Direct On Line (DOL) Motor

Starter

Direct Online Motor Starter - Square D

Different starting methods are employed for starting induction motors because
Induction Motor draws more starting current during starting. To prevent damage
to the windings due to the high starting current flow, we employ different types of
starters.

The simplest form of motor starter for the induction motor is the Direct On Line
starter. The Direct On Line Motor Starter (DOL) consist a MCCB or Circuit
Breaker, Contactor and an overload relay for protection. Electromagnetic
contactor which can be opened by the thermal overload relay under fault
conditions.

Typically, the contactor will be controlled by separate start and stop buttons, and
an auxiliary contact on the contactor is used, across the start button, as a hold in
contact. I.e. the contactor is electrically latched closed while the motor is
operating.
Principle of Direct On Line Starter
(DOL)
To start, the contactor is closed, applying full line voltage to the motor windings.
The motor will draw a very high inrush current for a very short time, the magnetic
field in the iron, and then the current will be limited to the Locked Rotor Current
of the motor. The motor will develop Locked Rotor Torque and begin to accelerate
towards full speed.

As the motor accelerates, the current will begin to drop, but will not drop
significantly until the motor is at a high speed, typically about 85% of synchronous
speed. The actual starting current curve is a function of the motor design, and
the terminal voltage, and is totally independent of the motor load.

The motor load will affect the time taken for the motor to accelerate to full speed
and therefore the duration of the high starting current, but not the magnitude of
the starting current.

Provided the torque developed by the motor exceeds the load torque at all speeds
during the start cycle, the motor will reach full speed. If the torque delivered by
the motor is less than the torque of the load at any speed during the start cycle,
the motor will stops accelerating. If the starting torque with a DOL starter is
insufficient for the load, the motor must be replaced with a motor which can
develop a higher starting torque.

The acceleration torque is the torque developed by the motor minus the load
torque, and will change as the motor accelerates due to the motor speed torque
curve and the load speed torque curve. The start time is dependent on the
acceleration torque and the load inertia.

DOL starting have a maximum start current and maximum start torque.
This may cause an electrical problem with the supply, or it may cause a
mechanical problem with the driven load. So this will be inconvenient for the users
of the supply line, always experience a voltage drop when starting a motor. But if
this motor is not a high power one it does not affect much.
Parts of DOL Starters
Contactors & Coil

DOL part -Contactor

Magnetic contactors are electromagnetically operated switches that provide a
safe and convenient means for connecting and interrupting branch circuits.

Magnetic motor controllers use electromagnetic energy for closing switches. The
electromagnet consists of a coil of wire placed on an iron core. When a current
flow through the coil, the iron of the magnet becomes magnetized, attracting an
iron bar called the armature. An interruption of the current flow through the coil of
wire causes the armature to drop out due to the presence of an air gap in the
magnetic circuit.

Line-voltage magnetic motor starters are electromechanical devices that provide

a safe, convenient, and economical means of starting and stopping motors, and
have the advantage of being controlled remotely. The great bulk of motor
controllers sold are of this type.

Contactors are mainly used to control machinery which uses electric motors. It
consists of a coil which connects to a voltage source. Very often for Single phase
Motors, 230V coils are used and for three phase motors, 415V coils are used.
The contactor has three main NO contacts and lesser power rated contacts
named as Auxiliary Contacts [NO and NC] used for the control circuit. A contact
is conducting metal parts which completes or interrupt an electrical circuit.

 NO-normally open
 NC-normally closed
Over Load Relay (Overload protection)
Overload protection for an electric motor is necessary to prevent burnout and to
ensure maximum operating life.

Under any condition of overload, a motor draws excessive current that causes
overheating. Since motor winding insulation deteriorates due to overheating,
there are established limits on motor operating temperatures to protect a motor
from overheating. Overload relays are employed on a motor control to limit the
amount of current drawn.

The overload relay does not provide short circuit protection. This is the
function of over current protective equipment like fuses and circuit
breakers, generally located in the disconnecting switch enclosure.
The ideal and easiest way for overload protection for a motor is an element with
current-sensing properties very similar to the heating curve of the motor which
would act to open the motor circuit when full-load current is exceeded. The
operation of the protective device should be such that the motor is allowed to
carry harmless over-loads but is quickly removed from the line when an overload
has persisted too long.

DOL part - Termal Overload Relay

Normally fuses are not designed to provide overload protection. Fuse is
protecting against short circuits (over current protection). Motors draw a high
inrush current when starting and conventional fuses have no way of
distinguishing between this temporary and harmless inrush current and a
damaging overload. Selection of Fuse is depend on motor full-load current, would
“blow” every time the motor is started. On the other hand, if a fuse were chosen
large enough to pass the starting or inrush current, it would not protect the motor
against small, harmful overloads that might occur later.
The overload relay is the heart of motor protection. It has inverse-trip-time
characteristics, permitting it to hold in during the accelerating period (when inrush
current is drawn), yet providing protection on small overloads above the full-load
current when the motor is running. Overload relays are renewable and can
withstand repeated trip and reset cycles without need of replacement. Overload
relays cannot, however, take the place of over current protection equipment.

The overload relay consists of a current-sensing unit connected in the line to the
motor, plus a mechanism, actuated by the sensing unit, which serves, directly or
indirectly, to break the circuit.

