Direct Online Starter (By Farhan Ahmad)

DIRECT ON LINE STARTER
(DOL)
Farhan Ahmad
Design Engineer (Lv & Mv Switchgear)
Different starting methods are employed for starting induction motors because Induction
Motor draws more starting current during starting. To prevent damage to the windings due
to the high starting current flow, we employ different types of starters.
The simplest form of motor starter for the induction motor is the Direct On Line starter.
The Direct On Line Motor Starter (DOL) consist a MCCB or Circuit Breaker, Contactor
and an overload relay for protection. Electromagnetic contactor which can be opened by the
thermal overload relay under fault conditions.
Principle of Direct On Line Starter (DOL)
To start, the contactor is closed, applying full line voltage to the motor windings. The motor
will draw a very high inrush current for a very short time, the magnetic field in the iron, and
then the current will be limited to the Locked Rotor Current of the motor. The motor will
develop Locked Rotor Torque and begin to accelerate towards full speed.
The motor load will affect the time taken for the motor to accelerate to full speed and
therefore the duration of the high starting current, but not the magnitude of the starting
current.
.
DOL starting have a maximum start current and maximum start torque.
This may cause an electrical problem with the supply, or it may cause a mechanical problem
with the driven load. So this will be inconvenient for the users of the supply line, always
experience a voltage drop when starting a motor. But if this motor is not a high power one it
does not affect much.
Parts of DOL Starters
Contactors & Coil

Magnetic contactors are electromagnetically operated switches that provide a safe and
convenient means for connecting and interrupting branch circuits.
Magnetic motor controllers use electromagnetic energy for closing switches. The
electromagnet consists of a coil of wire placed on an iron core. When a current flow through
the coil, the iron of the magnet becomes magnetized, attracting an iron bar called the
armature. An interruption of the current flow through the coil of wire causes the armature to
drop out due to the presence of an air gap in the magnetic circuit.
 NO-normally open
 NC-normally closed
Over Load Relay (Overload protection)

Overload protection for an electric motor is necessary to prevent burnout and to ensure
maximum operating life.
Under any condition of overload, a motor draws excessive current that causes overheating.
Since motor winding insulation deteriorates due to overheating, there are established limits
on motor operating temperatures to protect a motor from overheating. Overload relays are
employed on a motor control to limit the amount of current drawn.
The overload relay does not provide short circuit protection. This is the function of over current
protective equipment like fuses and circuit breakers, generally located in the disconnecting switch
enclosure.
The overload relay consists of a current-sensing unit connected in the line to the motor, plus
a mechanism, actuated by the sensing unit, which serves, directly or indirectly, to break the
circuit.
Overload relays can be classified as being thermal, magnetic, or electronic:
Thermal Relay: As the name implies, thermal overload relays rely on the rising
temperatures caused by the overload current to trip the overload mechanism. Thermal
overload relays can be further subdivided into two types: melting alloy and bimetallic.
Magnetic Relay: Magnetic overload relays react only to current excesses and are not
affected by temperature.
Electronic Relay: Electronic or solid-state overload relays, provide the combination of

high-speed trip, adjustability, and ease of installation. They can be ideal in many precise
applications.
Wiring of DOL Starter

1. Main
Contact
 Contactor is connecting among Supply Voltage, Relay Coil and Thermal Overload
Relay.
 L1 of Contactor Connect (NO) to R Phase through MCCB
 L2 of Contactor Connect (NO) to Y Phase through MCCB
 L3 of Contactor Connect (NO) to B Phase through MCCB.
NO Contact (-||-):
 (13-14 or 53-54) is a normally Open NO contact (closes when the relay energizes)
 Contactor Point 53 is connecting to Start Button Point (94) and 54 Point of Contactor
is connected to Common wire of Start/Stop Button.
 NC Contact (-|/|-):
 (95-96) is a normally closed NC contact (opens when the thermal overloads trip if
associated with the overload block)
2. Relay Coil Connection

