In order to provide the best user experience, we had to abandon support for Internet Explorer versions prior to IE9. Upgrade your browser.

Our Blog

Hotels and electrical contacts a comfortable combination

The next time you’re checking in at an upscale hotel, take a moment to appreciate what’s going on behind the scenes to keep things humming.

Schneider Electric electrical contacts and Repco Replacement Contacts

Through acquisition and industry consolidation Schneider Electric has grown into a global leader. Schneider’s 21st century focus is on expanding its electrical distribution and automation and energy management solutions.

Tractor manufacturing kept humming via electrical maintenance and inventory

Modern day tractor manufacturing involves automation and conveyor driven processes. John Deere, Caterpillar, Kubota and all leading manufacturers have invested heavily in streamlining operations to both to keep costs down and to protect workers.

Ski lifts, Motors, Electrical Contacts, and Motor Controls

If you’ve ever ridden on a ski lift (a.k.a. chair lift) you’ve probably never thought about the mechanics and equipment that keep it running.

Electrical contacts help to make furniture

The days of individual craftsman laboring to create a single chair, table, hutch, or cabinet are nearly over. Computer controlled cutters, automatic sanders, and assembly lines reign supreme. A majority of furniture today, isn’t manipulated by humans unt

Supporting electrical distributors in every region across the U.S.

Across the United States from the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, West, and Northwest Repco supplies and supports electrical distributors. It’s why our replacement electrical contacts, carbon brushes, and coils are found coast to coast

Electrical contact material selection

Electrical contacts for motor controls are usually made from copper. When contacts are in the closed position for a long period of time, accompanied by a healthy flow of amperage, they tend to ’stick’ or weld.

Where can electrical distributors source hard-to-find or discontinued electrical contacts for their customers?

When OEMs discontinue an electrical contact series or the company merges or shuts down, customers are often left scrambling to find replacement components. Motor control systems and manufacturing equipment can be in service for years or decades.

How do you know when it’s time to replace electrical contacts?

The obvious sign is when your machinery stops working and you narrow it down to a failed electrical contact. But this is past the point when routine maintenance would have discovered an electrical contact was wearing down, so it’s unusual.

Electrical contacts and carbon brushes are woven deeply into the making of fabrics, textiles, and clothing

Today’s textile manufacturing equipment generates hundreds of meters per hour in material with superior quality.

Electrical Contacts: OEM, Replacement, Surplus or Remanufactured

Most industrial and manufacturing equipment utilizes motor control. Electromagnetic motor controls provide reliable and safe operation in a variety of harsh conditions. However, electrical contacts, a major operational element, do break down eventually.

The modern assembly lines turns 100. Thanks Mr. Ford.

While the precursors of the modern assembly line preceded Henry Ford it was the Ford motor company that fully realized its potential and ushered in modern manufacturing.

How will 3D printing affect electrical contact manufacturing?

Tremendous advances have been made in 3D printing, and the cost of 3D printers has been dropping steadily, causing many futurists to predict it will usher in a new industrial revolution. But the reality is a bit more complex.

Where are electrical contacts used?

Electrical contacts are found and used almost everywhere - from small contacts and/or relays in household equipment to large high-voltage switches in power plants, and every shape and size in between.

Three reasons to buy a replacement electrical contact instead of an OEM electrical contact.

Replacement electrical contacts are more affordable than the OEM contact. OEMs insist on premium pricing to recoup their development costs and to guard their premium brand position.

Electric motors and controls keep robotic palletizers stacking

Modern factories wisely seek out process improvement in all aspects of production. It saves time, money, and in the case of stacking products onto pallets, it prevents repetitive stress on workers. Mechanized palletizers were invented in the late 1940s.

Westinghouse Electrical Contacts by Eaton and Repco Replacement Contacts for Westinghouse

Westinghouse Electric Corp., founded in 1886, is credited with helping alternating current electricity spread throughout the United States following a fierce competitive era with Edison’s General Electric Co.

Why are electrical contact series discontinued so frequently?

The fundamental principals of electromagnetic controls have remained fairly straightforward and substantially unchanged for decades. What has changed is the speed of development of new motor and control devices. As each new device is created it often req

Cutler Hammer Electrical Contacts versus Repco Replacement Contacts

The nearly hundred-year-old Cutler-Hammer company was acquired by Eaton Corporation in 1978. The addition of the Cutler-Hammer brand continued the expansion of Eaton’s legacy contactor lines such as Powerware and Moeller.

