Lovato ME024FD024 2.4A Electronic Direct-on-line starter

Electronic motor starter with thermal protection up to 2.4 A

The ME024FD024 is an electronic direct-on-line starter from the Lovato Electric ME range. Instead of a contactor and overload relay it uses a solid-state power stage rated 2.4 A (AC-3, AC-53a) at an operating voltage of 40-500 V, with the electronic thermal protection built in: protection is integrated, class 10A and the dial adjusts from 0.18-2.4A.

The control side runs from 24VDC. Safe torque off is not included on this code, which matters when the starter forms part of a machine safety circuit. Outputs: 1 relay output with C/O contact +1 PNP digital output; the datasheet gives the relay output rating as Relay output: 3A 230V AC15, 2A 24V DC13 Digital output: 40mA 24VDC.

Technical specifications

Selecting the version

Pick the ME version by function (direct-on-line or reversing), by rated current (2.4 A) and by control supply (24VDC). The trailing characters of this code mark the control voltage; ME024FD024 is the 24VDC version, as read from the catalogue entry.

Because there is no mechanical contact wear, the datasheet quotes electrical life of 50 million cycles and mechanical life of 15 million cycles, which suits applications with many daily starts.

Applications and installation

Typical uses are small pumps, fans, conveyor motors and machine drives where frequent switching would wear a contactor. Keep the starter on a 35 mm DIN rail with the spacing the manual shows, because the power dissipation of 1.2-9.4 W must leave the enclosure.

The unit weighs 300 g, mounts vertically on a DIN rail and uses screw terminals. Upstream short-circuit protection is still required; see the instruction manual for approved fuse or breaker types.

For panel design and commissioning, the practical figures to keep at hand are: operating temperature (min) -25 °C; operating temperature (max) +70 °C; storage temperature (min) -25 °C; storage temperature (max) +80 °C; operating position, normal Vertical; fixing 35mm DIN rail (IEC/EN/BS 60715); weight 300 g. These come straight from the datasheet and are repeated here so that the key installation limits are visible without opening the PDF.

Selection checks for the ME024FD024

Start with the motor nameplate. The full-load current of the motor must fall inside the 0.18-2.4A adjustment range of the thermal protection, and the motor voltage must lie within the 40-500 V operating range. Class 10A protection suits motors with normal starting times; a load with a long run-up, such as a fan with a heavy impeller, should be checked against the trip curve in the Lovato documentation before this starter is chosen.

Confirm that a 24VDC control supply is available in the panel and that the PLC or control circuit can work with the relay output and the PNP digital output for status signalling. Because STO is not included on this code, any safety-related stopping must be achieved by a separate, suitably rated safety circuit designed to the machine’s risk assessment.

Wiring and commissioning the starter

Isolate the panel, mount the starter vertically on the DIN rail and wire the motor supply through the upstream short-circuit protection specified in the instruction manual. Tighten the screw terminals to the values in the manual and keep the 24VDC control wiring physically separated from the power conductors where possible.

Set the thermal protection dial to the motor full-load current before the first start. Energise the control supply, give a start command and check the direction of rotation, the running current and the feedback from the relay and digital outputs at the PLC. Record the dial setting on the panel drawing so that maintenance staff can restore it if the unit is ever replaced.

Panel heat and dust in Oman and the GCC

The datasheet lists operation up to +70 °C and humidity of 20-90 %, but those are limits at the device, not outdoor air figures. Inside a closed steel panel standing in summer sun the internal temperature can rise well above the surrounding air, so allow for the 1.2-9.4 W dissipated by each starter, plus the heat of neighbouring components, when sizing panel ventilation or cooling.

The IP20 rating and pollution degree 2 mean the starter belongs inside a protective enclosure. On sites with blowing sand, use a sealed panel with filtered ventilation or air conditioning, and keep cable entries closed. In humid coastal areas, prevent condensation by keeping the panel warm and dry during cool periods.

Maintenance in service

With no contacts to wear, the main tasks are checking terminal tightness, keeping dust off the device and confirming that the thermal setting still matches the motor. If the protection trips repeatedly, measure the motor current and check the mechanical load before changing the setting; a higher setting should never be used to hide an overloaded or failing motor.

Documents and quotation

Download the attached datasheet for ME024FD024 from the Lovato Electric online catalogue (English) to see every parameter in full. Check the motor current, the control supply voltage and the enclosure or DIN-rail mounting arrangement against your own drawings first; the manufacturer may update datasheet figures without notice. Related items are listed under contactors & overload relays. To request ME024FD024, send the quantity and delivery location with the quotation form; Seven Star LLC is an independent supplier based in Muscat.