Important Features Of A High Voltage Contactor

By Robert Hughes


Developments in semiconductor technology have led to the innovation of solid state switches that can replace thyratrons, ignition and spark gaps that were being used before. Older electronics used drivers that are being replaced by TTL input. These advances have improved the efficiency of switches over time. A high voltage contactor has the flow features that make them one of the best inventions.

One of these details is the low input power loss. This low loss has been making possible through the use of MOSFET technology when developing the switches. The only loss incurred in this technology is only caused by the total gate charge, the drive voltage, and switching frequency. The loss is very low since the overal gate charge is small. Switches that use bipolar transistors such as BJT tend to cause more losses. There is a lot of power lost especially during switching.

The contactors are reliable when it comes to high current applications. Even when short circuited, they guarantee steady hard saturation which is very necessary when running high current applications such as medical test equipment. The fact that they are able to switch faster also make them efficient for use in these applications. The switching speeds generally increase the efficiency of the equipment.

These contactors can be customized in a number of ways to suit where they are being used. The customization is mostly done with the housing and the footprint. Another area that customization can be done is sensitivity. These innovations help the switches to run effectively with the equipment.

The switches are designed to prevent against overload or voltage reversal. Cases of voltage reversal are common and they lead to catastrophic events. The technologies used in these switches make them safe for everyday use. The technologies include MOSFET, IGBT, SCR, and thyristor. With such technology, these contactors are highly recommended.

These contactors are voltage controlled unlike those controlled by current. This helps them to switch using very little current which means they can handle high loads without heating. On the other hand, other switches require a fair amount of current to switch which makes them create a lot of heat when handling high loads. The possibility of these switches operating in linear mode is very minimal. This is because the level of drain current does affect the gate-source voltage.

These switches guarantee faster switching. The speed advantage of these contactors makes them a better choice for everyday use. They are able to handle high frequencies due to the thin oxide layer used when making the transistors. This layer prevents the use of current when switching. Most switches especially those that use bipolar transistors take much time when switching.

These switches are suitable for both low-power applications and current applications. Their unique features and technology help achieve great results with very minimal risks. They are durable and can survive millions of cycles. The above features are just a few of many that make the switches suitable for day-to-day use. The technology also has a number of limitations. More developments are still being made to ensure that these limitations are dealt with to ensure efficiency in switching.




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