Hybrid multi-stage device for motor starters

A method comprising:

• actuating a contactor coil to connect a power source to a motor;
• detecting voltage across the contactor coil;
• determining a presence of a low-voltage event;
• and
• connecting a resistor-inductor-capacitor (RLC) circuit to the contactor coil based on the determination of the presence of the low-voltage event;
• wherein connecting the RLC circuit to the contactor coil causes the RLC circuit to discharge stored electrical energy in the RLC circuit to the contactor coil,
• wherein determining the presence of a low voltage event comprises comparing voltage measured across the contactor coil with a threshold voltage, and determining that the voltage measured across the contactor coil is below the threshold voltage.

A system comprising:

• a motor comprising a rotor comprising three rotor coils;
• a three-phase power supply;
• an alternating current (AC) contactor comprising a contactor coil, the AC contactor configured to selectively connect the three-phase power source to each of the three rotor coils of the motor;
• a control power transformer (CPT) electrically connected to the contactor coil by a CPT switch;
• a resistor-inductor-capacitor (RLC) circuit electrically connected to the contactor coil by an RLC circuit switch;
• a voltage monitor electrically connected to the contactor coil to sense voltage across the contactor coil;
• and
• a switch controller to active the RLC circuit switch to selectively connect the RLC circuit to the contactor coil during a low-voltage event determined by the switch controller from voltage across the contactor coil sensed by the voltage monitor, wherein the switch controller determines the presence of a low-voltage event based on the voltage sensed by the voltage monitor falling below a voltage threshold.