The setting in which a motor started overloads contact will open is called ______.

• A. Overload
• B. Release point
• C. Cutoff
• D. Trip point

Answer: (D)

When a motor protection device detects an overload, it will open the circuit to stop current. The trigger for that action is the trip point—the preset threshold of current (or temperature) at which the protective device decides the motor is in danger and forces the contacts to open. This threshold is chosen to let normal startup surges pass but to trip if the overload persists, preventing overheating or damage. The other terms describe conditions or different behaviors (for example, overload is the condition itself, release point is when a device resets or releases after tripping, and cutoff is a general term for interrupting current), but they do not specify the precise trigger that makes the contacts open.