RELAY

A relay is an electrically operated switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to operate a

switching mechanism mechanically, but other operating principles are also used. Relays are used
where it is necessary to control a circuit by a low-power signal (with complete electrical isolation
between control and controlled circuits), or where several circuits must be controlled by one
signal. The first relays were used in long distance telegraph circuits, repeating the signal coming
in from one circuit and re-transmitting it to another. Relays were used etensively in telephone
echanges and early computers to perform logical operations.
A type of relay that can handle the high power re!uired to directly control an electric motor or
other loads is called a contactor. "olid-state relays control power circuits with no moving parts,
instead using a semiconductor device to perform switching. Relays with calibrated operating
characteristics and sometimes multiple operating coils are used to protect electrical circuits from
overload or faults# in modern electric power systems these functions are performed by digital
instruments still called $protective relays$.
Relay Working Principle:
%hen a coil of wire is wound on a non magnetic material such as plastic, paper etc., it is called a
air-core solenoid or simply a solenoid .if a soft iron core is inserted into the coil, it becomes an
electromagnet. This electromagnet is the basic component for relay and many other
electromechanical devices such as electric bell, circuit brea&er etc,.
Operation
%hen a current flows through the coil, the resulting magnetic field attracts an armature that is
mechanically lin&ed to a moving contact. The movement either ma&es or brea&s a connection
with a fied contact. %hen the current to the coil is switched off, the armature is returned by a
force approimately half as strong as the magnetic force to its relaed position. 'sually this is a
spring, but gravity is also used commonly in industrial motor starters. Most relays are
manufactured to operate !uic&ly. (n a low voltage application, this is to reduce noise. (n a high
voltage or high current application, this is to reduce arcing.
(f the coil is energi)ed with *+, a diode is fre!uently installed across the coil, to dissipate the
energy from the collapsing magnetic field at deactivation, which would otherwise generate a
spi&e of voltage and might cause damage to circuit components. "ome automotive relays already
include that diode inside the relay case. (f the coil is designed to be energi)ed with A+, a small
copper ring can be crimped to the end of the solenoid. This ,shading ring- creates a small out-of-
phase current, which increases the minimum pull on the armature during the A+ cycle by
analogy with the functions of the original electromagnetic device# a solid-state relay is made with
a thyristor or other solid-state switching device. To achieve electrical isolation, a light-emitting
diode (./*) is used with a photo transistor.
Types
Latching relay
.atching relay with permanent magnet
A latching relay has two relaed states (bi-stable). These are also called $impulse$, $&eep$, or
$stay$ relays. %hen the current is switched off, the relay remains in its last state. This is achieved
with a solenoid operating a ratchet and cam mechanism, or by having two opposing coils with an
over-center spring or permanent magnet to hold the armature and contacts in position while the
coil is relaed, or with a remanent core. (n the ratchet and cam eample, the first pulse to the coil
turns the relay on and the second pulse turns it off. (n the two coil eample, a pulse to one coil
turns the relay on and a pulse to the opposite coil turns the relay off. This type of relay has the
advantage that one coil consumes power only for an instant, while it is being switched, and the
relay contacts retain this setting across a power outage. A remanent core latching relay re!uires a
current pulse of opposite polarity to ma&e it change state.
Reed relay
A reed relay is a reed switch enclosed in a solenoid. The switch has a set of contacts inside an
evacuated or inert gas-filled glass tube which protects the contacts against atmospheric
corrosion# the contacts are made of magnetic material that ma&es them move under the influence
of the field of the enclosing solenoid. Reed relays can switch faster than larger relays, re!uire
only little power from the control circuit, but have low switching current and voltage ratings. (n
addition, the reeds can become magneti)ed over time, which ma&es them stic& 0on0 even when no
current is present# changing the orientation of the reeds with respect to the solenoid0s magnetic
field will fi the problem.
Top, middle1 reed switches, bottom1 reed relay
Mercury-wetted relay
A ercury-wetted reed relay is a form of reed relay in which the contacts are wetted with
mercury. "uch relays are used to switch low-voltage signals (one volt or less) where the mercury
reduces the contact resistance and associated voltage drop, for low-current signals where surface
contamination may ma&e for a poor contact, or for high-speed applications where the mercury
eliminates contact bounce. Mercury wetted relays are position-sensitive and must be mounted
vertically to wor& properly. 2ecause of the toicity and epense of li!uid mercury, these relays
are now rarely used. "ee also mercury switch.