Overload relays can be classified as being thermal, magnetic, or electronic:

1. Thermal Relay: As the name implies, thermal overload relays rely on the
rising temperatures caused by the overload current to trip the overload
mechanism. Thermal overload relays can be further subdivided into two types:
melting alloy and bimetallic.
2. Magnetic Relay: Magnetic overload relays react only to current excesses and
are not affected by temperature.
3. Electronic Relay: Electronic or solid-state overload relays, provide the
combination of high-speed trip, adjustability, and ease of installation. They can
be ideal in many precise applications.

Wiring of DOL Starter

1. Main Contact
 Contactor is connecting among Supply Voltage, Relay Coil and Thermal
Overload Relay.
 L1 of Contactor Connect (NO) to R Phase through MCCB
 L2 of Contactor Connect (NO) to Y Phase through MCCB
 L3 of Contactor Connect (NO) to B Phase through MCCB.
NO Contact (-||-):
 (13-14 or 53-54) is a normally Open NO contact (closes when the relay
energizes)
 Contactor Point 53 is connecting to Start Button Point (94) and 54 Point of
Contactor is connected to Common wire of Start/Stop Button.
NC Contact (-|/|-):
 (95-96) is a normally closed NC contact (opens when the thermal overloads
trip if associated with the overload block)
2. Relay Coil Connection
 A1 of Relay Coil is connecting to any one Supply Phase and A2 is
connecting to Thermal over Load Relay’s NC Connection (95).
3. Thermal Overload Relay Connection:
 T1,T2,T3 are connect to Thermal Overload Relay
 Overload Relay is Connecting between Main Contactor and Motor
 NC Connection (95-96) of Thermal Overload Relay is connecting to Stop
Button and Common Connection of Start/Stop Button.

Wiring Diagram of DOL Starter

Direct On Line Starter - Wiring Diagram

Working principle of DOL Starter
The main heart of DOL starter is Relay Coil. Normally it gets one phase constant
from incoming supply Voltage (A1).when Coil gets second Phase relay coil
energizes and Magnet of Contactor produce electromagnetic field and due to this
Plunger of Contactor will move and Main Contactor of starter will closed and
Auxiliary will change its position NO become NC and NC become (shown Red
Line in Diagram) .

Pushing Start Button

When We Push the start Button Relay Coil will get second phase from Supply
Phase-Main contactor(5)-Auxiliary Contact(53)-Start button-Stop button-96-95-
To Relay Coil (A2).Now Coil energizes and Magnetic field produce by Magnet
and Plunger of Contactor move. Main Contactor closes and Motor gets supply at
the same time Auxiliary contact become (53-54) from NO to NC .

Release Start Button

Relay coil gets supply even though we release Start button. When We release
Start Push Button Relay Coil gets Supply phase from Main contactor (5)-Auxiliary
contactor (53) – Auxiliary contactor (54)-Stop Button-96-95-Relay coil (shown
Red / Blue Lines in Diagram).

In Overload Condition of Motor will be stopped by intermission of Control circuit

at Point 96-95.

Pushing Stop Button

When we push Stop Button Control circuit of Starter will be break at stop button
and Supply of Relay coil is broken, Plunger moves and close contact of Main
Contactor becomes Open, Supply of Motor is disconnected.
DOL Wiring scheme

Motor Starting Characteristics on

DOL Starter
 Available starting current: 100%.
 Peak starting current: 6 to 8 Full Load Current.
 Peak starting torque: 100%

Advantages of DOL Starter

1. Most Economical and Cheapest Starter
2. Simple to establish, operate and maintain
3. Simple Control Circuitry
4. Easy to understand and trouble‐shoot.
5. It provides 100% torque at the time of starting.
6. Only one set of cable is required from starter to motor.
7. Motor is connected in delta at motor terminals.
Disadvantages of DOL Starter
1. It does not reduce the starting current of the motor.
2. High Starting Current: Very High Starting Current (Typically 6 to 8 times the
FLC of the motor).
3. Mechanically Harsh: Thermal Stress on the motor, thereby reducing its life.
4. Voltage Dip: There is a big voltage dip in the electrical installation because
of high in-rush current affecting other customers connected to the same lines
and therefore not suitable for higher size squirrel cage motors
5. High starting Torque: Unnecessary high starting torque, even when not
required by the load, thereby increased mechanical stress on the mechanical
systems such as rotor shaft, bearings, gearbox, coupling, chain drive,
connected equipments, etc. leading to premature failure and plant downtimes.

Features of DOL starting

 For low- and medium-power three-phase motors
 Three connection lines (circuit layout: star or delta)
 High starting torque
 Very high mechanical load
 High current peaks
 Voltage dips
 Simple switching devices

Direct On Line Motor Starter (DOL) is

suitable for:
 A direct on line starter can be used if the high inrush current of the motor
does not cause excessive voltage drop in the supply circuit. The maximum
size of a motor allowed on a direct on line starter may be limited by the
supply utility for this reason. For example, a utility may require rural
customers to use reduced-voltage starters for motors larger than 10 kW.
 DOL starting is sometimes used to start small water pumps, compressors,
fans and conveyor belts.
Direct On Line Motor Starter (DOL) is NOT
suitable for:
 The peak starting current would result in a serious voltage drop on the
supply system
 The equipment being driven cannot tolerate the effects of very high peak
torque loadings
 The safety or comfort of those using the equipment may be compromised
by sudden starting as, for example, with escalators and lifts.