The “Across Line Magnetic Starter” is the simplest method of controlling 3-phase motor using a magnetic contactor,
Figure 3: Schematic diagram of the control and power circuits of the “Across The Line Magnetic Starter”.
Control Operation
Referring
to Figure 3, after the main circuit breaker CB is closed, the IDLE pilot lamp
indicator is *energized (turn on) indicating that the motor is at stand still
condition.
Magnetic
contactor C, RUN and FAULT pilot lamp indicator are still in the de-energized
(turn off) state.
When the START push
button is pressed, magnetic contactor C
is *energized.
With contactor C
energized, contacts C(1-2, 3-4, and 5-6) will
be closed and they
connect the motor M to the 3-phase supply
lines (L1, L2, and
L3).
The motor will run
(rotate).
Contacts (11-12) will
open and make the IDLE pilot lamp de-
energized.
Contacts (13-14) will
be closed and maintain contactor C at
energized state even
if the push button switch is released**.
The RUN pilot lamp is
energized to indicate that the motor is
running (rotating).
When the STOP push
button is pressed, the current through the magnetic contactor C is cut off**.
Magnetic contactor
C is de-energized**.
Contacts C (1-2,
3-4, 5-6) will open and they will de-energized motor M.
Contacts C (11-12)
will closed and it will make the IDLE lamp energized* again to indicate that
the motor goes back to its stand still condition.
Contacts C (13-14)
will open to release contactor C from its maintained energize state.
The RUN lamp is
also de-energized.
When the motor
operates* at more than its rated capacity (overloaded), it will draw an
overload current above its rated current.
The thermally
operated device O.L. (1-2, 3-4, 5-6) set to operate at the rated current of the
motor will overheat.
This thermally
operated device will expand and push a mechanism that will open the normally
closed contacts O.L. (95-96 and will close the normally open contact O.L.
(95-98).
Opening contacts
O.L. (95-96) will cut off the current through the contactor C.
This is similar as
if the STOP push button is pressed.
Closing the
normally open contacts O.L. (95-98) will make the BUZZER to alarm and alert an
operator that something goes wrong with the operation.
The FAULT lamp is
also energized* and will be lighted.
The lighted FAULT
lamp will inform the operator which motor from a group of motors is at fault.
The circuit involve
in starting and stopping starts from line L1, contact I of contactor C,
contacts (95-96) of overload relay O.L., contacts (1-2) of stop push button,
contacts (3-4) of start push button or contacts (13-14) of contactor C, contact
3 of contactor C and the line L2.
Across the Line
Magnetic Starter is applied to motors whose locked rotor current is only a few
times more than the full load current of the motor.
* - The terms: energize,
activate, operate, run, turn-on, switch on, and start; are sometimes used
interchangeably in the proceeding explanation of control circuit operation. The
terms are to indicate that a machine or an equipment commence to function and is
now taking electrical energy from the source.
** - The terms:
de-energize, stops, de-activate, turn-off, switch off, cut-off, and released
are often used interchangeably. Those terms are used to indicate that a machine
or an equipment stops from functioning and taking energy from the source.