 A1 of Relay Coil is connecting to any one Supply Phase and A2 is connecting to
Thermal over Load Relay’s NC Connection (95).
3. Thermal Overload Relay Connection:

 T1,T2,T3 are connect to Thermal Overload Relay
 Overload Relay is Connecting between Main Contactor and Motor
 NC Connection (95-96) of Thermal Overload Relay is connecting to Stop Button and
Common Connection of Start/Stop Button
Wiring Diagram of DOL Starter
Working principle of DOL Starter

The main heart of DOL starter is Relay Coil. Normally it gets one phase constant from
incoming supply Voltage (A1).when Coil gets second Phase relay coil energizes and
Magnet of Contactor produce electromagnetic field and due to this Plunger of Contactor
will move and Main Contactor of starter will closed and Auxiliary will change its position
Pushing Start Button

When We Push the start Button Relay Coil will get second phase from Supply Phase-Main
contactor(5)-Auxiliary Contact(53)-Start button-Stop button-96-95-To Relay Coil
(A2).Now Coil energizes and Magnetic field produce by Magnet and Plunger of Contactor
move. Main Contactor closes and Motor gets supply at the same time Auxiliary contact
become (53-54) from NO to NC .
Release Start Button

Relay coil gets supply even though we release Start button. When We release Start Push
Button Relay Coil gets Supply phase from Main contactor (5)-Auxiliary contactor (53) –
Auxiliary contactor (54)-Stop Button-96-95-Relay coil (shown Red / Blue Lines in
Diagram).
Pushing Stop Button

When we push Stop Button Control circuit of Starter will be break at stop button and
Supply of Relay coil is broken, Plunger moves and close contact of Main Contactor
becomes Open, Supply of Motor is disconnected
Advantages of DOL Starter
1. Most Economical and Cheapest Starter
2. Simple to establish, operate and maintain
3. Simple Control Circuitry
4. Easy to understand and trouble‐shoot.
5. It provides 100% torque at the time of starting.
6. Only one set of cable is required from starter to motor.
Disadvantages of DOL Starter

1. It does not reduce the starting current of the motor.
2. High Starting Current: Very High Starting Current (Typically 6 to 8 times the
FLC of the motor).
3. Mechanically Harsh: Thermal Stress on the motor, thereby reducing its life.
4. Voltage Dip: There is a big voltage dip in the electrical installation because of
high in-rush current affecting other customers connected to the same lines and
therefore not suitable for higher size squirrel cage motor.
Features of DOL starting

 For low- and medium-power three-phase motors
 Three connection lines (circuit layout: star or delta)
 High starting torque
 Very high mechanical load
 High current peaks
 Voltage dips
 Simple switching devices
Direct On Line Motor Starter (DOL) is suitable for:

 A direct on line starter can be used if the high inrush current of the motor does not
cause excessive voltage drop in the supply circuit. The maximum size of a motor
allowed on a direct on line starter may be limited by the supply utility for this reason.
For example, a utility may require rural customers to use reduced-voltage starters for
motors larger than 10 kW.
 DOL starting is sometimes used to start small water pumps, compressors, fans and
conveyor belts.

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DIRECT ON LINE STARTER

Design Engineer (Lv & Mv Switchgear)

Parts of DOL Starters

Contactors & Coil

Over Load Relay (Overload protection)

Overload relays can be classified as being thermal, magnetic, or electronic:

Electronic Relay: Electronic or solid-state overload relays, provide the combination of

Wiring of DOL Starter

2. Relay Coil Connection

3. Thermal Overload Relay Connection:

Wiring Diagram of DOL Starter

Working principle of DOL Starter

Pushing Start Button

Release Start Button

Pushing Stop Button

Disadvantages of DOL Starter

Features of DOL starting

Direct On Line Motor Starter (DOL) is suitable for:

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