The 480 V rating of 96 A is the AC-3 duty current—this is the motor-switching rating, not the resistive-heat rating. AC-3 means it makes and breaks motor loads at full current; the contactor is designed for that inrush. The AC-1 (resistive) switching frequency is 900 operations per hour, while AC-3 allows 850 1/h. If your application cycles faster than that, you'll need to derate or step up to a larger frame. That's the mechanism life before wear-out, not the electrical contact life under load. Electrical life depends on the switching current and frequency; the datasheet curve (not reproduced here) governs that. The main contact configuration is 10 normally open contacts, with 2 auxiliary contacts—verify your circuit count against that.
Wiring and Termination Reality
The main circuit accepts stranded wire from 6 to 70 mm²—that's a wide range covering #10 AWG up to #2/0 AWG roughly. Solid wire for the main circuit is listed at 2.5 to 16 mm². That means the contactor can handle both fine-stranded power cabling and solid control wiring without adapters. Physical dimensions: 70 mm wide, 140 mm high, 195 mm deep. The S3 frame is a common size; if you're replacing an existing S3 contactor, the mounting hole pattern and rail footprint should match.