Motor Starters & Contactors: Product Families
A contactor is an electrically operated switch that makes and breaks the power to a motor or other load. A starter adds overload protection to a contactor. IEC contactors are sized by utilization category and current, and NEMA starters by NEMA size, from 00 up to 9. Reversing starters swap two phases to change the direction of the motor.
Solid-state or soft starters ramp the voltage up to limit starting current and mechanical shock, instead of switching the motor on at full voltage. Coil voltage, number of poles, auxiliary contacts and the overload relay are also part of a match. Buyers of surplus or replacement units commonly ask by series and frame size. The families below are grouped by those four types.
31 product families from 6 manufacturers
IEC Contactors
Siemens
SIRIUS 3RT2 power contactors
Compact 3-pole IEC motor contactor line with an integrated auxiliary-contact option, sizes S00 to S3 per the vendor page.
- Rated range
- Datasheet for 3RT2027-1AP00 (size S0): AC-3 32 A at 400 V (15 kW) and 21 A at 690 V, insulation voltage 690 V. Family sizes S00-S3 per Siemens page.
Siemens
SIRIUS 3RT contactors, larger frames (3RT1 / 3RT12 / 3RT25, sizes S6-S12)
Larger SIRIUS 3RT power contactors for motors above the compact S00-S3 sizes, listed on the Siemens contactor overview page.
- Rated range
- Page lists 18.5-55 kW (3RT12 / 3TF6), 55-250 kW (3RT25) and up to 2,650 A for the extended range; sizes S6-S12
Schneider Electric
TeSys Deca contactors (LC1D)
Listed as current
IEC contactor line, US-catalogued with horsepower ratings at 480 VAC, 3-pole nonreversing open-style units with a range of AC and DC coils.
- Rated range
- LC1D09 example: 9 A, 5 HP at 480 VAC, SCCR up to 100 kA; LC1D18 example: 18 A, 10 HP at 480 VAC
Schneider Electric
TeSys Deca contactors, LC1D150 frame
Top LC1D frame in the range; the Schneider FAQ identifies it as the 150 A TeSys D contactor and gives the replacement contact kit reference.
- Rated range
- 150 A (LC1D150) per Schneider FAQ
Schneider Electric
TeSys F contactors
Large-frame IEC contactor line above the TeSys D size range.
- Rated range
- Up to 800 A AC-3 and 2100 A AC-1
ABB
AF contactors (AF09-AF96 range)
3-pole IEC contactors with an electronically controlled wide-range coil; the same document covers NF auxiliary contactor relays.
- Rated range
- AC-3 motors 4-45 kW at 400 V AC or 5-60 hp at 480 V AC (UL); AC-1 switching up to 130 A; coil control voltage 24-500 V AC 50/60 Hz and 20-500 V DC; IEC/EN and UL/CSA 60947
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
Bulletin 100-C IEC contactors
Standard IEC contactor line for motor and load control.
- Rated range
- 9-97 A
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
Bulletin 100-E IEC large contactors
Large-frame IEC contactor line, positioned by the vendor as the next-generation contactor range.
- Rated range
- 9-2,650 A
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
Bulletin 100-K miniature contactors
Small 45 mm-wide IEC contactors for commercial and light industrial use.
- Rated range
- Ratings not stated
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
Bulletin 100-S / 104-S safety contactors
IEC contactors with mechanically linked mirror contacts for safety feedback circuits.
- Rated range
- Up to 750 A
Mitsubishi Electric
MS-T series magnetic contactors
General-purpose magnetic contactor line with 10 A to 50 A frames; the MS-N series continues the range to 125-800 A frames.
- Rated range
- 10-50 A frames (MS-T); 125-800 A frames (MS-N); IEC, JIS, UL, CE and CCC compliance
NEMA Starters
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
Bulletin 509 full-voltage NEMA starters (non-reversing)
NEMA full-voltage magnetic starters in open and enclosed forms, compatible with E100/E300 overload relays.
- Rated range
- NEMA sizes 00-9; family current capacity up to 2,250 A per the Rockwell page
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
Bulletin 309 full-voltage NEMA starters (non-reversing)
Smaller-size NEMA full-voltage starter line listed alongside the 305 reversing version.
