wiring, generator operating without transfer switch, and other problems still pose a risk to anyone working on electric power ... even when breaker is off. Buy: Electrician tools kits KLEIN TOOLS Tools kits IRWIN tools KNIPEX Telephone cable knife Low Voltage Mounting Bracket for Telephone |
Push-on wire connectors in place of twist-on connectorsBuy:Push on wire connectors Amazon Red 3P connector for 10-14 gauge wire Lever connectors for stranded wire at Amazon HOOK UP Wires |
 Protect wiring from damage Use nipper instead of pliers or screwdriver for removing staples (and nails). Do not damage cable or wires inside cable. -Code says: Cable SHALL BE secured without damage to the outer covering. NEC sec. 336-15 Buy End cutting nippers at Amazon |
  Electrically insulated tools When removing insulation from wire, do NOT score or put cuts on surface of copper wire. Doing so increases resistance and heat on wire and creates possible weak point. Buy tools: KLEIN TOOLS Wire strippers at Amazon Electric Wire Stripping Machine Linesman pliers Utility knife at Amazon |
 Multimeters Voltage is tested across two separate wires. Ohms or resistance is tested across both ends of same wire. Amperage is tested along one or two points on same wire. Buy: Analog multimeter Multimeters at Amazon Klein multimeter Electric testers at Amazon Clampmeter for testing amp flow on line |
 GFCI circuit breaker A GFCI circuit breaker will protect all boxes on circuit. Circuit must be grounded. Ground wire must be continuous and connected to each piece of equipment. White wire on circuit breaker must be connected to Neutral busbar inside the breaker panel. Buy GFCI circuit breakers |
Push down 1" wide Push down breaker Plug-in breaker Buy single-pole: Choose from 15 to 60 amp Eaton CL series Siemens 15-60 amp Single-pole tandem breaker Tandem breakers |
Push down 2" wide Push down breaker Plug-in breakers Buy double-pole: Choose from 15 to 125 amp Choose from 15 amp to 200 amp Eaton CL series circuit breaker Siemens circuit breaker Double pole GFCI |
 Question:
Does a contactor need to be grounded?Metal base, yes. Plastic base, no. Answer: Anything metal is required to be grounded... the base of a contactor or relay is often metal ... and must be grounded. If contactor or relay is mounted inside metal enclosure, the enclosure must be grounded using a green ground screw, or grounded through the metal conduit. If the metal box is grounded, and the contactor is attached to metal box using screws that penetrate the powder coating of enclosure, then the contactor would be grounded also.  Buy:Indoor 6x6x4 metal pull box with cover and knock-outs Indoor 6x6x4 pull box with knockouts on 4 sides/ Wiegman Outdoor 6x6x4 box with bottom knockouts Indoor 6x6x4 metal pull box with cover and knock-outs/ Raco Indoor/ hinged door 10x10 x 6 / Bud Industries Indoor / hinged door/ 6x8x4 box / Bud Industries A plastic or polycarbonate enclosure is not grounded... and the contactor is bolted to the plastic or screwed to a metal plate that is attached to enclosure.  BuyPlastic enclosure Metal plate that screws into enclosure I have my water heater timer in a plastic enclosure and do not have the metal-base contactor grounded . There is a ground wire inside the box, but the ground does not connect to base of contactor. The ground wire is connected to each cable as required by code. Since the box is electrically-rated plastic enclosure (not homemade box), and body of contactor is also plastic, it is difficult to imagine that a short circuit would energize the base of contactor, and if it did, it's difficult to imagine how it would cause damage as long as enclosure door was kept closed. What does electric code call for? Residential and commercial codes are often different. It certainly wouldn't be against code to ground a metal-base contactor inside a plastic box. Personally, for my home, I can't see how it would matter if the contactor base was ungrounded since the purpose of the ground is to supply a low-resistance pathway to earth for any short circuit... as long as base of contactor is not near any of the electrical connections. Resources Enclosures noisy contactor |
 Solution for grounding a contactor when no ground wire is available: Install a
non-metallic contactor
Use solid state relay  Buy: DC relays Solid state relays Buy: Kripal 3-pole contactor/ they email asking which coil voltage |
 Electrical Code and safety is
first consideration:Contactor must be attached inside enclosure (box) that is rated for electrical temperatures Do not use enclosures such as wooden box or plastic household box etc. Enclosure must have
cover that is made to fit tight
