Can someone explain what this link is in this contactor drawing?

David1977m · Mar 1, 2025

This is in the level 3 science material handout. I know how a contactor work and asked my tutor what the link is, he looked at it and said he doesn’t know. Can someone please explain what it is please.

David1977m · Mar 1, 2025

If it was in parallel and a capacitor I would know, but this is on a 2 pole, one phase contactor in series and from the official C&G material.

Jock from the north · Mar 1, 2025

David1977m said:
This is in the level 3 science material handout. I know how a contactor work and asked my tutor what the link is, he looked at it and said he doesn’t know. Can someone please explain what it is please.View attachment 119874

Could it be a fuse in the circuit when exposed to more current than design of circuit link will open .

David1977m · Mar 2, 2025

Jock from the north said:
Could it be a fuse in the circuit when exposed to more current than design of circuit link will open .

I suppose a control fuse would make sense, but why is it saying link then in official documentation. I honestly don’t know how many hours I’ve spent on something that won’t make a difference to my exam but will bug me not knowing

Jock from the north · Mar 2, 2025

Jock from the north said:
Could it be a fuse in the circuit when exposed to more current than design of circuit link will open .

David1977m said:
I suppose a control fuse would make sense, but why is it saying link then in official documentation. I honestly don’t know how many hours I’ve spent on something that won’t make a difference to my exam but will bug me not knowing

Yeh I would imagine it would .there's plenty of more esteemed members on this site who might be able to clarify that particular point in circuit, I'm sure they will answer in time .

westward10 · Mar 2, 2025

It is part of the control circuit possibly there as a safety measure, take out the link the contactor cannot be energised?
As above it could well be a fuse.

DefyG · Mar 2, 2025

Possibly a link with auxilary contact points???

Maybe shown as a point to put additional stop buttons if required?

James · Mar 2, 2025

DefyG said:
Possibly a link with auxilary contact points???

Maybe shown as a point to put additional stop buttons if required?

Agreed, often a pair of contacts with a link will be put in a control box.
Later on the link can be removed and replaced with an extra stop button.

brianmoooore · Mar 2, 2025

DefyG wins the prize. It's a connection point for external stop buttons.
I'm fairly sure there was such a link in the old cube shaped MEM contactors.

David1977m · Mar 3, 2025

Thanks for the help. So I decided to look into the external emergency start/stop theory and found this GSH video explaining the link DOL remote start stop button