- Rated range
- NEMA sizes 0-6
Schneider Electric (Square D)
Class 8536 Type S NEMA magnetic starters
Non-reversing NEMA magnetic starters switching AC inductive motors, with a choice of overload relays.
- Rated range
- NEMA sizes 00-7, up to 600 VAC, up to 600 hp, up to 810 A
Siemens
NEMA motor starters with ESP200 overload relay
Open and enclosed NEMA starters with solid-state overload protection, single- or two-speed and available in full and half sizes.
- Rated range
- NEMA sizes 00-8 (full and half sizes), fractional hp up to 900 hp; UL listed and CSA certified
Reversing Starters
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
Bulletin 505 full-voltage reversing NEMA starters
Reversing counterpart of the Bulletin 509 NEMA starter line.
- Rated range
- NEMA sizes 00-9
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
Bulletin 305 full-voltage reversing NEMA starters
Reversing counterpart of the Bulletin 309 line.
- Rated range
- NEMA sizes 0-6
Schneider Electric (Square D)
Class 8736 Type S reversing NEMA starters
Reversing versions within the Type S (8536 / 8736 / 8606) NEMA starter range.
- Rated range
- NEMA sizes 00-5 for reversing configurations (per range page), up to 600 VAC
Siemens
NEMA reversing and two-speed reversing starters with ESP200
Reversing starter variants shown in the Siemens NEMA starter brochure, open or enclosed, using the ESP200 solid-state overload relay.
- Rated range
- NEMA sizes 00-8 (family), up to 900 hp; UL listed, CSA certified
Mitsubishi Electric
MS-T series reversing motor starters
Reversing configuration listed among the MS-T series operational variants (AC, DC, reversing, mechanically latched, delay-open).
- Rated range
- 10-50 A frames (MS-T); MS-N series extends the range to 800 A frames
Solid State Starters
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
SMC-3 soft starters
Listed as current
Compact three-phase solid-state soft starter with overload protection and diagnostics.
- Rated range
- 3-480 A
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
SMC Flex soft starters
Listed as current
Smart motor controller line spanning a wide current range.
- Rated range
- 5-1,250 A
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley)
SMC-50 soft starters
Listed as current
Solid-state motor controller in the SMC family.
- Rated range
- 108-480 A on the soft-starters page (108-520 A on the motor-control overview page); fully solid-state versions 90-520 A
Siemens
SIRIUS 3RW30 soft starters
Basic-performance soft starters for standard applications (a 3RW3003 mini variant also exists in the brochure).
- Rated range
- 3.6-106 A at 40 C (3 A for 3RW3003), 200-480 V; sizes S00-S3
Siemens
SIRIUS 3RW40 soft starters
Standard-application soft starters with adjustable ramp settings, in 200-460/480 V and 400-600 V versions.
- Rated range
- 12.5-432 A at 40 C, 200-600 V; sizes S0-S12
Siemens
SIRIUS 3RW44 soft starters
High-feature soft starters with display, offered in 22 versions per voltage class.
- Rated range
- 29-1,214 A at 40 C, 200-690 V
Siemens
SIRIUS 3RW52 and 3RW55 soft starters
3RW52 (general performance) is positioned as an alternative to star-delta starters; 3RW55 (high performance) has EtherNet/IP, Profinet media redundancy and integrated STO.
- Rated range
- Ratings not stated
Schneider Electric
Altivar Soft Starter ATS480 (successor to Altistart 48)
Listed as current
Soft starter line for process and infrastructure applications, described as backward compatible with ATS48 installations.
- Rated range
- 3-900 kW
Schneider Electric
Altistart 48 (ATS48)
Full-featured soft starter for three-phase motors.
- Rated range
- 17-1,200 A, 3-1,200 hp
Schneider Electric
Altistart 22 (ATS22)
Mid-range soft starter aimed at pumps and fans.
- Rated range
- 17-590 A
Schneider Electric
Altistart 01 / Altivar ATS130 / ATS430 / ATS490
Smaller and mid-range soft starter families listed on the Schneider soft starter category page.
- Rated range
- ATS01: 3-32 A; ATS130: 11-55 kW; ATS430: 4-400 kW; ATS490: 4-900 kW
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Ratings and lifecycle notes come from the manufacturer pages linked on each entry.
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