Influence of Source Voltage on Various Characteristics of a Contactor Comparing Make Only, Break Only and Make and Break Arcs

Experiments at several source voltages have been carried out to clarify the influence of the voltage on various characteristics, such as arc duration, contact resistance and electrode mass change. In previous experiments, arc was generated only at break and at both make and break. In this report, arc is generated only at make. When only a make arc occurs, arc is generated by bounce of contacts. The source voltages are changed from DC100V to 160V, load current is set to 5A constant, and an electromagnetic contactor is operated continuously up to 100,000 times. As a result, the source voltage doesn't influence average contact resistance and arc duration was very short. In addition, the crater was caused on the contact surface of the anode side. On the other hand, the pip was formed in the cathode side.