Components & Symbols

Used in Electrical Circuits

 Schematics & Notations
• Understanding drawings, especially electrical
drawings requires a keen understanding of
schematics, symbols & other details used to
represent components.

• Continual practice & a habit of reading the starter

Panel drawing before attempting to troubleshoot it
is the key to comprehending Electrical Starter
Panels & machinery in general
 Schematics &
Notations
• The bibliography of starter Panels on board
generally contains vital information as regard
how the maker has represented various
components of the starter or panel
internals.

• Due reference to this is a must though

generally parallels may be drawn form
experience.
 Contacts
Normally Open Contact

Normally Closed Contact

Normally Open Contact with

terminals
Normally Closed Contact with
terminals

Start Push Button ( NO Contact )

Stop Push Button ( NC Contact )

Relays & Coils
Relay coil / Contactor Coil

Timer Relay Coil ( on Delay )

Timer Relay Coil ( off Delay )

Other Components
Operated by pushing

Operated by turning ( Latch )

Emergency Switch ( Mushroom Head Safety

Feature )

Operated by pushing ( & then latches on )

Operated by turning ( spring return )

Other Components

Potential Transformer / Control Transformer

Secondary winding has less turns and Primary has
more turns. Used for connecting volt meters

Current Transformer
Secondary has more turns and Primary has less turns.
Used for connecting Amp meters.

Indicating Lamp ( Transformer Type )

 Other Components

Heater

Device fitted outside the panel ( indicated by dashed

lines )

Solenoid Valve
SV
 THE RELAYS

A very important component in an Electrical Circuit.

A relay is a simple electromechanical switch made up of an electromagnet

and a set of contacts. Relays are found hidden in all sorts of devices. In fact,
some of the first computers ever built used relays to implement.

Relay Construction
Relays are amazingly simple devices.
There are four parts in every relay:
1.The Electromagnet
2.The Armature that is attracted by the electromagnet
3.A Spring
4.A Set of electrical contacts
Relays
Factors when looking
at a relay

•Coil terminals
•Number of switching
contact sets
•Rating of the coil
•Rating of the contact
•Structure of the pin
layout
 Relay representation
N/O are called ‘a’
contacts
N/O
Contacts
This relay represented has a
coil which operates on ac
voltage & has 2 N/O contacts
& two NC contacts.
220 V ac
Many such possibilities may
be presented depending upon
the number of contacts

Coil N/C
Contacts
N/C are called ‘b’
contacts
Relay Format

The coil is found between

terminals 2 & 10. Contacts
1 & 4 and 8 & 11 and 5 &
6 are normally closed.
When the coil is energized
the contact switch over to
1 & 3 ( closed ) & 11 & 9
and 6 & 7 (closed).
 Relay Format
4 5
3 6
2 7
1 8 The coil is found between
terminals 2 & 7. Contacts 1 &
4 and 8 & 5 are normally
closed.
When the coil is energized the
8 pin format contact switch over to 1 & 3 ;
&8&6
Analyzing the requirement
Timer Relays
A delay timer that waits for a predetermined amount of time
before closing a set of contacts once the power is applied.

Terminals 2 & 7
Coil
Terminals 1 & 3 Set of contacts 1
Terminals 1 & 4 Set of contacts 2
Analyzing the requirement
Timer Relays
Relay that closes/switches on a set of contacts immediately
when a coil is energized, then waits for a pre determined time
to switch them off/open after the power is removed.

Terminals 2 & 7
Coil
Terminals 1 & 3 Set of contacts 1
Terminals 1 & 4 Set of contacts 2

T
Contactor - Example
Contactor

Auxiliary
contacts
Main
Contacts or
power
contacts
Starter Routines
Motor starter panel routines includes inspection
and maintenance of motor’s starter panel.

Starter panel routines mean inspection and cleaning of

contactor’s (the switch inside the starter panel box
controlling the on and off of the motors) contacts.

Checking of connections in the starter panel

Cleaning of the complete starter panel

Checks in the terminal box on the motor for loose

Connections

Visual inspection of overall starter panel

 Safety Measures to be Followed While
Starting Motor Starter Panel Routines

• Switch off the main power supply from the circuit breaker
• Take out the main fuses in the starter panel, and if required control fuses
as well
• Put the lock out tag
• Inform the engineer who is in charge of that particular machinery
Fixed Contacts
THE FIXED AND MOVING CONTACTS
EFFECTS OF EXCESSIVE USE OF CONTACTS
 Thermal Overload Relay

Heater coils of the

thermal overload Relay

Contact operated by the overload relay with

resetting option.

NC NO
 Reading Diagrams

• Diagrams are always drawn in a state of rest i.e. without

power – also known as the de-energized state.
• They are read from left to right.
• Generally devices with the same power level are drawn at the
same horizontal level.
• The components are identified by two ways, Cartesian system
( co-planar ) or by a line diagram system.
• If the diagram runs into a few pages then reference to pages
is made near the component.
MAGNETIC CONTACTOR OPERATION
Star Delta Starter
QUERIES ?
There are two other differences between an AC and DC solenoid:

1) The iron core of the coil, the electromagnet, is solid for DC and layered
for AC to avoid loss in iron due to eddy current.

2)The AC solenoid has a "split pole" - a part of the layered pole (around 30%
of cross sectional area) has a copper ring as short circuit so that in this part
of the magnet the maximum and minimum of magnetic intensity is phase
shifted by 90° in respect to the main part of the pole, and therefore avoiding
chattering of the solenoid by having a total magnetic force that is always well
above zero when actuated.
Comparison of AC vs. DC Solenoids

As a general rule, DC solenoids are typically preferred over AC solenoids for several reasons. For
example, when space constraints are tight, a DC solenoid will usually give better performance in a
smaller package than will a comparable AC solenoid. In addition, DC solenoids have the capability of
being modified in such a fashion as to prevent the pole faces from making contact at the end of the
stroke. In AC solenoid applications, this type of noise dampening would very likely cause premature
overheating and failure. AC solenoids require great care to ensure precise alignment of the plunger's
pole face to the stator pole face. This facilitates the pole faces making contact with as much surface
area as possible in the energized state which will reduce the amount of hum or chattering in the AC
unit. However, in a similar DC application, a slight gap between the pole pieces at the end of the
stroke can have a drastic effect on improving the overall life of the solenoid.

When looking inside the AC solenoid stator cavity at the stator pole piece, there is a small ring
inserted into the face of the stator pole. This ring is known as a shading coil and is designed to
obtain minimal pulsing in force. What this means is that the coil splits the pole into two separate
parts which causes the flux of these parts to be out of phase. If not for this shading coil, the
chattering sound that is commonly associated with AC solenoids would be more noticeable.

Bottoming out of the pole pieces during each stroke is a requirement on AC solenoids. Naturally,
with this metal-to-metal contact, some deformation of the pole pieces is possible. As the pole pieces
deform and less surface area makes contact between the pieces, the AC solenoid hums louder and
louder. In contrast, a DC solenoid does not have to have the pole pieces come in contact during each
cycle. Rather, if the pole pieces do not make contact, life of the solenoid is extended. Life of an AC
solenoid is typically lower than that of a similar DC counterpart.