At 09:53 PM 5/10/2007 -0500, tbamc wrote:
The contactor has two small studs, which have small + and - wires to them. There are then 2 large studs on each side of the contactor, plus 2 large studs on the top of the contactor. There is 25+ volts at both the + small stud and one of the large studs on the side. The other side stud is jumpered to a top stud. The other top stud has a large neg. wire from the battery. What's confusing me is that when it should be 'on' there is 23.5v at both top studs (one of which has a neg. wire), and when 'off' with wires disconnected, there is continuity between the top two studs.
Sounds like a standard cheap can type DPDT contactor. When off (no power to the coil) the top two posts will be shorted. When power is applied to the coils the bottom two power poles short and the top open.
I would not be surprised to find the top two were used to short the motor on off, this will brake a PM motor very quickly. The motor would then be turned on by the bottom two.
Robert http://www.aeolusdevelopment.com/ From the Divided by a Common Language File (Edited to protect the guilty) ME - "I'd like to get Price and delivery for connector Part # XXXXX" Dist./Rep - "$X.XX Lead time 37 days" ME - "Anything we can do about lead time? 37 days seems a bit high."Dist./Rep - "that is the lead time given because our stock is live.... we currently have stock."