Schneider Electric GC1610M5 TeSys GC Contactor 1 NO 16 A

What the GC1610M5 is and how the reference is read

Anyone who switches lighting, heaters or small motor-type loads from a distribution board will meet the GC1610M5, a Schneider Electric TeSys GC contactor with one normally open pole and a 220 to 240 V AC coil. The manufacturer’s title reads: TeSys GC, modular contactor, 16 A, 1 NO, coil 220…240 V AC. Seven Star LLC supplies the GC1610M5 in Oman and the GCC as an independent supplier based in Muscat.

The reference is built from the range (GC), the current (16 for 16 A), the pole arrangement (1 NO) and the coil code M5, which the datasheet gives as 220 to 240 V AC at 50 Hz. Check the pole arrangement carefully, because the 16 A family has single, double and triple pole versions that look alike.

Where 1 NO on the GC1610M5 makes sense

A single normally open pole is the right shape for a load whose neutral is permanently connected, for instance a lighting group, a small resistive heater or a single-phase circuit that is protected and isolated elsewhere. At 16 A in AC-7a duty on a 230 V supply that is a resistive or lightly inductive load of about 3.7 kW, worked out from the datasheet current, and for motor-type household loads in AC-7b the datasheet drops the current to 5 A.

Because it is one module wide (17.5 mm), the contactor can be stacked in a distribution board beside circuit breakers on the same DIN rail, which is the main reason it is used instead of a panel-style relay for a single circuit. Where the standard requires both conductors to be switched, the two-pole GC1620M5 is the better pick.

Datasheet values for the GC1610M5

Current, short-circuit and coil data for the GC1610M5

The poles of the GC1610M5 are rated 16 A AC-7A and 5 A AC-7B, at a rated operational voltage of up to 250 V AC. AC-7a is the utilisation category for resistive or slightly inductive loads such as heating and lighting, and AC-7b covers motor-type loads in household-style duty. The conventional thermal current is 16 A (at 50 °C), and the datasheet gives a making and breaking capacity of 40 A at 400 V AC conforming to IEC 61095.

Protection data in the datasheet: associated fuse 16 A gL at ≤ 440 V, short-time withstand 128 A 40 °C – 10 s, and an average impedance of 2.5 mOhm – Ith 16 A 50 Hz. These are the numbers a panel builder needs to coordinate the contactor with the upstream breaker. Dissipation is 0.65 W per pole plus a further heat dissipation figure of 1.3 W at 50/60 Hz.

The coil of the GC1610M5 is a 50 Hz AC coil for 220 to 240 V. The datasheet lists inrush of 15 VA 50 Hz and hold-in of 3.8 VA 50 Hz at 20 °C, with an operational window of 0.85 to 1.1 Uc and a drop-out band of 0.2 to 0.75 Uc at 50 Hz below 50 °C. In practical terms the contactor pulls in between 85 % of 220 V (187 V) and 110 % of 240 V (264 V) and releases when the coil voltage falls to between 20 % and 75 % of nominal.

Operating time is 10 to 25 ms on opening and 10 to 30 ms on closing, with a mechanical durability of one million cycles and an electrical durability of 100,000 cycles in both AC-7a and AC-7b duty. The maximum operating rate is 300 cycles per hour at 50 °C, which shows that GC contactors are meant for scheduled switching rather than for fast cycling. The AC coil makes a faint hum, and that is normal for this type; it is only a problem if the hum becomes loud, which usually indicates low voltage or dirt in the magnetic circuit.

Before you order the GC1610M5: what to check

• Pole arrangement: 1 NO (one normally open pole).
• Current: 16 A in AC-7a and 5 A in AC-7b.
• Coil: 220 to 240 V AC at 50 Hz; confirm that the control supply is really 50 Hz.
• Fuse: the datasheet lists 16 A gL at ≤ 440 V.
• Space: 17.5 mm wide (1 module), 81 mm high, 62.5 mm deep.
• Environment: operation -5 to 50 °C, which limits the use in hot outdoor boards.
• Load type: AC-7a heating and lighting, AC-7b motor-type loads; use a TeSys D contactor for industrial motors.

Installing the GC1610M5 in a distribution board

Clip the GC1610M5 onto a 35 mm DIN rail, in a board that is held in the upright or up to 30 degrees from the vertical, the position the datasheet gives. Terminals are screw-clamp: the control circuit accepts 2.5 mm² flexible, the power circuit up to 6 mm² flexible, and the datasheet lists a tightening torque of 0.8 N.m for both. Use a torque-limited screwdriver, because loose terminals on a 16 A or 25 A circuit overheat first.

After commissioning, check the coil voltage at the terminals with the load on, listen for chatter, and note the temperature inside the board. The GC1610M5 has TC protective treatment, an enclosure rating of IP40 per VDE 0106 (in enclosure), and a vibration resistance of 2 Gn open and 3 Gn closed (5 to 300 Hz). A yearly inspection in dusty sites is enough, and it is useful to keep one spare for each pole arrangement in use.

The GC family around the GC1610M5

The GC1610M5 belongs to the TeSys GC modular family, which uses the same 220 to 240 V AC coil and the same clip-on DIN rail mounting across the references in the table. What changes between members is the number and arrangement of poles and, for the 25 A reference, the current rating. Choose by the load you actually have: a neutral-switching double pole is not interchangeable with a single pole, and oversizing a contactor does not protect a smaller circuit.

For bigger loads the usual next step is the TeSys D range (LC1D), which carries motor currents in AC-3 duty and is covered by separate references. For control-circuit signal multiplication, the CAD and CA2 control relays of the same TeSys brand are the right category, as the GC contactors are built for power loads.

Typical applications of the GC1610M5 in the Gulf

Typical single-pole uses in the region include car-park and street lighting groups switched from a photocell or time clock, signage, water-heater circuits in staff accommodation and small trace-heating or frost-protection circuits at pumping stations. Each is a plain on-off duty with long idle periods, which suits a contactor rated for a million mechanical operations.

In the Omani climate the environment matters more than the electrical duty: the datasheet limits operation to between -5 and 50 °C, and a distribution board on an outdoor wall in summer sun can pass that, so ventilation or sun shielding of the enclosure should be part of the specification.

The GC1610M5 is therefore a board-level part, not a motor-control part, and its value lies in the compact width and the long life in on-off duty.

RFQ details for the GC1610M5

• Full reference GC1610M5 and the quantity
• Load description: voltage, current, resistive or inductive, number of switching operations per hour
• Pole arrangement needed and whether the neutral must be switched
• Distribution board it will be fitted to, and whether it is a spare, a replacement or a new installation
• Delivery location in Oman or the GCC and date required

Documents and quotation

A datasheet for this product is attached on this page. It lists the electrical, mechanical and environmental data summarised above, and it is worth reading beside the panel drawing before you order.

Send us the part number, quantity and application and we will confirm availability and a quotation. Seven Star LLC is an independent supplier in Muscat and is not affiliated with the manufacturer.