Contactor Coil Voltage and Control Devices
At 0:53 in
Master Electrician Dad teaches Son how to Deal with Commercial Lighting using a Contactor, Thoughts?
What happens here
The presenter explains that despite the main lighting circuit operating at 277 volts, the contactor's control coil is typically rated for and powered by 120 volts. This is a common design choice because the devices used to control the contactor—namely a time clock (a TORK brand timer is shown), a photocell, and the simple wall-mounted light switch—are generally 120-volt devices. By using a 120V coil, these standard control components can easily activate the contactor, which then safely switches the higher voltage (277V) to the lighting fixtures.
Goal: Understand why a contactor coil uses a specific voltage (120V) and the components that control it
Tools and materials
- Contactor — The central electrical component that switches the main lighting circuit based on control signals
- Light Switch — The manual input device that activates the control circuit, turning lights on or off
- Photocell — A device used to automatically control the contactor based on ambient light levels (e.g., turning lights on at dusk)
- Time Clock TORK — A device used to automatically control the contactor based on pre-set time schedules
What they say
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What they say
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