Thread: Breaker

Does anyone know what type of breaker this is and if it looks correct. I have never seen one like it. It appears to used for low voltage exterior lighting. Thanks

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Getting old, for the life of me I can't remember right now what that thing is called. Haven't seen that particular one, however that is essentially the same unit that is in every AC condenser. Low voltage comes in closes the circuit so high voltage runs the unit. In this case apparently the other way around.
The wiring looks odd going in all those directions. Kinda doubt it was done by a Sparky. If the system works it works.
Typically the low voltage stuff has a transformer somewhere on the outside. I would check the transformer and this breaker to see if the AMPS match up. Most transformers also have a rating of roughly how many fixtures they can handle. Hope that helps.

Thats not a breaker it is a contactor possibly a lighting contactor it has a coil that holds contacts together.

Paul, Could you elaborate a little so I can wrap my non-sparky mind around it. Why it's used etc. Thanks!!

The contactor is supplied on the L2 terminal from the power source the loads are on the T2 termanal the coil is supplied by the red and white on the top back of the contactor with the spade connections. The L2 to T2 termanals are connected by a set of contacts that are either normally open or normally closed when power is applied to the coil (could be any voltage 12v, 24v,120v etc.) the contacts are either closed or opened controlling the load. This is used a lot for outdoor lighting control where a single time clock controls the contactor and the contactor controls several different lighting loads. Hope that helps.

Thanks Paul, appreciate it!!

Some times these are used so that one wall switch can control a heavier load that a single switch and handle. They can be full line voltage both on the coil and the switched contacts with no timer needed. The possibilities are large with the limiting factor being the 30 amp load rating of the contactor.

Contactor, duh. Can't believe i coudnt remember.

It is a Definite Purpose (DP) Contactor, it is a UL recognized componant of UL listed equipment but is not UL listed...


A regular poster at some other forums says DP stands for "don't purchase" .

Originally Posted by Tom Rees

Does anyone know what type of breaker this is and if it looks correct. I have never seen one like it. It appears to used for low voltage exterior lighting. Thanks

Commonly called a "low voltage relay"

Originally Posted by Tom Thompson

Commonly called a "low voltage relay"

A relay & a contactor are 2- different beasts, relays are pilot duty, & contactors handle loads of various ampacities, the OP's picture shows a contactor.