We have been spending some time recategorizing our inventory. This sounds simple, however, it is anything but!

It's amazing the number of products that we all use multiple names for. AC drives are called variable frequency drives, inverters, motor speed controllers and many other names.

Stack lights are light towers are tower lights are warning lights.

How does one categorize wire, wire duct, terminal blocks, DIN rail and the many accessories these items use? I've seen 'wiring solutions' as a nice category and I've also seen every product separated out individually.

I consider a heater... a heater. An electric heater. Apparently it's common for some to call an overload relay a heater... who knew?

Servo motors - under motors or in a motion control category? Gearmotors, are they motors or should they have their own category?

How vague can we make switches? Should it include pushbuttons, e-stops and pressure switches? Would you think to look under 'switch' for a pushbutton?

Relays is another crazy one. Should mercury relays be lumped in with solid state relays? What about SmartRelays? I ended up putting those with PLC's (which brings me to the insane category of controllers...).

This concludes my mini-rant regarding product categories... thanks for reading! Your feedback is always appreciated - beckie@wolfautomation.com.

No, Marshall Wolf Automation hasn't started selling cleaning supplies!  But we can help you clean up your supplier list.  Turn to us first.  We can help you consolidate your purchasing into one easy-to-do list.  One place to call, one website to shop. 

From buzzers to brushless  motors, Chint products to contactors, MDI mercury relays to solid state relays, we can provide it all and make it easier for you to find what you need all in one place..

We've got technical assistance on staff for your application questions.  An integration department to help with your custom control panels and other custom projects and friendly sales staff.  If you don't see it online, call us!  We're happy to find it for you. 

With extended hours to serve you better, we're here from 7:30 am until 6:00 pm central standard time.  Call us today!  800-325-9653 (WOLF).

A contactor is an electrical switch used for switching current on and off in a circuit without overload protection.

A starter is usually an assembly, that includes a contactor plus an overload relay, used to start an electic motor.

Contactors are rated by their current in amps while starters are rated by their horsepower capacity and the current they use.

Mercury Displacement Relays are all designed and built to meet the most exacting demands of industry. They have won their high place in the electrical field by doing the tough and tricky jobs that ordinary equipment could at best do in an uncertain manner.

They have proved their ability to stand up under the most adverse conditions of temperature, dust and moisture, in all types of applications. 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.

Our mercury relays are 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.

100 amp version may be used as high voltage contactor. Ideal for UV curing and various high voltage applications. Ratings are 10 amps @ 3500VAC, 15 amps @ 2500VAC, AC inductive power factor .7 or greater.

Mercury relays are also referred to as mercury contactors, mercury relay switches, mercury contactor relays and mercury displacement relays.

Do you need a high voltage mercury relay? We have them!

Contact Marshall Wolf Automation today - Your distributor souce for MDI Products.

Phone:847-658-8130 or www.wolfautomation.com
 

 

Mercury Displacement Relays are all designed and built to meet the most exacting demands of industry. They have won their high place in the electrical field by doing the tough and tricky jobs that ordinary equipment could, at best, do in an uncertain manner.

They have proved their ability to stand up under the most adverse conditions of temperature, dust and moisture, in all types of applications. 

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.

MDI mercury relays are 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.   100 amp version may be used as high voltage contactor. Ideal for UV curing and various high voltage applications. Ratings are 10 amps @ 3500VAC, 15 amps @ 2500VAC, AC inductive power factor .7 or greater.

Mercury relays are also referred to as mercury contactors, mercury relay switches, mercury contactor relays and mercury displacement relays.

Mercury Displacement Relays are all designed and built to meet the most exacting demands of industry. They have won their high place in the electrical field by doing the tough and tricky jobs that ordinary equipment could at best do in an uncertain manner.

They have proved their ability to stand up under the most adverse conditions of temperature, dust and moisture, in all types of applications. 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.

Our mercury relays are 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.

100 amp version may be used as high voltage contactor. Ideal for UV curing and various high voltage applications. Ratings are 10 amps @ 3500VAC, 15 amps @ 2500VAC, AC inductive power factor .7 or greater.

Mercury relays are also referred to as mercury contactors, mercury relay switches, mercury contactor relays and mercury displacement relays.

• Manufactured by MDI Mercury Relays
• 30 to 100 amp
• One, two or three pole
• AC or DC voltages
• -18 on the end simply means steel strap around the poles vs. a nylon one
• Designed to save space
• Simplify mounting methods
• Longevity: millions of cycles
• Low coil power requirements
• Normally closed available, please contact us.
• Note: 100 amp contactors may be derated for use as high voltage contactors
  • 10 amps @ 3500VAC
  • 15 amps @ 2500VAC
  • AC inductive power factor .7 or greater
  • Available in single pole, normally open and normally closed units
  • Ideal for UV curing and various high voltage applications!
• High voltage available for UV applications including drying wood, paint, powder paints, particle board and more
• MDI has an exemption to sell high voltage contactors in the state of IL for OEM applications

When looking for Mercury relays, consider MDI.  Marshall Wolf Automation is your industrial supply distributor for MDI mercury relays, call us at 847-658-8130, or email us at sales@wolfautomation.com.  Contact us we can help!

Of course you are! Here it is:

Our Patlite CLA-P is an affordable LED light bar that finally allows you to get rid of those high heat, short life, energy guzzling fluorescent lights!

Looking for more specific reasons (you can find more info on this data on the spec sheet)?

