Schneider Electric GC1611M5 TeSys GC Contactor 1 NO + 1 NC 16 A

GC1611M5: a two-pole changeover TeSys GC modular contactor

The GC1611M5 is a Schneider Electric TeSys GC modular contactor: Modular contactor, TeSys GC, AC-7a, 16A, 1NO+1NC, 220 to 240VAC 50Hz coil. It is a two-pole contactor with one normally open and one normally closed power contact, so that one circuit is switched on while another is switched off by the same coil. The coil is rated 220 to 240 V AC at 50 Hz, and it clips onto the same 35 mm rail as the breakers in a standard distribution board. Seven Star LLC supplies the GC1611M5 in Oman and the GCC as an independent supplier based in Muscat.

How to read the code: GC is the TeSys GC modular range, 16 sets the 16 A rating, and the next two digits give the number of normally open and normally closed poles (1 NO + 1 NC); the closing M5 stands for the 220 to 240 V AC coil that the datasheet lists. Siblings differ in current and poles, so quoting the complete GC1611M5 avoids a wrong module.

Technical specifications of the GC1611M5

Load ratings, coil and durability of the GC1611M5

The poles of the GC1611M5 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 GC1611M5 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.

Using the GC1611M5: one normally open and one normally closed pole

The 1 NO + 1 NC arrangement is the unusual member of the GC16 group, because one pole opens as the other closes. It suits changeover duty on two loads that must never run together, for example a primary heater and a standby heater, a lighting circuit that dims to a different circuit at night, or a signal that has to follow the inverse of the coil state.

Both poles carry the same 16 A AC-7a and 5 A AC-7b ratings as the other 16 A references, so the NC pole is not a lighter auxiliary contact but a full power pole. Remember that a changeover between two supplies, as opposed to two loads, calls for mechanical or electrical interlocking beyond a single coil, and the datasheet does not describe such a function.

Related references to the GC1611M5

The GC1611M5 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.

Selection checklist for the GC1611M5

• Pole arrangement: 1 NO + 1 NC (one normally open and one normally closed 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.

Mounting, wiring and care of the GC1611M5

Clip the GC1611M5 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 GC1611M5 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.

Where the GC1611M5 is used in Oman and the GCC

Where it is used in the region: boiler and storage-heater plants that alternate between two elements, ventilation systems that swap between a main and a reduced circuit, and small tank-heating or de-icing installations in the northern, cooler parts of the GCC where only one circuit should be live at a time. In every case the GC1611M5 does the swapping with one coil, one module and one control signal.

Heat and dust inside a distribution board still apply. The pole spacing of a 17.5 mm module is tight, and a board that regularly runs above the 50 °C operating limit of the datasheet will shorten the life of any contactor, so keep ventilation clear and leave gaps between hot components.

Information to send with an RFQ for the GC1611M5

• Full reference GC1611M5 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.