Simple Sustainability Idea for Control Panels 😃

Summary: Sustainability is an objective that more and more companies desire to achieve, but it is not always easy to implement. The good news is that there is a simple substitution that can be made in control panels that will reduce CO2 emissions over the life of the equipment or machinery.

What is the Secret? 🤯

The technology that enables this achievement is the electronic control coil on the contactor.

Traditional contactors use a coil bobbin to generate a magnetic field when energized, which pulls the contacts together and completes the circuit to the electric motor. This does the job but requires continuous energy consumption while the contactor is operating.

Contactors with electronic coils consume less energy. A circuit board more efficiently manages the magnetization and hold-in consumption. For example, a common 9 amp contactor with an electronic coil may consume 1.4 VA in the hold-in state, whereas a 9 amp contactor with a traditional bobbin would coil may consume 8 VA in the hold-in state. Here are some comparisons by contactor size (actual consumption will vary depending on the manufacturer):

Contactor Size	IEC Contactor	NEMA Starter	Definite Purpose Contactor	IEC Contactor with Electronic Coil
9 to 38 amps	8 VA	29 VA	6 VA	1.4 VA
40 to 65 amps	13 VA	29 VA	14 VA	1.5 VA
150 amps	18 VA	69 VA		9 VA
265 amps	18 VA	96 VA		12 VA
500 amps	18 VA	254 VA		12 VA

how to calculate CO2 emissions

CO2 Emission Reduction Quantified 🖩

Let’s take a look at a few scenarios to help visualize the potential impact of using electronic coils compared to traditional coils. 

How to implement this technology 

It’s fairly straightforward substitution in most cases.  For most contactor manufacturers, it is as simple as selecting the coil voltage code for the electronic coil code instead of the single voltage traditional coil code.  There could be some differences to consider (see the next section below for more details), so be sure to read all the selection information and notes.

If you are a user or purchaser of equipment or machinery, then be sure to specify that the equipment use contactors with electronic coils.  The equipment manufacturer can make this adjustment in their device selection.  That’s all you need to do to implement this solution.

Plus, once it is installed, the energy reduction continues for the life of the contactor… no special maintenance or adjustment needed.  It’s simple!

🔦What you need to know before implementing

Contactors with electronic coils not only consume less energy, plus have other operational benefits for most designs.

• Fewer part numbers - Most contactors with electronic coils have a wide voltage range, instead of a single voltage.  This means fewer part numbers can cover a wider range of coil voltage applications. 

• Better reliability – The wide voltage band of the contactor coil also means the contactor can better ride through periods of poor power quality such as voltage drop.  Additionally, most contactors with electronic coils contain built-in surge suppression, which provides added protection.

      Some gotcha’s to watch out for: 

• Contactors with electronic coils have a higher price point, as the material cost is higher.  However, the incremental price to upgrade is often negligible compared to the total cost of the equipment/machine and is often negated due to lower energy consumption over the operational lifetime.

• Contactors with traditional coils, while consuming more operational power, may have more capacity to handle auxiliary contacts.  Most contactors with electronic coils permit the use of auxiliary contacts but may be limited. Check with the manufacturer’s specifications before selecting a solution.  One note… smart motor starters that communicate can negate the need for numerous auxiliary contacts since the contactor status can be directly communicated to a PLC.

Share your thoughts!

What did I miss?  Share with us your thoughts and experiences in the comments section.