On 2014-01-12, DaveC wrote:
The best argument for using a contactor in a small bandsaw, is that
you can get proper thermal overloads to protect the motor.

i
cc

Can you get just thermal overloads without a contactor?

Not really. The thermal overloads sense the current in each
winding, and generate heat to soften either a wax or a low temperature
solder to allow a wheel to rotate and a low-current contact to open.
All of the phases have their contacts in series, and in series with the
coil of the contactor. Any one of them opening drops the contactor out
to protect the load.

With single phase, a slow-blow fuse in series with each hot lead
should sufficient, but with three phases, you need to sense any
condition of over-current in any single phase, and to drop everything
once it is sensed. (Of course, if you are running the three-phase motor
from a VFD, that incorporates the functions of the starter (current
sensing and automatic shutdown) in the electronics of the VFD.

Enjoy,
DoN.n

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