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Old 07-22-2014, 02:18 AM   #5 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thingstodo View Post
Vacuum contactors work fine for both AC and DC. They do not use magnetic blowouts. They are a bit more expensive than a DC contactor. And of course you'd need 3 phases instead of 2.

I use a DC contactor from the battery pack to the controller. If you shut off the power to the controller, the motor (AC or DC) will coast (or the AC can regen, depending on how your controller is set up).

An AC contactor (perhaps with an overload block) would go between the controller and motor. Are you using the contactor for reversing?
I am not using the contactor for reversing, it is just for isolating the battery pack from the controller, DC-DC converter etc.
This contactor will see current from the battery pack to the controller and when in regen will see current from controller to battery pack. This is why i was worried about contactors that had polarity markings on the case for the main contacts.
The Vacuum contactors you mentioned, would these be like the contactors from Kilovac?
I was looking at the Kilovac contactors on eBay and in the photos they have polarity marking on the main contacts.

Contactors aren't cheap and i would hate to get the wrong type.
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