Arc Suppression Technologies Introduces a New Universal Three-Phase NOsparc Arc Suppressor

The new universal 3P-GGXAC arc suppressor

Arc Suppression Technologies, Inc., a Minneapolis-based high-technology firm, announced today that it has introduced new NOsparc® arc suppressor capable of protecting a broad range of motors from “single phasing” – a destructive phenomena that costs users billions of dollars in replacement contactors and motors. Single phasing often occurs in an electric motor when one pair of points on its power contactor fails because of the destructive arcing that takes place each time these points open or close. Once single phasing occurs, the motor will often run continuously, overheat, and fail. The new, universal NOsparc GCLAC3F480 arc suppressor is designed for AC power applications that operate between 110V and 480V and have a maximum allowable current of 235A(rms). There are millions of such motors operating in the world today, including semi-hermetic compressors for refrigeration, scroll compressors for air conditioning, water pumps, heaters, fans, dehumidifiers, automatic doors, and CNC and injection molding machines used in manufacturing.

Decades ago, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla each recognized that power switches and contactors produce powerful electrical arcs that are destructive to the switches themselves, but the technology at the time would not enable them to address this problem. Arc Suppression Technologies patented NOsparc technology solves this problem by sensing the precise moment of arc ignition and shunting 99.9% of the arc energy through the arc suppressor. By removing the arc energy, the arc suppressor extends the life of the contactor by at least 10 times, saving the user the cost of nine replacement contactors and many hours of unplanned maintenance.

“We understand that the economic value of NOsparc GCLAC3F480 arc suppressors is exceptionally strong in dozens of industries, particularly commercial HVACR,” says Bob Thorbus, co-founder and CEO of Arc Suppression Technologies. “Technicians and engineers in the industry have been conditioned to accept the enormous recurring costs of  extensive preventive maintenance, along with

inevitable contactor and motor failure. Now they have a universal, low cost solution that can be used on just about any electrical system and will save them a great deal of money.”

About Contact Arcing
As a power contactor or relay opens and closes, an electrical arc forms between the metal contacts. This arc is tremendously hot and destructive to the contact surfaces, eventually leading to the failure of the contactor itself. In addition, arcing is a source of electromagnetic interference (EMI), and also creates ozone and nitrous oxide pollutants. By removing 99.9% of the arc energy, NOsparc arc suppressors also reduce EMI and emitted pollutants by a comparable amount.