Got a new toy tonight!!

[Rick K]

ok what is a "motor starter" ?

Just a magnetic device that, when actuated using a very low amount of amperage delivered by a small push button/switch, closes the contacts between the siren motor and the incoming power.


You have three motor starters in your RCM1 panel; one for the copper, one for the blower, and one for the rotator.

-Rick

[weasel2htm]

ok what is a "motor starter" ?

Just a magnetic device that, when actuated using a very low amount of amperage delivered by a small push button/switch, closes the contacts between the siren motor and the incoming power.


You have three motor starters in your RCM1 panel; one for the copper, one for the blower, and one for the rotator.

-Rick

So basically, a "Motor Starter" in this context is a fancy name for a relay or contactor.

[MysteryMachine]

ok what is a "motor starter" ?

Just a magnetic device that, when actuated using a very low amount of amperage delivered by a small push button/switch, closes the contacts between the siren motor and the incoming power.


You have three motor starters in your RCM1 panel; one for the copper, one for the blower, and one for the rotator.

-Rick

So it's them green things in there?

[Rick K]

So it's them green things in there?

Yep! Most likely! Your main components of that panel are the three motor starters and the Agastat timer.

[t-bolt82]

Wow - what a beautiful find! Congrats! It's so awesome that you found something other than sex offenders on craigslist!

Easy now I have to have something to occupy my time LOL

(Sorry to do a reply with just emoticons. )

[Jim Z]

So basically, a "Motor Starter" in this context is a fancy name for a relay or contactor.

more or less, though it's a purpose-built relay. they're generally specified for the motor HP and also frequently have built-in thermal protection.

[Rick K]

So basically, a "Motor Starter" in this context is a fancy name for a relay or contactor.

more or less, though it's a purpose-built relay. they're generally specified for the motor HP and also frequently have built-in thermal protection.

Thank you for adding that, Jim! I didn't think to mention those features!

[Ziginox]

ok what is a "motor starter" ?

Motors need some extra current to start up to overcome the static friction (I think thats the right type of friction.) Kind of like a jump start. Here is a pic of a motor starter from our old water pump, with a large capacitor for the current and a relay to switch off the cap after the motor has started. ACA's sirens (from what I have seen) use a similar setup except they also have caps that kick in when the motor is running. That small round thing is a thermal overload switch. Oh, the starter is from a 1HP 230-volt single phase Franklin Electric motor.

[Rick K]

ok what is a "motor starter" ?

Motors need some extra current to start up to overcome the static friction (I think thats the right type of friction.) Kind of like a jump start. Here is a pic of a motor starter from our old water pump, with a large capacitor for the current and a relay to switch off the cap after the motor has started. ACA's sirens (from what I have seen) use a similar setup except they also have caps that kick in when the motor is running. That small round thing is a thermal overload switch. Oh, the starter is from a 1HP 230-volt single phase Franklin Electric motor.

That's a capacitor-type motor starter...he was asking about a magnetic relay-type starter that's commonly found in siren control panels.

[Jim Z]

startup current isn't due to friction but the mass of the armature. after all, it's a big lump of iron and copper, so it takes some "oomph" to get it moving.