What the 65 A AC-3 rating means for your motor load
The LC1E65BD is a 3-pole contactor from the Easy TeSys Control range, rated 65 A in utilisation category AC-3 and AC-3e at ≤440 V, with a 24 V DC coil. AC-3 is the standard duty for squirrel-cage motors — starting, switching off during running, and plug reversing. The 65 A figure is the motor-switching current, not the resistive (AC-1) rating, so it governs the maximum induction motor you can connect: roughly a 30–37 kW motor at 400 V, depending on locked-rotor current and duty cycle. The AC-3e suffix means it also meets the more stringent electrical endurance test for motor switching under IEC 60947-4-1.
Coil and control circuit — 24 V DC, non-overlap timing
This timing ensures that in safety circuits or reversing starters, the normally-closed and normally-open poles never close simultaneously, preventing a phase-to-phase short. The coil suppression is internal to the Easy TeSys design — verify free-wheel diode polarity if adding external suppression for long control-wire runs.
Mounts on either a DIN rail or a plate, giving flexibility for new panel builds or retrofit into existing enclosures. The 75 mm width and 126 mm depth fit a standard 4-module DIN-rail footprint — plan for side-by-side spacing if derating for continuous high current.
Environmental limits — temperature, altitude, humidity
At altitudes up to 3000 m no derating is required — above that, air density reduction lowers the dielectric withstand and cooling capacity, so consult the thermal derating curve. The TH protective treatment per IEC 60068-2-30 test Db means the contactor is tested for damp heat cyclic exposure, making it suitable for humid environments like textile mills or food-processing areas that are not directly washdown.
Designed to EN/IEC 60947-1 (general rules), EN/IEC 60947-4-1 (contactors and motor-starters), and EN/IEC 60947-5-1 (control-circuit devices). Also complies with the Chinese GB/T equivalents.
Sourcing and procurement takeaway
The LC1E65BD is an active, current-production part.