Contactors/Relays for residential circuits

[icellama21]

Anyone using contactors or relays to energize/power-off residential circuits in the US? I know this is common in countries where power is limited or expensive, and they often snap into the load center along side the circuit breakers. Seems like a good way to ensure that all of your wall-warts and devices are off when you leave, just turn off the entire circuit. Maybe something like the clipsal 20A relays will work?

 

[JimS]

I used a couple "fan control centers" to control things. Low tech but they work and aren't too expensive. They are simply relays with 24VAC coils designed to replace the cover of a standard metal electrical box. The low voltage wires are outside the box with all the high voltage safely inside. Often used for HVAC stuff. The transformer is always on though... Here is one:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/2E852

If you just need a couple this might be reasonable. If you want to control lots of circuits it would be a mess to wire.

 

[SquareDClipsal NE rep]

I have customers that have used the Clipsal 4x20A relay to control electrical circuits and it has worked well.

 

[icellama21]

I have customers that have used the Clipsal 4x20A relay to control electrical circuits and it has worked well.

I have access to some clipsal, but what is holding me back is an easy way to control it. It I was building an entire house with clipsal I could justify using an Ness/Elk M1 and the ELK-101236. But I can't justify the cost when simple contact-closure relays are so cheap.

These are really useful: http://hvac.functionaldevices.com/chartPower.html

I also am clueless as to the clipsal/square-D distribution network in America. The square-D ecatalog is full of broken links and missing manuals/documentation, few distributors are knowledgeable about the product, and it is not widely available except through select distribution channels. Considering how easy it is to get the documentation and the hardware from AU these days(need to be a bit mindful about power supplies), I really don't see why square-D is not leveraging the info already out there. I also don't see why Ness/ELK is so slow rolling out the ELK-101236 either, seems like an easy process to start selling it in the US too. Maybe I'm missing some secret profit motive or technological barrier here. If this stuff is so widely available in AU, why not the same here?