• Annual power consumption is reduced 52.3%
• C02 emissions are reduced 51.7%
• Life is extended 10 times!
• Low heat - 34% less
• No mercury

The Patlite CLA-P is ideal for replacing fluorescent lights in work benches, control boxes and many other applications.

Marshall Wolf Automation is your authorized industrial automation distributor for the complete line of Patlite industrial stack lights, LED light bars, audible alarms and explosion proof light towers.

 

I received a technical question from a prospect that was in need of what he deemed to be a 'robust mechanical contactor'. 

He was building a panel for a customer piece of equipment and was seaching for a high life cycle mechanical contactor. 

He didn't have the panel depth, due to equipment layout for a solid state relay and that design needing a heat sink.  In an effort to keep it simple I directed his attention to our line of EE Control contactors. 

As we reviewed his needs he determined that the high cycling life would do the job, along with meeting his dimensional needs.  Since the motor was only 5HP his amp needs were easy enough to comply.

The final selection was just to confirm the coil voltage, which in this case was 24VDC.  Here is a quick reference list of the features of this contactor series. 

• General Purpose AMP rating : 25A - 80 A
• 1 or 3 phase
• 3 Pole
• Handle Color : Red/Yellow and Black
• DIN Rail Mountable
• Screw mount option
• Metal Base ECX 65 & ECX 95
• 600,000 Electrical Operations Life
• 6,000,000 Mechanical operations life.
• Tolerance short circuit 5KA RMS SYM. , 600V Max
• ECX18 & ECX32 availible with 1N.O. or 1N.C.
• Six Auxiliaries Max ( 4 Max ECX 18 , 32 )
• -4 F + 122 F temperature
• -22 % + 10 % Coil Voltage
• Ring terminal Capable

Marshall Wolf Automation is your one stop Industrial Automation Distributor, contactors for just about every type of application can be sourced on our website.  We also carry many other contactor brands such as Carlo Gavazzi, Chint and MDI (Mercury Relays).  Marshall Wolf Automation, wolfautomation.com, also has a selection of Definitive Purpose style and IEC types of contactors.   Call us for assistance at  847-658-8130.  Your one stop shop solution provider is MARSHALL WOLF AUTOMATION

Power-supply manufacturer Carlo Gavazzi recently released a series of switching devices the company deems "economically friendly," the RMD Hybrid Relays. The product provides mercury-free switching, designed for controlling heating elements inside of food ovens, warmers, fryers, rotisseries and other food equipment. It's capable of switching up to 20 cycles per minute, with a 4 million electrical cycle life expectancy.

The RMD Series combines solid-state technology and electromechanical relays to provide a hybrid relay. This means that there is virtually no contact arcing, which  results in prolonged relay life and much less emission inside of the panel. Another benefit of hybrid technology is a full amperage rating at elevated operational temperatures. While most conventional switching devices are rated at 25-40 degrees Celsius, the RMD Hybrid Relays are fully rated up to 60 degrees Celsius. The RMD3H switches heaters on three legs while the RMD2H is a lower-cost alternative, as it switches two poles and the third pole is directly connected between L2 and T2. Additional technical features include:

• Two- (for single and three phase circuits) and three-pole arrangements
• Rated for 4 million electrical cycles
• Rated for up to 20 cycles per minute
• Two output voltage ratings: 240VAC (VL-L) and 277VAC (VL-N – 480VAC with Neutral)
• Three common control voltages: 24VAC, 120VAC, 240VAC
• Two amperage ratings: 30A up to 70 degrees Celsius, 40A up to 60 degrees Celsius
• Similar mounting to Mercury Displacement Contactors
• Mercury-free, RoHS compliant, cRUus recognized

Marshall Wolf Automation is your stocking industrial automation distributor for Carlo Gavazzi sensors as well as Carlo Gavazzi relays. 

Are you looking for products that are environmentally friendly?

Our Carlo Gavazzi RMD hybrid relays, just released last summer, would help you reach that goal!

The Carlo Gavazzi RMD series provides a mercury-free switching solution which is ideal for controlling heating elements inside of food ovens, warmers, fryers, rotisseries and other food equipment.

They are not many items on the market which are capable of switching up to 20 cycles per minute, with a 4 million electrical cycle life expectancy!

The Carlo Gavazzi RMD Series combines the benefits of solid state and electromechanical technology and provides a hybrid relay.

This means that there is virtually no contact arcing, which results in prolonged relay life and much less emissions inside of the panel. Another benefit of hybrid technology is a full amperage rating at elevated operational temperatures.

While most conventional switching devices are rated at 25°C or 40°C, the Carlo Gavazzi RMD relays are fully rated up to 60°C.

The RMD3H switches heaters on three legs while the RMD2H is a lower cost alternative, as it switches two poles and the third pole is directly connected between L2 and T2. 

Marshall Wolf Automation is your authorized industrial automation distributor for the full range of Carlo Gavazzi sensors and Carlo Gavazzi relays.

Search all of our Carlo Gavazzi products now!

The Idec LF1B miniature LED light strips come in 4 different lengths, 2 colors and are IP54 rated for protection from dust as well as limited water spray!

These industrial lights are perfect for custom control panels, enclosures, shelf or refrigeration illumination and machine tool manufacturing.  These lights are RoHS compliant and mercury free too!

Marshall Wolf Automation is your Idec Distributor for these LED light strips, switches, and industrial light towers, just to name a few.

Click here for more information on these Miniature LED Light Strips!