GoldenMotor.com Forum

General Category => Electric Boat Conversions => Topic started by: Jusp on October 09, 2018, 12:40:26 AM

Title: ZJ400D contactor trouble
Post by: Jusp on October 09, 2018, 12:40:26 AM

Hi,

I am converting my 30ft sailboat from inboard diesel to electric, and bought the 5 kW BLDC with controller, plus a ZJ400D contactor.
This contactor is giving me some trouble. I know that this is not directly a Goldenmotor product, but I cannot really find good information on this item, and hope that someone on this forum can answer my question.

I understand e.g. from the following website that the allowed coil voltage is 6-220V. So I applied 12V from a regular car battery to the coil, but the contactor refuses to switch.
Measuring the coil with a multimeter, it seemed fine. What coil voltate does it expect?

Thanks,

Juul


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/ZJ400D-NO-normally-open-style-Coil-Voltage-24V-400A-DC-Contactor-for-motor-forklift-electromobile-grab/1594796191.html

Title: Re: ZJ400D contactor trouble
Post by: Bikemad on October 09, 2018, 09:59:06 PM

Hi Juul and(https://i.imgur.com/evDSMvT.png)to the forum.

The website you linked to shows different versions of the contactor are available for the following voltage options:

12V
24V
36V
48V
60V
72V

And the contacts are rated for 6-80V, so I'm not sure what the "Coil voltage of contact circuit (V)  6V-220V" actually relates to.  :-\

The coil voltage should be marked on the body of the contactor, similar to these:

(https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1R0WScdfJ8KJjy0Feq6xKEXXaS.jpg?size=261151&height=800&width=800&hash=8d7cfc46cac7ae253ee6f6bcac5a880d)

The above contactor has a coil rated for 12VDC but the contacts are rated for 400A @ 80VDC.
The contactors shown below just have the coil voltage marked, but the contacts are presumably capable of switching 400A @ the marked voltage:

(https://image.made-in-china.com/226f3j00TgtawnMlJrcP/High-Quality-24V-Zj-Series-DC-Contactor-Zj400d.jpg)
(https://www.nocoev.com/images/products/ZJ400D/0.jpg)
(http://www.dawnforklift.com/photo/dawnforklift/editor/20130530160643_14103.jpg)
(https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB11Dq8cm_I8KJjy0Foq6yFnVXaz.jpg?size=232171&height=800&width=800&hash=92821853af403ce298d2bdfe8eab82ea)
(https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1tW1.chPI8KJjSspfq6ACFXXa6.jpg?size=266433&height=800&width=800&hash=82d2a47b9d1c129b6bdd2de2b0c90a2c)

Hopefully your contactor will be clearly marked too.

(https://i.imgur.com/FnmD5lE.png)

Alan
 

Title: Re: ZJ400D contactor trouble
Post by: Jusp on October 10, 2018, 12:33:25 AM

Yep, that explains it. I have a 48 V one, but had assumed that that referred to the rated voltage over the open switch.
I wired up my 48V battery bank and heard it solidly connecting. Works all the way down to 30V, but I want to switch it with 12V, so will order another contactor :)

Thanks,

Juul

Title: Re: ZJ400D contactor trouble
Post by: Bikemad on October 10, 2018, 11:57:15 AM

A cheaper alternative to buying a new contactor would be to use a simple 12V relay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Pin-12V-30A-Auto-Relays-For-Aux-Lights-Horns-Car-Boat-Van-Motorbike-Q9/253394617479) to switch the 48V battery voltage to the contactor coil.  ;)

(https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTI1WDkyNQ==/z/ztYAAOSwfVpYp~ib/%24_1.JPG?set_id=880000500F)

As the contactor's coil only consumes 8-12 Watts, the contacts of the 12V relay would only have to carry ~0.25A.

Alan