What the 18 A AC-3 rating means for your motor control circuit
The LC1E1810E7 is a 3-pole contactor from Schneider Electric's Easy TeSys Control range, rated for 18 A in AC-3 duty at up to 440 V. AC-3 is the standard utilisation category for squirrel-cage motors: starting, switching off during running, and plugging/reversing. That 18 A figure governs the motor full-load current it can handle — so for a typical 400 V three-phase induction motor, this contactor suits loads up to roughly 7.5 kW (18 A × 400 V × √3 × 0.8 PF). Rated operational voltage on the power circuit is specified with a 10 MΩ insulation resistance for the control circuit — that's the isolation check for the coil side, not a working voltage.
Standards and compliance — what the certifications cover
It also meets GB/T 14048 equivalents for the Chinese market, and EN/IEC 60335-1 Clause 30.2 plus EN/IEC 60335-2-40 Annex JJ for glow-wire / fire resistance in household and HVAC applications. IP2X degree of protection means the contactor is finger-safe — no accidental contact with live parts when mounted in an enclosure. The vibration and shock ratings (1.5 Gn open, 3 Gn closed; 7 Gn open, 10 Gn closed for 11 ms) confirm it holds its state on a conveyor line or near a press without nuisance dropouts.