Pumps are essential to the integrity of liquid storage and transfer. Industrial pumps depend on motor starters and overload relays to function properly and safely. Reliability of those components is vital for safety and economic reasons, particularly in industries such as utilities, oil and gas, and irrigation.
Control of electric power using vacuum switching is well proven in both switchgear and motor control applications. This technology is readily available in vacuum circuit breakers and vacuum contactors covering all applications in low and medium voltage levels. Historically, systems were designed with circuit breakers because that was considered superior by consulting engineers over fused, air break contactors. Today’s vacuum and fuse technology advancements make vacuum contactors the desired switching device over circuit breakers. Cost increases, repetitive maintenance cycles, and relatively low mechanical lifespans lead users to convert circuit breakers to vacuum contactors.
Industrial contactors are electrically controlled and used for high current electrical circuits along with controlling electric motors, lighting, heating, capacitor banks, thermal evaporators, and other electrical loads in harsh environments. Applications that require frequent switching duty, such as industrial water pumps, will mechanically exhaust the life of the breaker quickly. Also, extra downtime and unnecessary expense are spent in routine maintenance of the breakers.
Switching your pump control panel to vacuum contactors from circuit breakers will provide several critical benefits to your pumping application such as reliable voltage distribution, cost savings, minimal maintenance routines, decreased risk of motor winding failure, and an increase in mechanical life.