A General Guide to DC Contactors - Parts Super Center

The More You Know - DC Contactors at a Glance

Choosing the right DC Contactor and renewable parts for an original DC Contactor is easier than you think when you have access to the right components. You're in the right place to find your needs for original GE Contactors, Relays, Brakes, and Renewable Parts to support your legacy GE-designed products.

Engineered for heavy industrial and high-power applications, our original GE DC Contactors are rated to make, break, and carry up to 900 amps, with overload ratings of up to 2,500 amps. We offer new GE DC Contactors with original GE part numbers and ratings that are made new under special licensing.

Contact us today if you have a unique or special need that is not available on this page.

Terms you should know

Switch: Manually operated, full load device, any current rating (i.e. from a light switch to a high-power disconnect switch)

Contactor: electrically operated, power switching device, has the electrical operating coil (generally rated > 10 amps)

Breaker: high-power (fault) interrupting device

Relay: electrically operated "control" device, (generally = 10 amps) provides status information

In addition to the terms above, it is useful to know the the different NEMA and IEC contactor ratings.

NEMA sizes/ratings (either DC or AC contactors)

  • 10 amps- sz 0
  • 25 amps- sz 1
  • 50 amps- sz 2
  • 100 amps- sz 3
  • 150 amps- sz 4
  • 300 amps- sz 5
  • 600 amps- sz 6
  • 900 amps- sz7
  • 1350 amps- sz8
  • 2500 amps- sz9

There are a variety of special DC Contactors that have varied capabilities, based on the application requirements. For example, dynamic braking contactors have special capabilities to allow for high DC motor discharge current to be dissipated during emergency stops. Drive "special purpose contactors" are very similar to AC contactors, but they have one pole converted to NC for dynamic braking. There are a variety of past version DC contactors, many of which Parts Super Center sells.

IEC sizes

  • 10 amps
  • 25 amps
  • 40, 50, 60, 80 amps
  • 100 amps
  • 150, 200, 250 amps
  • 300, 400, 500 amps
  • 600 amps
  • 800, 900, 1000 amps
  • 1250, 1500 amps
  • 2000, 2500, etc. amps

Parts Super Center also supplies a variety of parts for current DC Contactors.

The current DC Contactor versions

  • DS303A1A (25 amp)
  • DS303A2A (50 amp)
  • DS303A3A (100 amp)
  • DS303A3A (100 amp)
  • DS303A4A (150 amp)
  • DS303A5A (300 amp)
  • DS303A6A (600 amp)
  • DS303A7A (900 amp)

Typical Installations

Are you wondering about the DC Contactors installed at your facility? There are a variety of places where these devices are typically isntalled, which include:

  • Steel Mills
  • Paper Mills
  • Cranes
  • Material Handling
  • Rapid Transit
  • Locomotive
  • Battery Banks
  • Other special purposes

Schedule a local visit with a Regional Sales Leader.