Polari!ed relay
A polari!ed relay placed the armature between the poles of a permanent magnet to increase
sensitivity. 3olari)ed relays were used in middle 45th +entury telephone echanges to detect
faint pulses and correct telegraphic distortion. The poles were on screws, so a technician could
first ad6ust them for maimum sensitivity and then apply a bias spring to set the critical current
that would operate the relay.
Machine tool relay
A achine tool relay is a type standardi)ed for industrial control of machine tools, transfer
machines, and other se!uential control. They are characteri)ed by a large number of contacts
(sometimes etendable in the field) which are easily converted from normally-open to normally-
closed status, easily replaceable coils, and a form factor that allows compactly installing many
relays in a control panel. Although such relays once were the bac&bone of automation in such
industries as automobile assembly, the programmable logic controller (3.+) mostly displaced
the machine tool relay from se!uential control applications.
A relay allows circuits to be switched by electrical e!uipment1 for eample, a timer circuit with a
relay could switch power at a preset time. 7or many years relays were the standard method of
controlling industrial electronic systems. A number of relays could be used together to carry out
comple functions (relay logic). The principle of relay logic is based on relays which energi)e
and de-energi)e associated contacts. Relay logic is the predecessor of ladder logic, which is
commonly used in 3rogrammable logic controllers.
Ratchet relay
This is again a clapper type relay which does not need continuous current through its coil to
retain its operation.
"ontactor relay
A contactor is a very heavy-duty relay used for switching electric motors and lighting loads,
although contactors are not generally called relays. +ontinuous current ratings for common
contactors range from 85 amps to several hundred amps. 9igh-current contacts are made with
alloys containing silver. The unavoidable arcing causes the contacts to oidi)e# however, silver
oide is still a good conductor.
:4;
"uch devices are often used for motor starters. A motor starter is
a contactor with overload protection devices attached. The overload sensing devices are a form
of heat operated relay where a coil heats a bi-metal strip, or where a solder pot melts, releasing a
spring to operate auiliary contacts. These auiliary contacts are in series with the coil. (f the
overload senses ecess current in the load, the coil is de-energi)ed. +ontactor relays can be
etremely loud to operate, ma&ing them unfit for use where noise is a chief concern.
#olid-state relay
A solid state relay (##R) is a solid state electronic component that provides a similar function to
an electromechanical relay but does not have any moving components, increasing long-term
reliability. %ith early ""R0s, the tradeoff came from the fact that every transistor has a small
voltage drop across it. This voltage drop limited the amount of current a given ""R could handle.
The minimum voltage drop for such a relay is e!ual to the voltage drop across one transistor
(<5.=-4.5 volts), and is a function of the material used to ma&e the transistor (typically silicon).
As transistors improved, higher current ""R0s, able to handle 855 to 8,455 Amperes, have
become commercially available. +ompared to electromagnetic relays, they may be falsely
triggered by transients.
"olid state relay with no moving parts
#olid state contactor relay
A solid state contactor is a heavy-duty solid state relay, including the necessary heat sin&, used
for switching electric heaters, small electric motors and lighting loads# where fre!uent on>off
cycles are re!uired. There are no moving parts to wear out and there is no contact bounce due to
vibration. They are activated by A+ control signals or *+ control signals from 3rogrammable
logic controller (3.+s), 3+s, Transistor-transistor logic (TT.) sources, or other microprocessor
and microcontroller controls.
4? A or @5 A solid state contactors
$uchhol! relay
A $uchhol! relay is a safety device sensing the accumulation of gas in large oil-filled
transformers, which will alarm on slow accumulation of gas or shut down the transformer if gas
is produced rapidly in the transformer oil. it is connected in between conservator tan& and main
tan&. it is use in above A?5 &va transformer. This relay is developed by ma buchhol)
%orced-guided contacts relay
A &orced-guided contacts relay has relay contacts that are mechanically lin&ed together, so that
when the relay coil is energi)ed or de-energi)ed, all of the lin&ed contacts move together. (f one
set of contacts in the relay becomes immobili)ed, no other contact of the same relay will be able
to move. The function of forced-guided contacts is to enable the safety circuit to chec& the status
of the relay. 7orced-guided contacts are also &nown as $positive-guided contacts$, $captive
contacts$, $loc&ed contacts$, or $safety relays$.
