Self Serve - Breaker in control box getting stuck
- Thread starter Nknjeim
- Start date
JGinther
Zip-tie engineer
I think you mean the contactor - the relay that puts power to the motor. Is that what you are talking about? A breaker will 'trip' and turn off power to the motor, but it will stay that way until it gets manually reset. They don't "get stuck". A stuck contactor means your contactor is either defective, or you possibly have a short circuit downstream that is causing the contacts in the the contactor to weld to eachother - effectively making the contactor stuck. But in that case, you would trip a breaker soon after turning it on.
Yes it's the contactor (sorry)
It happens once (maybe) every 10 uses. I think as you said I have a bad contactor, otherwise, it won't work for not even once if I have a short circuit downstream, and also the breaker would trip too.
mjwalsh
6 bay SS w/laundromat
Based on our first hand experience ... your contactor possibly was undersized. In other words the amp rating for the contacts was too low for your equipment. Yes ... manufacturers have been known to undersize the needed amp rating so it is not always an operator or a former owner!
Probably so, even though this carwash has the same contractor since it was built in 1997.
The problem is only in one bay, that started couple of weeks ago, and all others are working fine.
I will replace this contactor and see what happens.
Thanks
The problem is only in one bay, that started couple of weeks ago, and all others are working fine.
I will replace this contactor and see what happens.
Thanks
MEP001
Well-known member
What exactly is "stuck?" Does the motor stay running after time runs out? Or does the bay not work and after a few hours starts to work again? If it's the latter, it's probably the thermal overload tripping, taking some time to cool down and resetting automatically, assuming it's set to do so.
It's not going to be an undersized contactor or it wouldn't have worked for the last 23 years.
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PrecisionPyro
Member
I would never advise anyone to work on electricity while it's active, however if it were me, I'd check to see if the contactor has 24vac on the coil side while it's running, when is not supposed to. You'll rule out any sort of other issues (timer-panel) ETC, is there is no voltage there while running. Again, I would not recommend anyone do that unless properly equipped and trained... But that's what I would check first. Simple free test before replacing parts.
MEP001
Well-known member
Also look at the contactor, there's a bar in the center that you can push in to manually close the contacts and run the motor. If the one giving you problems doesn't look like it's coming all the way out like the others, one of the contacts is fused closed, which means it needs to be replaced.
Yes this bar is stuck and not coming out, even if I try to pull it out, it doesn’t come out and keeps the motor running, until I recycle the breaker.
Thanks
JGinther
Zip-tie engineer
Based on this latest info, you need to trace down a control wiring or component problem. Something is likely powering the contactor coil if turning the breaker off makes it release. You need to check for control voltage when it's stuck on like mentioned above. If you have full control voltage there, you need to trace it back to the culprit. If your equipment is 23 years old, it's probably operated by a rotary switch. I'm assuming changing the rotary switch position doesn't release the contactor when it's stuck...? Might be helpful to post equipment type and if you have credit cards or manual override controls. Still could be the contactor though. Another assumption - no other work has recently been done, right? If some work was recently done, that could help narrow down the cause as well.
PrecisionPyro
Member
Any progress on this? Hoping you've corrected your issue?
A contractor has been ordered...(not received yet)
Will update you once installed; Thanks!
* CONTACTOR not contractor (auto spell)
Dan-Ark
Active member
If turning off the breaker releases the contactor than I would bet on the coil staying energized (see above timers, switches, etc hints). If the contactor releases (you see the bar in the middle pop back out) then sadly, a new contactor may not fix it.