What to Do When the Forklift Contactor Breaks? Here Are a Few Tips for You

Forklift contactors may not be noticeable in our daily lives, but they play a vital role in warehousing, logistics and manufacturing industries. Let’s explore the uniqueness of forklift contactors today.

What are the reasons that easily cause contactor damage?

Reason 1: It may be due to long-term use

Just like people, the wear of forklift contactors will gradually increase with the increase of use time. Long-term friction and heat cause wear of the internal parts of the contactor, which may eventually lead to its performance degradation or even complete failure.

Reason 2: It may be the accumulation of dust and dirt

In industrial environments, dust and debris can easily enter the interior of the forklift, including the contactor. This dust and dirt will cause increased friction between the internal parts of the contactor, thereby damaging the contactor.

Reason 3: It may be overload operation

When the forklift is working, it may encounter situations such as overload or long-term work, which requires the contactor to withstand greater current and higher pressure. Long-term overload operation may damage the internal parts of the contactor and cause it to fail.

Reason 4: It may be due to the harsh use environment

If the forklift is often used in an environment with high humidity, strong corrosion or extreme temperature, these harsh conditions may cause damage to the contactor. Moisture, corrosion and temperature changes can all cause the performance of the contactor to degrade or fail.

Common problems and precautions for contactors: If the contactor does not attract, common reasons include: no power, broken contactor, and problem with the control circuit.

Solution

01: Determine the approximate scope of the fault

First, use a multimeter to measure whether the control circuit power supply voltage is normal. Generally, if the actual voltage is lower than 85% of the rated voltage, it cannot attract normally. If the control circuit voltage is normal, then the possible cause is a circuit problem or a contactor problem.

Then measure whether the contactor coil voltage is normal. Similarly, the actual voltage must not be lower than 85% of the rated voltage. If the voltage at both ends of the coil is normal, it means that there is a problem with the contactor. If there is no voltage at both ends of the coil, there is a problem with the control circuit

02: Determine the approximate scope of the fault

1. If the power supply is dead, check whether the upper power supply has power; check whether the fuse is burned;

2. If it is a contactor problem, then replace the contactor; also check whether the coil surface is burnt or not, and whether there is any abnormal smell to determine whether the coil is burned; you can also determine whether the contactor coil is burned by measuring resistance when the power is off (normally there is a certain resistance, and the burnt resistance should be infinite); check whether the contactor armature is stuck or rusted, etc.

3. If it is a circuit problem. First of all, you must be able to understand the control circuit diagram and understand the relationship and principle between the components; secondly, you must know from the principle analysis, what phenomenon will be caused by problems in each link of the circuit?

For example:

When the button is released, the contactor is disconnected, indicating that there is a problem with the contactor self-locking circuit;

When the button is pressed, the contactor makes a clicking sound, which may be stuck; or the contactor may be normally closed to its own coil;

When the button is pressed, the contactor has no response. After excluding power supply and coil problems, it may be that there is a problem with the button/thermal relay normally closed point, or the normally open point is not connected, or there is a break somewhere in the circuit.

What to do if the forklift contactor is broken?

1. Check the power supply:

Make sure the forklift power connection is good and the battery is charged properly. Sometimes, the contactor failure may be caused by low battery.

2. Clean the contactor:

Use a detergent and a soft cloth to clean the surface of the contactor to remove possible dirt and oxides. Sometimes, accumulated dirt will affect the normal operation of the contactor.

3. Replace the contactor:

If you determine that the contactor is damaged beyond repair, it may need to be replaced. You can contact the forklift supplier or maintenance expert to purchase and replace the new contactor.

In short, forklift contactor failure is a problem that needs to be dealt with in a timely manner. Do not try to repair it at will to avoid causing more damage or safety hazards. It is best to seek help from professionals to diagnose the problem and give the correct solution. It is very important to keep the forklift running properly, which will directly affect your work efficiency and safety. I wish you a smooth solution to the forklift contactor failure problem!

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