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Since 1975
MDI Quality - Durability - Reliability
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Non-Mercury Alternatives
GENERAL INFORMATION
All the care required for the manufacture of high-grade instruments is used in the manufacture of the switches. All switch parts are specially cleaned, and contamination is avoided by use of tweezers, gloves, etc., when making assemblies.
Contactors are hermetically sealed with high quality glass to metal seals.
The stainless steel tube is totally encapsulated in high grade UL approved epoxy to prevent moisture damage and voltage breakdown through the protective coating.
The coils are wound on compact nylon bobbins and molded onto the metal tube to provide minimum power loss. This allows for low coil power required to actuate the contactor. This also enables the units to handle high loads with minimum derating due to higher ambient temperatures.
Inert gases internally prevent excessive arcing between the mercury and the electrodes which enables the unit to function for millions of cycles with very low contact resistance, and minimum deterioration of the internal parts.
Available in all standard coil voltages, in single, two and three pole arrangements. Other coil voltages available upon request.
In multiple pole units each tube is actuated by its own coil. This eliminates pull-in variation between contact tubes, assuring consistent switching.
MERCURY TO METAL CONTACTOR
The load terminals are isolated from each other by the glass in the hermetic seal. "The plunger assembly", which includes the ceramic insulator, the magnetic sleeve and related parts, floats on the mercury pool. When the coil is powered causing a magnetic field, the plunger assembly is pulled down into the mercury pool which is in turn displaced and moved up to make contact with the electrode, closing the circuit between the top and bottom load terminal, which is connected to the stainless steel can. For constant duty applications, a return spring is used in place of the buffer spring.
PROPER FUSING IS REQUIRED
While MDIs contactors handle high inrush, such as lamp loads, very well, mercury contactors are susceptible to damage by short circuit currents, and should be fused to minimize short circuit fault currents. Fast acting UL class RK-1 and class J fuses and semiconductor I²t fuses more effectively protect relays than other fuses. These are low-peak fuses designed to limit short circuit currents. Regardless, when there is a short circuit, relay operations should be closely monitored afterward because of the possibility of concealed damage that could cause the relays to behave inconsistently.
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