#arcing contacts

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Arcing Contacts

The arc of electricity is dangerous to your main contact, it is caused due to overload, overfusing, and faulty electrical. Therefore, using arcing contacts are ideal to use that ensures to protect the main contacts.

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Different Metals Used in Electrical Contact Assemblies

Electrical contacts and assemblies are crucial components in multiple fields, especially ones that deal with industrial machines. They serve as the switch that can complete or interrupt a circuit, affecting the current that goes through the equipment.

There are multiple factors that affect how electrical contacts perform. Contact force, voltage and current, weldability, and resistance are things that you should consider when buying this material. But, the most crucial element is the metal used.

Here are three of the most commonly used materials in electrical contacts:

Gold 

This is an expensive material that increases the cost of manufacturing. But, it's still frequently used for electrical contacts due to its unique properties. Gold (Au) is insusceptible to corrosion, which makes it ideal if you're worried about rust. It's also a lot more durable and resistant to usual wear. Fretting degradation won't be an issue, either. So, Au can significantly extend the lifespan of the contacts. 

The outstanding properties of Au can also effectively stabilize electric currents that run through the contacts. Most manufacturers believe that the additional cost of gold plating is worth it due to the many benefits it offers that result in a long-term return on investment.

Silver

Of all the materials, Silver (Ag) and its alloys have the highest thermal conductivity. Due to its resistance to intense heat, manufacturers of cars and jet engines use Ag plating for most of their metal components. It's also extremely durable and resistant to damage from environmental elements. So, with a silver contact, you won't have to worry about replacing it.

Silver is also malleable, making it ideal if you need a customized assembly. It's not too stiff that it'll break upon force, and it's sturdy enough to withstand heavy weight. Ag can be molded and bent into any form without losing its conductivity.

Platinum

The platinum (Pt) group of metals includes palladium (Pt), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), and osmium (Os). Pt is an extremely inert material and is harder than gold. It has a very high melting point, so extreme heat won't affect the integrity of the contact. But, some of its properties make the element less conductive compared to Ag and Au.

These are some of the best metals for electrical contact assemblies. If you want to learn more about them or arcing contacts, consult an expert who can help you choose the most ideal material for your manufacturing needs.

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Arcing Contacts in Circuit Breakers

A circuit breaker, even at the household level, is an instrument designed with considerable precision. There are very close tolerances and ways the breaker needs to function and do so repetitively. Among the critical components of the breaker are the arcing contacts, main contacts, and auxiliary contacts. We will describe these in more detail within this blog.

The Contacts

Within a circuit breaker are three contacts: the arching contact, main contact, and auxiliary contact. The auxiliary contact controls electrical function within the breaker. As such it isn't directly involved in circuit control. 

The arcing contact and main contact work together to control the flow of electricity. The main contacts are made of a more electrically conductive alloy, usually with a higher concentration of silver, and are larger. They carry the main load of the circuit.

The arcing contacts contain silver or silver alloys, but also contain metals to make them more rugged to last longer, such as tungsten, zinc, and cadmium. When a closed circuit is broken, the main contact opens first, and then the arcing contact will open. This is because any final circuit break results in an arc of electricity forming, and that will damage the contacts. By the same token, when a circuit is closed, the arcing contacts close first to establish contact, which will also result in arcing. Then the main contacts will close. 

Keeping Contact

While the basic functions of a breaker are similar in most circumstances, the variety of applications can vary widely. Also, the environment and case enclosure will affect the kinds of breakers used, and of course, the circuit load. This will impact the different kinds of materials that will be used to create each contact.  For the arcing contacts, they will likely be composed of silver or copper, and then blended with such things as tungsten, nickel, or oxides of other metals, to increase their ability to withstand repeated arcing while still conducting electricity and allowing whatever process is in place to drain off the charge safely. With 50 years of experience and thousands of successful installations, we can provide you with exactly the right contact material to meet your requirements. 

Securing the right metal composition to create the optimum arcing contacts is a critical effort. Finding a company that has been doing it for decades as its primary business means you can count on us for your arcing contacts.

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Electrical contacts are a necessary component in many areas of technology. Whether you work in an industrial field or in information systems, they're a key element of common equipment. Learn tips to increase the life of electrical contacts!

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Ready to Charge, Electrical Conductors

If you’ve ever witnessed the awesome power of a lightening bolt, flipped on a circuit breaker with silver electrical contacts, or felt a slight shock from walking across the carpet, you have witnessed electricity.

What Electricity Is

The word electricity has come to mean several things in the modern English language. It can mean the power that is running to your house, a lightening bolt in the sky, or an excited feeling coupled with anticipation. What electricity actually is can be described as a physical phenomenon.

Electricity is a form of energy that is the result of either positively or negatively charged particles. It can be static in one state (static electricity), or dynamic as a current (batteries). It was once thought that electricity and magnetism were separate entities, but now they are referred to collectively as electromagnetism.

Natural Electrical Conductors

Electricity exists in nature in abundance. Natural metals and graphite (a form of carbon) are fantastic conductors of electricity. Metal works well as a conductor because the atoms have electrons that are not bound, and can move freely when an electric current is passed through the metal. Some examples of metals that conduct electricity are copper, gold, silver, and mercury.

Some surprising natural conductors of electricity are sea water (or other water with debris in it), lemon juice, and humans. That’s right, humans. The nervous system uses electrical signals to send messages from the brain to the rest of the body. And humans are not the only organism to utilize electricity, in fact, all animals do. A very special class of animals called Gymnotiformes (IE: electric eels) generate electric charges so powerful they can stun their prey.   

Manufactured Electrical Conductors

Humankind has been studying electricity long before Benjamin Franklin’s famous kite experiment in 1752. It’s power, beauty, and danger have enticed generations. In the 19th and early 20th centuries electricity was seen as both a marvel and a mystery. It was believed to bring life back from the dead, and is a theme still used today in horror movies.

However another faction of thinking minds believed it was a useful source of energy and should be harnessed. In 1829 Joseph Henry created a large electromagnet that lifted hundreds of pounds of heavy metal. This proved that electricity could be useful in machines and industry productions. Today electricity is used on small and large scales. It is conducted with silver electrical contacts that are found in circuit breakers and switches, or harnessed with gigantic wind turbines.