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OT: 12V Solenoid/Contactor Preference

CatMan

Hot Rolled
Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Location
Brandon, MS
What's everyone's brand preference when it comes to 12V solenoids & contactors?

I've been using a White Rodgers unit. They have been fine, but we have started to experience multiple failures lately.

I'd like to know what everyone else has experienced for good reliability.

I'd be looking for a unit in the 40A-100A range. I'd prefer to stay with the stud type. I realize that there are relays that wouldn't have as many moving parts, but sliding on spade connectors doesn't really work for all I'm trying to feed.
 
You do not say what the application is. Or the actual problem. Many contactors are made for specific applications and may perform better if matched to the application. Otherwise you are just buying a relay. The solid state ones should eliminate problems with the contacts pitting which is a common problem with relays and contactors. But they need to be closely matched to the circuit parameters. And may need more ventilation. How you specify it is an important step. Often an increase in the rated current, within reason, can produce a great increase in the operational life for just a small increase in price.

For a quality product I would go to known manufacturers who have been in business for a while. Avoid internet only sources and white box imports. The manufacturers below predate the internet and generally have quality products.

Manufacturers like these are well established and make quality products:

Potter & Brumfield
Square D
Siemens
Eaton Cutler Hammer
GE
Schneider Electric
TE Connectivity


Some Sources:

Mechanical:

https://www.newark.com/w/c/automati...FIg V9rCN8eDTILtGa6PLwPYeerLRKX4E/QwWU0SyqajQ

Contactors - Motor Controls - Grainger Industrial Supply

McMaster-Carr

Internal Error


Solid State:

https://www.newark.com/w/search/prl...qeNZk4t&ddkey=https:en-US/Element14_US/search

https://www.grainger.com/search?searchBar=true&searchQuery=solid+state+Contactors

https://www.mcmaster.com/solid-state-contactors

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/relays/contactors-solid-state/970?k=contactor


Many more legit sources.
 
Gotta add im strongly opposed to SSR's, i seam to swap more broken ones of thoes than i ever do relays and because they nearly all fail on they often cause hell and all damage too. I see a lot of burn out motors and damaged gear boxes do to them jamming on, on wood chip industrial heating boilers across a few diffrent brands too.

Sure i get the supposed higher cycle count life, but honestly a socketed relay or even a bloody wired - stud one is fast, cheap and easy to swap out. Plus the other big selling point for most mechanical relays, you can normally clean em up and get the buggers running again at least till you can get a replacement in. Most of em, you can pop apart, a little fine wet and dry on the contacts and they will normally easily and reliably get you into the next week.

Brand wise i like Alen Bradly and Omron. Schneider (sp) and TE are good too. None are cheap, but they all go and go. Equally if its something that needs to just work, slapping in the next size up relay really buys you a lot lot higher MTTF.

As does adding some arc suppression on the load. Loads of things skip it, but honestly that little cap and resistor is all it takes to get rid of a horrific amount of arcing and stop burning your contacts up. Over here you can get them for less than a couple of quid each all in one nice little potted lump and they realy earn there keep fast! On a frequently switched relay.


For circuit board stuff if im repairing it and likely to see it again i always try and put PCB mounted ones in socket carriers, like this i have seen some full on inferno level fails that have not harmed the control board, though there's not always space for a socket to retrofit. But some of the sockets are very retrofit-able to a board so i do it when i can.
 








 
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