The efficient operation of motorized equipment is vital to many businesses and individual applications. This efficiency is maintained, in part, by effective starting and stopping of the motor as needed, as well as the safeguarding against overloading of the motor itself. Magnetic motor starters are indispensable devices across a variety of motorized applications.
What is a Magnetic Motor Starter?
A magnetic motor starter is a switching device that utilizes magnets to stop and start motors. Magnetic motor starters are used wherever electric motors with higher horsepower are operated. One of the key benefits of a magnetic motor starter is that the starting and stopping of the motor use a lower and safer voltage than the motor voltage itself. There are several types of starters, including manual, magnetic, soft-starts, multi-speed, and full-voltage types.
Typically, the magnetic motor starter consists of the following components: a set of stationary contacts and movable contacts. a solenoid coil, an electromagnet, pressure springs, and a moving armature. Commonly available types of magnetic motor starters include full voltage, reduced voltage, and reversing magnetic motor starters.
Operationally, this type of motor starter consists of an electrical “contactor,” which controls the electric current to the motor, and an overload that protects in case of a sudden loss of power. The contactor is similar to an electrical relay device but is designed to switch a greater amount of electrical power and handle higher voltage loads. The contactor portion of a motor starter closes the contacts on all phases of the electrical current very quickly, minimizing the potentially dangerous effects in the event of an overload. Contactors are typically made with normally open contacts, meaning the power will not flow to the load until the coil is activated, which closes the contactor. Coil activation is typically done by a control operator, either manual, i.e. a person pushing a button or flipping a switch, or automatically using a sensor or timer, which switches when a particular condition is reached.
Applications That Use Magnetic Motor Starters
Magnetic motor starters are utilized in a wide variety of applications, especially those whose motors draw several horsepowers or higher. Machines that draw smaller horsepowers generally utilize a simpler on-off switch. Some of the applications that often use magnetic motor starters include:
- Woodworking
- Automobiles, including Electric Vehicles
- Commercial Agricultural
- Oil and Gas
- Plastics
- Iron and Steel
- Mining
- Lumber
- Papermaking
- Food Processing
Do You Need a Magnetic Motor Starter?
As you can see, magnetic motor starters are used in a wide variety of industrial, commercial, and personal applications. If you rely on motors that use more than a few horsepowers to get the job done, then you may be interested in this type of motor starter for your particular application.
Contact Springer Controls Company
Springer Controls has been in business since 1996, serving the needs of numerous companies across a wide spectrum of industries. We offer a complete line of electrical controls. In addition to motor starters, our company offers power-switching devices, 22 mm & 30 mm pilot devices, hoist controls, signaling devices, and other control devices. If you have questions about how magnetic motor starters can help your business operations, the experts at Springer Controls are here to help – contact us today!