2) What type of switch or controls do I need?
The type of controls depends on your application.
The most common control for a simple motor starter is momentary push buttons. Also know as three wire control. Most common because it uses a "latching" technique to maintain coil power after the start button is pushed. Moreover, latching set ups are safer. With a latching set up, if power were to temporarily be loss to the system, the starter would disengage and not reengage until the push button start is pressed again. The loss of power causes the electrical latch to break and the starter to disengage. Elimia calls this control type "DOL".
Another common control type is maintained 2 position rotary switch. Maintained switches are normally used for motor starters that activate based on limit switch(es). A typical air compressor is the best example of this control type. A rotary "enable" switch in this application allows the motor starter to activate only when the pressure limit switch is closed . By turning the rotary switch on - you are putting the starter in a ready state. Whether the starter engages is based on the limit switch…. Elimia calls this control type "ACMS".
The third common control type is a maintained 3 position rotary switch. Typically this is known as Hand/Off/Auto or HOA. In the hand position the motor starter will activate and remain activated until the switch position is changed. When the switch position is in auto, the motor starter activates based on other conditions such as timers or limit switches.