Enclosure cannot be open to the air ... or have ventilation slats or fan etc Enclosure must be attached to structure The incoming volt and amp rating must match wire size, breaker size, and device rating. Not enough voltage and contactor chatters. Too much voltage and contactor melts. Undersized wire for the breaker rating can overheat wires. Buy: Cantex 6x6x4 PVC plastic enclosure with cover Thomas and Betts 6x6x4 plastic with cover Altelix enclosures 17x14x6 Polycarbonate Polycarbonate enclosures Resource: Safe electric wiring |
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Chattering contactor/ relay If voltage going to contactor coil does not match coil rating, the contactor will rapidly open and close, causing a chattering sound. Correct voltage contactors and relays will 'chatter' when voltage is low (less than 80% rated value) ... ....they get hot and the coil melts (shorts out) if voltage is too high With 240 volt contactors that receives power from two hot lines Low voltage on one line vrs another line... You would tape tester leads to wood sticks then test each hot wire to ground wire for voltage reading .... Voltage irregularities are from the power company... If one leg of their 3 phase output is lagging or overload so the draw from each leg is not balanced, that can create issues Or if the transformer that supplies power to your location is malfunctioning off one leg, then it can affect household voltage There can be other issues ... the mathematics is way over my grade level difference-between-single-phase-and-3-phase How-to-wire-voltage-monitor AC vs DC Contactors are normally rated for AC (alternating current) and not DC (direct current from battery or solar panel). Most AC contactors have a rating for DC, as long as DC voltage is 12-24 volts, and sometimes 48 volts. If the contactor is rated AC and it is used for DC, then usually the point begin to burn, and eventually fuse together so Load does not turn off, or the wires melt followed by fire and complete failure. If contactor is not contained inside enclouse, a fire can spread. Unlike AC electricity, DC electricity has a arc that is diffricult to extinguish. DC can be cut off more successfully using multiple contact points. Contactors that are rated for higher volt DC are usually expensive. High volt DC relays are available in solid state. Buy: DC relays Solid state relays |
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Contactors can be
controlled by timer. The contactor handles the heavy amp load, and preserves the timer. Note the timer is protected with inline fuse : Buy: Single pole contactor 3-pole contactor ST01 battery operated timer Fuseholder Resources: How to wire 2 speed pump Delay timer for motor or pump ST01 timer |
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Din rail Some contactors and timers can be mounted on Din rail Add rubber spacer between rail and enclosure. Buy: Din rail timers THC15 timer THC15 Din rails Motor control contactor Resource: How to wire motor control contactor Din rail timers |
 Control boxes with din rail mountMultiple relays, contactors, fuseholder, and timers mounted inside enclosures on a din rail A din rail can be mounted inside any enclosure. Add rubber spacer between rail and enclosure.  Circuits can wired using a variety of devices ... such as blinking light display for holidays etc. Fuseholder or inline circuit breaker is recommended. Multiple overcurrent devices (fuse-breaker) can be used on single circuit   Buy: Din rail fuseholder 10 x 38 mm fuse Panel mount fuse holders at Amazon ANL fuseholder Fuse blocks at Amazon Din rail fuseholder 10 x 38 mm fuse Ceramic fuses at Amazon Fast acting ceramic fuses Electrical terminals Din rails Resources: Enclosures Din rail timers Delay timers Fuseholders  |
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Buy Electronic parts Industrial supplies Tools and home improvement Home and garden Hayward pool Pentair pool Southwire electric |
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Tools DEWALT Black and Decker Stanley SKIL Makita Porter-Cable Bosch Irwin Hand tools Klein hand tools Fluke electrical testing Dremel hobby tools Campbell Hausfeld air powered Tekton automotive Powerbuilt automotive Saws and saw blades |
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Resource: Compare box timers DPDT timers Intermatic Control water heater w/ Z-wave |
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Resource: Intermatic control centers: and parts Digital control centers and parts Tork control centers and parts Subpanels All control centers and parts Enclosures |
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Resource: Programmable timers Countdown timers Off delay timers On delay timers Timer modules Din rail Twin & one-shot Woods Intermatic Tork |
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Recirculation systems |
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