Change in Electric Contact Resistance of Low-Voltage Relays Affected by Fault Current

Contact resistance is an important maintenance parameter for electromagnetic switches, including low-voltage relays. The flow of significant current through electric contacts may influence the contact surface and thus the value of the electric contact resistance (ECR). The change in ECR is influenced not only by the value of current but also by the current phase. Therefore, the impact of the switching short-circuit current’s phase on the ECR was analyzed in this paper. Significant changes in the resistance after each switching cycle were observed. The ECR decreased significantly after each make operation, and a correlation with current amplitude, total let-through energy, and short-circuit time was not observed.