Benefits of DECONTACTOR™ Technology

MELTRIC DS and DSN Series plugs and receptacles are designed, performance tested and UL/CSA rated to function as a switch and can safely make and break connections under full load and even in overload situations.

A quick break mechanism instantaneously breaks the connection and ejects the plug to the OFF position. Their dead front design ensures that arcing during disconnection is safely contained in enclosed arc chambers and the automatic closing of the safety shutter ensures that access to live parts or arcing is securely blocked prior to the removal of the plug.

DS and DSN Series devices are performance tested to survive horsepower overload tests at 600% of motor FLA, endurance testing of 6000 operations under full load (rated current), and short circuit make and withstand tests.

DSN devices are rated to withstand and close into short circuit currents of 100kA when protected by RK1 fuses. Same for most DS models, except the DS100 and DS200, which have lower ratings.

MELTRIC Switch-Rated plugs and receptacles provide the safety of a switch wherever connections are made and broken. The hazard of pulling an arc during disconnection under load that exists with other devices is eliminated.

MELTRIC Switch-Rated plugs and receptacles ensure a safe work environment and simplify compliance with NFPA 70E.

• UL/CSA Switch Ratings ensure the safe disconnection of the load
• Dead-front construction with safety shutter eliminates potential hazards due to live parts and arcing
• Separation of the plug and receptacle provides clear visual verification of deenergization
• Integral provisions make LOTO simple.

The operation of DS and DSN devices presents no potential electrical hazard, so it is a NFPA 70E “Normal Operation” and no PPE or other special safety precautions are required. The need to suit up and do voltage testing as is required to verify deenergization on most other disconnects is eliminated, saving time and money.

The convenient way to provide a line-of-sight disconnect switch

Article 430.102 of the NEC requires each controller and each motor to have a disconnect located within the line of sight. Articles 430.109 and 430.110 indicate that the disconnect must be an appropriate switch or other device and must be rated in horsepower to handle the associated motor loads.

With their UL/CSA ratings for “Branch Circuit Disconnect Switching” up to 200A and “Motor Circuit Disconnect Switching” up to 100 HP MELTRIC DS and DSN Series devices are an approved NEC disconnect switch. They provide a safe and convenient plug and play disconnect switch everywhere they are used to make connections. The need for ancillary disconnect switches is eliminated.

Flexible mounting accessories allow in-line, wall box-mounted, direct motor mounted, cord-drop, flexible conduit, panel mounted, and other installation configurations. This makes providing the required line-of-sight disconnect simple and eliminates the design and space requirement challenges posed by large wall mounted disconnect switches.

The design and performance capabilities of MELTRIC DS and DSN Series Switch-Rated plugs and receptacles eliminate problems common with other plugs and receptacles and provide long operating lives that improve reliability and help reduce unplanned maintenance downtime.

• Butt style contacts provide consistent and optimal contact force for thousands of operations. This eliminates the inherent problems with pin and sleeve contacts that wear with use resulting in poor, high resistance connections over time.
• Solid silver-nickel contact material provides excellent conductivity that does not degrade significantly with oxidation or in harsh environments. It also resists welding due to arcing and provides good wear resistance. By contrast, the brass material used in most other plugs and receptacles is not arc resistant and wears, oxidizes and tarnishes easily, so its electrical performance can degrade significantly in normal use.
• Spring-assisted terminals compensate for the effects of strand settlement, temperature cycling and vibration that can cause terminal screws on other devices to loosen and create high resistance connections and potential damage from overheating.
• Rated watertightness is achieved simply by connecting the plug to the receptacle. This eliminates failures due to water ingress seen on pin and sleeve devices when the additionally required watertightness ring is not threaded on or turned into position.
• Available auxiliary contacts allow control and monitoring signals to be incorporated into the power connector, eliminating an additional connection point.

Using MELTRIC Switch-Rated plugs and receptacles to connect motors and other critical equipment allows critical changeouts to be made without the need for wiring work at the time of changeout. Technicians can safely make and break connections with plug and play efficiency.

• There is no need to wait for an electrician to arrive
• There is no need to suit-up in cumbersome PPE
• There is no need to field test (jog the motor) to ensure proper rotation

The electrical work to pre-wire replacement motors and ensure proper phase rotation is done at a convenient time back at the shop. Critical processes are back up and running in a fraction of the time.

Motor Changeout Process Comparison
Typical Disconnect Switch
	1. Switch disconnect to OFF position
	2. Apply lockout/tagout
	3. Perform Shock/Arc Flash Hazard Analysis
	4. Obtain permit for energized electrical work
	5. Suit up with appropriate PPE
	6. Remove the disconnect switch cover
	7. Test the voltage to verify deenergization
	8. Disconnect motor from hard-wiring
	9. Remove old/install new motor
	10. Connect new motor to hard-wiring
	11. Jog the motor to ensure proper rotation
MELTRIC Switch-Rated Plugs and Receptacles
	1. Switch MELTRIC receptacle to OFF position
	2. Remove plug from receptacles
	3. Apply lockout/tagout
	4. Remove old/install new motor
	5. Insert plug into receptacle
	PROCESS COMPLETE

The benefits and advantages of MELTRIC DS and DSN Series plugs and receptacles help users reduce costs in a number of key areas.

Purchase and Installation Cost Reduction:

• Their branch circuit and motor circuit disconnect switch ratings allow them to additionally serve as the NEC required line-of-sight disconnect, eliminating the need and cost of separate non-fused disconnect switches and the interlock switches required with ordinary pin & sleeve devices.
• Available auxiliary contacts can reduce or eliminate the need for separate connectors for control and monitoring circuits.
• Flexible mounting configurations allow installation in a convenient location and simplifies the design and wiring of the circuit.

Maintenance Cost Reduction:

• Motors and other equipment can be quickly and safely connected and disconnected with plug and play simplicity by technicians.
• The need to jog the motor and possibly re-wire if phase rotation is wrong can be eliminated with properly re-wired replacement motors.
• Associated electrical work to pre-wire and verify proper phase rotation of critical replacement motors can be done in the convenience and efficiency of the electrical shop during non-downtime periods.
• Operating a DS or DSN is an NFPA 70E “Normal Operation” and separation of the plug and receptacle provides visual verification of deenergization so there is no need to suit up in cumbersome PPE or perform voltage testing.

Downtime Cost Reduction:

• Using MELTRIC Switch-Rated plugs and receptacles to connect critical motors and equipment and pre-wired replacements reduces changeout downtime by up to 50%. They eliminate the need for to wait for an electrician to arrive to perform the wiring, for workers to suit-up in PPE and perform voltage testing on the disconnect to verify deenergization, and the need to jog motors to ensure proper phase rotation.