O'erload protection relay
/lectric motors need over current protection to prevent damage from over-loading the motor, or
to protect against short circuits in connecting cables or internal faults in the motor windings. Bne
type of electric motor overload protection relay is operated by a heating element in series with
the electric motor. The heat generated by the motor current heats a bimetallic strip or melts
solder, releasing a spring to operate contacts. %here the overload relay is eposed to the same
environment as the motor, a useful though crude compensation for motor ambient temperature is
provided.
3ole C Throw
"ince relays are switches, the terminology applied to switches is also applied to relays. A relay
will switch one or more poles, each of whose contacts can be thrown by energi)ing the coil in
one of three ways1
(orally-open (DB) contacts connect the circuit when the relay is activated# the circuit is
disconnected when the relay is inactive. (t is also called a 7orm A contact or ,ma&e- contact.
(orally-closed (D+) contacts disconnect the circuit when the relay is activated# the circuit is
connected when the relay is inactive. (t is also called a 7orm 2 contact or ,brea&- contact.
+hange-over, or double-throw, contacts control two circuits1 one normally-open contact and one
normally-closed contact with a common terminal. (t is also called a 7orm + contact or ,transfer-
contact.
The following types of relays are commonly encountered1
"3"T E "ingle 3ole "ingle Throw. These have two terminals which can be connected or
disconnected. (ncluding two for the coil, such a relay has four terminals in total. (t is ambiguous
whether the pole is normally open or normally closed. The terminology ,"3DB- and ,"3D+- is
sometimes used to resolve the ambiguity.
"3*T E "ingle 3ole *ouble Throw. A common terminal connects to either of two others.
(ncluding two for the coil, such a relay has five terminals in total.
*3"T E *ouble 3ole "ingle Throw. These have two pairs of terminals. /!uivalent to two "3"T
switches or relays actuated by a single coil. (ncluding two for the coil, such a relay has si
terminals in total. (t is ambiguous whether the poles are normally open, normally closed, or one
of each.
*3*T E *ouble 3ole *ouble Throw. These have two rows of change-over terminals. /!uivalent
to two "3*T switches or relays actuated by a single coil. "uch a relay has eight terminals,
including the coil.
F3*T - Fuadruple 3ole *ouble Throw. Bften referred to as Fuad 3ole *ouble Throw, or @3*T.
These have four rows of change-over terminals. /!uivalent to four "3*T switches or relays
actuated by a single coil or two *3*T relays. (n total, fourteen terminals including the coil

RELAY )R*+ER
A '.D4G5H is an (ntegrated +ircuit ((+) chip with a 9igh Ioltage>9igh +urrent *arlington
Transistor Array. (t allows you to interface TT. signals with higher voltage>current loads. (n
/nglish, the chip ta&es low level signals (T.., +MB", 3MB", DMB" - which operate at low
voltages and low currents) and acts as a relay of sorts itself, switching on or off a higher level
signal on the opposite side.
A TT. signal operates from 5-?I, with everything between 5.5 and 5.GI considered $low$ or off,
and 4.4 to ?.5I being considered $high$ or on. The maimum power available on a TT. signal
depends on the type, but generally does not eceed 4?m% (<?mA J ?I), so it is not useful for
providing power to something li&e a relay coil. +omputers and other electronic devices
fre!uently generate TT. signals. Bn the output side the '.D4G5H is generally rated at
?5I>?55mA, so it can operate small loads directly. Alternatively, it is fre!uently used to power
the coil of one or more relays, which in turn allow even higher voltages>currents to be controlled
by the low level signal. (n electrical terms, the '.D4G5H uses the low level (TT.) signal to
switch on>turn off the higher voltage>current signal on the output side.
The '.D4G5H comes in an 8G-pin (+ configuration and includes eight (G) transistors. 3ins 8-G
receive the low level signals# pin K is grounded (for the low level signal reference). 3in 85 is the
common on the high side and would generally be connected to the positive of the voltage you are
applying to the relay coil. 3ins 88-8G are the outputs (3in 8 drives 3in 8G, 3in 4 drives 8A, etc.).
,L(-./0
The eight D3D *arlington connected transistors in this family of arrays are ideally suited for
interfacing between low logic level digital circuitry (such as TT., +MB" or 3MB">DMB") and
the higher current>voltage re!uirements of lamps, relays, printer hammers or other similar loads
for a broad range of computer, industrial, and consumer applications. All devices feature openE
collector outputs and freewheeling clamp diodes for transient suppression. The '.D4G5H is
designed to be compatible with standard TT. families while the '.D4G5@ is optimi)ed for = to
8? volt high level +MB" or 3MB".