The Schneider Electric LC1K1610B5 is a TeSys K contactor — three power poles (3 NO), rated 16 A in AC-3 and AC-3e utilisation categories at up to 440 V, with a 24 V 50 Hz coil and one built-in normally open auxiliary contact. AC-3 is the standard category for squirrel-cage motor switching: starting, stopping, and jogging under load. The AC-3e suffix means it also meets the extended electrical endurance test defined in IEC 60947-4-1 for contactors used in motor-control applications. The 16 A rating at 440 V tells you it handles a motor full-load current up to that level; for a 400 V three-phase induction motor, that roughly corresponds to a 7.5 kW output.
What ships in the box — kit completeness check
The LC1K1610B5 ships as a bare contactor with screw-clamp terminals. The terminal screws accept one or two conductors: solid 1.5…4 mm², flexible without ferrule 0.75…4 mm², or flexible with ferrule 0.34…2.5 mm². Tightening torque is 0.8…1.3 N·m using a Philips No 2, flat 6 mm, or Pozidriv No 2 driver. No built-in coil suppression module is fitted — if your control circuit needs one (for PLC output protection or to meet EMC requirements), you add it externally. The auxiliary contact is a single instantaneous NO; if you need more aux contacts, an add-on block is required. The kit is complete for a standard motor starter build: contactor plus terminals ready to wire.
The LC1K1610B5 carries compliance to EN/IEC 60947-4-1 (the main contactor standard for motor starters), UL 60947-4-1, CSA C22.2 No 60947-4-1, and JIS C8201-4-1. It also meets IEC 60335-1 Clause 30.2 and the Annex JJ of IEC/UL 60335-2-40, which covers glow-wire and flammability requirements for appliances and HVAC equipment. Flame retardance is V1 per UL 94. For a panel builder, these approvals mean the contactor is accepted in North American (UL/CSA), European (EN/IEC), and Japanese (JIS) installations without additional component-level testing.
Installation and environment notes
Operating temperature range is -25…50 °C; storage from -50…80 °C. Altitude derating starts above 2000 m. The contactor is rated for 3600 operating cycles per hour maximum, with mechanical durability of 10 million cycles and electrical durability of 1.3 million cycles at 16 A AC-3/AC-3e at 440 V. Shock and vibration ratings are given for both closed and open contact states — useful if the panel is mounted on a machine with known vibration levels. Coil hold-in power is 4.5 VA at 20 °C; inrush is 30 VA. The coil drops out at ≥ 0.20 Uc below 50 °C, which means reliable dropout even with a sagging control supply.