June 23, 2003

Harsh Environment Graphite-Impregnated Contacts Now Available for Manually Operated Omni-Rupter^® Switches.

To eliminate the grease that can catch abrasive contamination in highly contaminated environments, S&C has added an optional blade contact design for all manually operated Omni-Rupter Switches. They now feature greaseless, self-lubricating contacts.

The new contacts are impregnated with graphite, providing the same lubricity as the contact grease but eliminating the possibility of particle contamination. The contact material is the same. It still features a brazed-in-place copper-tungsten tip for fault-closing performance and silver-plated contact surface for efficient current transfer. The graphite coating is applied using a high-pressure spray, which permanently binds the graphite to the contact surface. Extensive testing has verified that the new contact coating will continue to perform even after being exposed to wind-driven rain, salt-fog corrosive environments, and dusty environments.