Part Identification in Shore Power Transfer Switch-Contactor

[Plan Z]

Can someone identify this part that is bolted to the side of my old shore power transfer switch box please? It 110/120V comes in, then loops through it before going to the coil portion of this contactor. I'm in the middle of going through some of my wiring and I just wondered what this was for (that part specifically; i do know what the contactor/relay was installed for). Thanks in advance.

[AKA-None]

First picture looks like abridge rectifier and the bolt is holding it to the case as a heat sink

At least that’s kind of what I am seeing

Now as to why it’s there ? No idea

[Plan Z]

I figured it out. I thought I checked the voltage at all the pins, but the voltage at the coil itself was only ~50VAC, so I guess it was just to drop the voltage from 120. I'm just going to remove it all and replace it with a new contactor with a 120V coil.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Plan Z

the voltage at the coil itself was only ~50VAC, so I guess it was just to drop the voltage from 120.

Makes sense, use a gizmo with heat-sink mounting to drop the voltage and take the place of a transformer to operate the contactor.
I've a couple of them on machines, but they use a transformer for voltage drop.

[wholybee]

Did you check the DC voltage at the coil? That is what that part does, it converts AC to DC. Without filter capacitors, your meter will read the AC ripple on the DC.

[Bycrick]

If you forced me into a guess on inadequate data, I’d guess that the relay is arranged so that in the normal, non- energized state, it connects the AC neutral to the AC safety-ground on the boat. When you plug in to shore power, the connection is opened. As Wholybee points out, full-wave rectified 120VAC (120 V RMS) won’t read 120 v on AC voltmeters.