ELECTROMAGNETIC OPERATION MECHANISM DRIVE CIRCUIT

This electromagnetic operation mechanism drive circuit is constituted by: a movable core (1); a driving coil for contact closing (2) driving the movable core (1); a capacitor for contact closing (4) supplying power to the driving coil for contact closing (2); a driving switch element for contact closing (5) controlling the supply of power to the driving coil for contact closing (2); a protection relay (7) provided between the driving switch element for contact closing (5) and the driving coil for contact closing (2); a overvoltage suppression unit on the contact closing side connected in parallel to the driving switch element for contact closing (5) and configured so that a loop circuit switch element on the contact closing side (6) is connected in series to a loop circuit on the contact closing side (10); and a voltage detection circuit on the contact closing side (13) detecting the voltage of the loop circuit switch element on the contact closing side (6). In this manner, even if a switch element of a overvoltage suppression unit on the contact closing side in a drive circuit for switching on and off electric power equipment is suffering from an open circuit failure, the interruption operation of the protection switch element can be stopped so that the contact closing operation can be completed safely.