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    Electrical Contacts - Normally Open and Normally Closed Contacts

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    rkvsp
    This document discusses normally open and normally closed electrical contacts. It begins by explaining that closed contacts allow current flow, while open contacts do not allow current flow. It then defines normally open contacts as ones that are open in their normal state, and normally closed contacts as ones that are closed in their normal state. An example is given of how normally open and normally closed contacts work in a basic 3-way light switch circuit. The document concludes by providing instructions for wiring examples on a trainer to test different circuits using normally open and normally closed contacts.

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    Electrical Contacts - Normally Open and Normally Closed Contacts

    Uploaded by

    rkvsp
    34 views4 pages
    This document discusses normally open and normally closed electrical contacts. It begins by explaining that closed contacts allow current flow, while open contacts do not allow current flow. It then defines normally open contacts as ones that are open in their normal state, and normally closed contacts as ones that are closed in their normal state. An example is given of how normally open and normally closed contacts work in a basic 3-way light switch circuit. The document concludes by providing instructions for wiring examples on a trainer to test different circuits using normally open and normally closed contacts.

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    nc no.docx

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    This document discusses normally open and normally closed electrical contacts. It begins by explaining that closed contacts allow current flow, while open contacts do not allow current flow. It then defines normally open contacts as ones that are open in their normal state, and normally closed contacts as ones that are closed in their normal state. An example is given of how normally open and normally closed contacts work in a basic 3-way light switch circuit. The document concludes by providing instructions for wiring examples on a trainer to test different circuits using normally open and normally closed contacts.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    34 views4 pages

    Electrical Contacts - Normally Open and Normally Closed Contacts

    Uploaded by

    rkvsp
    This document discusses normally open and normally closed electrical contacts. It begins by explaining that closed contacts allow current flow, while open contacts do not allow current flow. It then defines normally open contacts as ones that are open in their normal state, and normally closed contacts as ones that are closed in their normal state. An example is given of how normally open and normally closed contacts work in a basic 3-way light switch circuit. The document concludes by providing instructions for wiring examples on a trainer to test different circuits using normally open and normally closed contacts.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 4

    Electrical Contacts - Normally open and

    normally closed contacts


    Electrical contacts make up electrical switches, relays, circuit breakers, and most any other
    electrical component switches something on/off or can be switched on/off.
    What is open and closed? Before we get into what normally open and normally closed are, let's
    clarify what "open" and "closed" are. As with so many topics that we try to simplify by
    associating with something we are familiar with, associating electrical current flow with water
    flow causes a tremendous amount of misunderstandings. Whereas we open a water faucet to start
    water flow, we close an electrical contact to start current flow and instead of closing a water
    faucet to stop water flow, we open an electrical contact to stop current flow. IMPORTANT
    CONCEPT:

    Closed = Current flow

    Open = No current flow

    What is normally? This is simply the state that the contact is in when something else is not
    affecting it. If it is a relay then it is not energized. If it is a switch, then it is off. If it is a high
    limit such as a temperature alarm then the current temperature is below the limit.
    Normally open - Is a contact that does not flow current in its normal state. Energizing it and
    switching it on will close the contact, causing it to allow current flow.

    Normally closed - Is a contact that flows current in its normal state. Energizing it and switching
    it on will open the contact, causing it to not allow current flow.

    Don't over think these two concepts. That is all there is to it. Also a very important note for
    those continuing on to our PLC lessons. These two symbols don't mean normally open and
    normally closed in ladder logic. Right now we are learning about wiring. We will address what
    these symbols mean later.

    Example: Now let's go through a real world example of normally open and normally closed
    contacts that we are all familiar with. Rarely are these "familiar" examples good for learning,
    but a three 3 way switch is an excellent example of using normally open and normally closed
    switches. And maybe we'll clear up a few things for the houshold electrician or do it yourselfer.
    First let's break it down into the basics.

    Why do we use 3 ways switches? 3 ways switches are used to turn on a light from two
    different locations.

    What if I need to turn a light on from more than two locations? Then you use a
    combination of 3 way and 4 way switches.

    What is a 3 way switch? A three way switch is simply a normally open and normally
    closed switch in which one side of each contact is tied together. In an industrial
    environment we call this a single pole double throw (SPDT) switch.

    What is a single pole double throw (SPDT) switch? It has three terminals. A common
    (COM) which is the left terminal in the image below, a normally closed (NO) terminal
    which is the top right terminal in the image below, and a normally open (NO) terminal
    which is bottom right terminal in the image below.

    Why isn't a 3 way switch called a single pole double throw (SPDT) switch? I don't
    have a good reason for it. There are lots of speculations about it but it was probably
    someone trying to over simplify electrical terms. If you know what a SPDT swtich is
    then you will immediately understand what a three way switch is and the principles of it.
    If you know what a 3 way switch is then you don't necessarily know what a SPDT switch
    is or the principles of a 3 ways switch.

    What is a 4 way switch? A 4 way switch is a double pole double throw (DPDT) switch
    with a few jumpers preinstalled. In the image below, the jumpers that are added to make
    a DPDT switch a 4 way switch are shown in red.

    What is a double pole double throw (DPDT) switch? It is two single pole double
    throw (SPDT) switches mechanically linked together.

    How do you wire a "3 way" circuit or two 3 way switches? Note that this only works
    with two switches. If you need more than two switches then see the 4 way example
    further down.

    How do you wire a "4 way" circuit? On the end closest to your power and light, use 3
    way switches. All other switches in between should be 4 way switches and there is no
    limit to the number of 4 way switches you can have in the circuit.

    Trainer Exercises
    1. Wire Push Button 1 to Light 1 so that when you press Push Button 1, Light 1 turns on.
    2. Leaving the wiring of step 1, add wiring to make Light 1 turn on when Push Button 1 is
    not pressed.
    3. Leaving the wiring of step 1 and 2, add wiring to make Light 3 turn on when Selector
    Switch 1 is turned to the right.

    4. Sketch out a circuit that will use Selector Switches 3 and 4 to create a "3 way" circuit
    where cycling either selector switch through any of its positions will cause the light to
    alternate between on and off. After sketching out this circuit, wire your trainer and test it.

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