Dry Cleaning and Electrical Contacts

Everyone enjoys a freshly laundered shirt. But few of us give much thought to what goes into producing it. We simply drop it off and pick it up. But behind the counter at your local dry cleaner you’ll find many motor controls.

Other Contactor Parts and Replacement Contact Kits

Contactor parts don’t wear out simultaneously. Usually it’s the contacts or the springs that wear out first. But there are many different parts that are subject to wear and tear including levers, auxiliaries, arcs, and shunts.

Will the use of a non-OEM electrical contact or carbon brush void my warranty?

If the unit is out of warranty, then there is no warranty to void by using a competitive replacement product that is less expensive than the original manufacturer’s part.

Lower Cost Replacement Electrical Contact Kits For All Major Control OEMs

Repco manufactures OEM compatible replacement electrical contacts for all major motor controls. They are direct replacements for the OEM versions and are warranted to be free of defects in workmanship and materials.

Telemecanique Replacement Electrical Contacts

Repco offers a comprehensive assortment of replacement electrical contacts for Telemecanique (Schneider) motor starters and contactors. Our Telemecanique compatible items

Motor control in distillery operations

Distilling is an ancient art and holds onto many traditions. The size of the still, types of barrels, length of aging, and other distillation processes may be tightly regulated. However, modern demand requires distillers to embrace automation...

Plane Painting Robots are an example of future manufacturing

While components and sections of large commercial airliners are likely fabricated by industrial robots, when it came time to assemble the plane and paint the planes, humans handled it. But to remain competitive, Boeing is investing in automating...

Oil & Gas Drilling Operations Benefit From Strong Electrical Distributor Support

Explosive growth in the Bakken and Marcellus regions has been supply shortages as demand often outpaces supply. Fortunately, Repco inventories 1000s of OEM compatible electrical contacts and carbon brushes.

Steel Scrap Recycling via Electric Arc Furnace

Steel recycling has been going on for over a century and a half. Recycled steel has many advantages. Because recycled steel loses very little of it’s physical properties it’s often more affordable to recycle than to produce new steel from mined ore.

The ups and downs of escalators

Most escalators include electro-magnetic overload devices that are triggered by tread or motor impairment, stress, or emergency cut-off switches.

Industrial Ovens

Industrial ovens are used to process components by curing, drying, baking, annealing, stress relieving, tempering, aging, and heat-treating. From car parts to circuit boards, nearly all manufacturing involves an industrial ovens.

Airport Baggage Carousels

Chances are if you’ve traveled by plane, you’ve stood waiting for your luggage at the baggage carousel. This much maligned activity actually conceals some interesting mechanics that allow modern airports to work efficiently.

Repco and summer fun and amusements

From the tilt-a-whirl to the roller coaster, few of us think much about the mechanical engineering and physics involved in an amusement ride nor the endless maintenance they require. We just buy the tickets and have some fun.

Industrial Air Filtration

To keep air filtration units operating optimally, regular cleaning and maintenance is required. Filters must be cleaned or replaced, collection hoppers emptied and control systems and motors need regular service.

Klockner-Moeller Motor Control Replacements

Electrical contacts manufactured by Klockner-Moeller have been installed by electricians and sold by major electrical distributors for decades. Even after Klockner-Moeller was acquired by Eaton, their electrical contacts continue to be widely used.

Electrical Contact Kits

Repco manufactures high-quality replacement contact kits and motor control parts for current and obsolete series that are comparable to their OEM equivalents.

Shipments of Motors Improved in Q4 of 2012

A recent article by EC&M reported NEMA’s Motors Shipments Index showed an increase of 6.5% over the previous quarter. This is a good indicator after a precipitous drop from Q2 to Q3 in motor shipments in 2012.

Electrical Contact Kits - Tested and Ready

Repco manufactures replacement electrical contact kits for more than two dozen OEMs ranging from ABB and Cutler-Hammer to Siemens and Westinghouse - all guaranteed to match the OEM original in form, fit and function.

Repco is your complete source for carbon brushes

Repco is the only company in the world that sells carbon brushes from all major manufacturers (Carbone, Morgan AM&T, and Helwig) along with our own replacement brand of carbon brushes.

Water pump motors and the supporting cast of replacement parts are critical

Water pumps are fairly simple devices. Most use impellers and act like "fans" except they push water instead of air. There are more complex pumps, including vacuum or screw pumps, but what they all have in common is a motor driving them.

Affordable Electrical Contacts That Are Comparable To OEMs

Repco replacement contacts are designed and manufactured to be functionally indistinguishable from the original. Repco replacement contacts aren’t lesser quality they’re simply more affordable.

U.S. Exports of Industrial Machinery Expected to Grow

Improvements in the United States manufacturing sector always increases the demand for new and replacement parts. Manufacturing lines need maintenance and refurbishment while new products drive an increase for new components.

Square D Replacement Electrical Contacts

Square D is a century old brand that’s been trusted and admired throughout its history. However, in 1991, Schneider Electric acquired Square D. And as typical in any acquisition, some product lines were discontinued.

Control at data centers is critical

Modern data centers are engineered to extract the most processing power in the smallest footprint, using the least amount of energy. Servers, storage, and miles upon miles of cables draw an enormous amount of power and generate a large amount of heat.

The coming copper exchange-traded funds

Copper is a commodity that’s important in many types of manufacturing. It’s the third most important metal after iron and aluminum. So the potential disruption to manufacturing supplies if copper is tied up in financial instruments is realistic.

Emergency cut-off switch - it’s probably an electrical contact

Chances are, if you’ve worked on or around an assembly line, or operated industrial machinery, you’re familiar with an emergency stop button. Even if you haven’t worked in a factory setting the concept is commonly understood.

ABB contact kits versus Repco replacement contact kits

Repco, founded in 1976, manufactures replacement electrical contacts for industrial controls and motors. Repco makes compatible, affordable replacement contact kits for dozens of OEMs and more than 80 contactor series including ABB.

Waste water treatment facilities and Repco

Wastewater treatment plants are critical infrastructure components for modern society. Filtering municipal influent so it’s safe, protects the environment, and keeps everyone living healthy.

GE, General Electric replacement contacts and contact kits

Repco manufactures high quality, low cost replacement contacts and contact kits for General Electric contactors and motor starters. Repco’s replacements are guaranteed to match the OEM product in form, fit, and function.

Repco helps makes an impression in the printing industry

Printing plants invest millions in printing and finishing equipment. To recoup their investment they have to feed the machines and keep them running for two or three shifts almost every day. Any type of unplanned downtime can be a real problem.

Replacement electrical contact benefits

Purchasing replacement parts can be a difficult decision for some firms. Specifiers may have reservations about using replacement parts or wish to remain loyal to OEMs

What is an electrical contact?

An electrical contact is an electrically controlled switch that completes or interrupts a circuit affecting an electrical current. Unlike relays, electrical contacts carry higher current loads and are designed to be directly connected to high voltage...

Cement Manufacturers Reliance On Electrical Control

Manufacturing cement is an intensive mechanical process relying on large, heavy-duty machinery. It all starts at the mining operation. Limestone and other ingredients are extracted and transported to the cement plant.

Allen-Bradley (Rockwell Automation) Contact Kits In Stock!

Allen-Bradley contact kits are used in a wide variety of applications and industries from lighting, manufacturing, overload protection, motor control, and more.

Robots swarm warehouses

Large and small online retailers are continually seeking to improve operations. One of the most labor-intensive environments is "picking and packing" orders. Several companies are attempting to affordably bring industrial robots to the supply chain.

Global demand for cranes, shifting but steady

The September 2012 issue of International Cranes and Special Transport includes several articles discussing regional slowdowns in crane demand - though it’s not all bad news. It’s an excellent interview worth a quick read...

Allen-Bradley Substitute Electrical Contacts

Repco offers an extensive line of the highest quality replacement electrical contacts for Allen-Bradley (Rockwell) contactors. Contact sets are available for the following series: 500-Line, Bulletin 646, IEC 100-Line, Series A Old Style, and Series K.

Industrial Turbines Rely On Carbon Brushes

No matter how enormous the turbine or generator or how high the current, a carbon brush is used to transfer the current. Enormous, million-dollar turbines and generators eventually rely on this comparatively small part to transfer current to the grid.

Consolidation among motor control manufacturers makes Repco an attractive partner

In the motor control business significant consolidation has occurred over the past decades. Control OEMs have been bought, sold, merged, or cease to exist. The end result, for customers, is that there are fewer manufacturers today.

Oil rigs need power too

Oil platforms are a critical component of modern day energy production. Offshore platforms drill wells, extract oil and natural gas, and process and store product temporarily.

Electrical contacts help keep the Harley Davidson production lines moving

For 100+ years, since William S. Harley and the Davidson brothers first motorized a bicycle, the company has continued to evolve and reinvent itself. It’s seen its post WWII hey day, its troubled times in the 70’s, and it’s rebirth in the late 80’s.

Electrical distributors help keep manufacturing going

Because most electrical distributors offer a vast selection of products together with a large standing inventory and competitive prices, they are a single-source provider end-users can rely on for quick turnaround.

Electrical Contact Manufacturer Repco sells affordable replacements

Repco manufacturers replacement electrical contacts and contact sets for 26 leading control OEMs (e.g., Allen-Bradley, ABB, GE, Square D, Telemecanique, Westinghouse) covering over 75 current and discontinued series.

Cutler-Hammer Contact Alternatives

Repco offers replacement electrical contacts for Cutler-Hammer (Eaton) contactors and motor starters. Our warehouse inventories contact sets and tip replacement alternatives for various Cutler-Hammer series.

Electrical contacts in tower cranes help build cities

Self-erecting tower cranes are a critical component in the rise of modern skyscrapers. They grow along with the high-rise they’re helping to build, either beside it or in the center. The tower crane constructs the building and also assembles itself.

Repco shows its true mettle in the metals industry

Foundry and fabrication facilities use gantry cranes, conveyor systems, and automated heavy machines (mills, press, etc.). These devices all utilize motors and controls for power management. Repco supplies replacement contact sets that match OEM sets.

Industrial robots do and will need service and replacement electrical parts

Industrial robots need service and maintenance when electrical components wear down and a replacement part is required. And Repco is ready to provide electrical contacts, carbon brushes, and coils without sacrificing form, fit, or function. EDXHXCAHRUY7

Why are mechanical motor starters still used?

The simple answer is they work well. And in some scenarios mechanical starters offer better performance or are the better option. In high voltage operations they offer superior performance and reliability.

Repco is a National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) Associate Member

Repco, Inc. has been a proud associate member of NAED since 2000. Repco stands for replacement electrical parts company. They manufacturer and supply replacement electrical contacts, control coils and carbon brushes.

In a down economy replacement electrical parts are affordably appealing

When your department is asked to examine costs and to work within a smaller budget, every purchase decision becomes a cost/benefit analysis. Even motor and control systems, which are critical, must cut costs - which means considering replacement parts.

Motor controls driving your local car wash

There is significant electrical maintenance performed at car washes to help keep things operating smoothly. Electrical contractors depend upon their local electrical wholesaler to have the right products on the shelf for those quick repairs.

What is a carbon brush?

A carbon brush is a component used to conduct electrical current between the stationary and rotating parts of a motor typically found in generators.

Motor controls help keep Mining Operations running rock solid

Mining equipment manufacturers incorporate electromagnetic motor controls into their equipment and systems.

Marine cranes get a lift with electrical contacts

Electric powered gantry cranes help keep cargo flowing in and out of the US. And if you look closely, chances are you’ll find electrical contactors starting and stopping the winch motors.

Replacement contacts and contactor kits versus original OEM parts

Repco reverse engineers and manufactures electrical contacts using the same metals and alloys as used in the original part (CDA 110 copper, 90/10 silver mixes, various platings) then we test the replacement electrical contacts for fit, form, and function.

Just-in-time inventory for replacement electrical contacts, contact kits, carbon brushes, and motor control coils.

Repco manufactures and sells replacement electrical contacts, kits, carbon brushes, and motor control coils for dozens of control manufacturers. Our replacement parts span 100s of current and obsolete series and suppliers.

How to identify an unknown electrical contact?

Eventually contacts wear out and when they do it’s critical to get the motor starter functioning as quickly as possible - but if you don’t know the manufacturer or contact type then what?

About Electrical Contacts

Let’s begin with the basics about contacts. It’s also called a tip, point, finger, wedge, button and segment.


International: 856-762-0172
Domestic: 800-822-9190

Repco Quick Contact

If you do not see what you need, please let us know what it is and we''ll do our best to help you.

First name required.
Last name required.
Company required.
Valid email required.
Phone number required.
If you are looking for a quote, please include model & quantity in your comments!
Comment required.
Send your inquiry now and we will respond promptly.
Interest is in general information for curpage=1&searchField=David+Howard&sortField=blg_active_date_int++desc&asdf=10&pagename=&pageSize=9999.
Please check the recaptcha box.

Site Search

OEM, Product, Repco ID #s or Terms