Basic Avionics Course-I

1. Fundamental Concepts of Electricity & Magnetism

Course Objectives At the end of this course, trainees will be able to: => Identify the different safety precautions essential when working on electrical maintenance => Identify first aid procedures for an electric shock => Describe how static electricity is produced and how electrostatic charges are distributed => Describe the structure and distribution of electrical charges within atoms, compounds, ions, molecules => Describe the molecular structure of conductors, semiconductors and insulators and state an example of each => State the laws of electrostatic attraction and repulsion
2

=> Describe

the concept of electric current as a flow of free

electrons. => Describe the conduction of electricity in solids, liquids and gases => Describe basic soldering procedures. => Inspect solder joints and identify its status. => Describe the properties of a magnet and the molecular theory of magnetism => Describe the various types of magnetic materials => Describe electromagnetism and the different magnetic circuits => Describe the production of an induced voltage in a conductor when motion occurs in a magnetic field

Part One
1.1 Introduction to Electricity How does energy travel through a copper wire and through space? What is the electric current, electromotive force, and what makes a landing light turn on or a hydraulic pump motor run? Each of these questions requires an understanding of many basic principles By adding one basic ideas on top of the other basic ideas , it becomes possible to answer most of the interesting and practical questions about electricity or electronics.

What is Electricity? - It is the flow of electrons through a conductor.

- It is the form of energy occurring in certain particles electrons and protons. - It is one of the energy sources which we use for our daily consumption.

What is Electronics?
It is the study which relates to the application of the flow of electrons through semiconductor devices and across a vacuum. It is field of engineering and applied physics dealing with the design and application of devices, usually electronic circuits, the operation of which depends on the flow of electrons for the generation, transmission, reception, and storage of information.

Some application of electronics are: a. Power system

b. Communication system c. Medicine d. Defense e. Industry f.Computer system g.Control system h. Signal Processing System

Communications
An electrical system that generate, transmit, and distribute information. Example: -television equipments -radio systems -Satellite systems

6/18/2011

Computer system

Use electrical signals to process Example: - different networks -World Wide Web (www) -Internet

Control System

Uses electrical signals to regulate different systems. Example: Autopilot and Auto landing system

10

Power System
-Generate and distribute electrical power - Generation of electrical power is possible from water , nuclear, steam, diesel etc.

11

PART TWO

Electrical safety precautions and practices

12

Electrical safety - When electricity is applied to the human body , it can create
sever burns in the area of an entrance to and at the point of exit from the body. In addition the nervous system is affected and can be damaged or destroyed.

Some of human factors that can affect safety in performing maintenance practices are: - Fatigue - Stress - Distraction - Poor communication skills - Lack of information

Two factors that affects safety when dealing with electricity are: - fear - overconfidence Over confidence leads to risk taking. the technician who does not respect the capabilities of electricity will , sooner or later , become a victim of electricity s power.

General Safety Precautions in Electrical Hazards Include

Electrical Shock Electrical Explosions Electrical Burns

These can result in severe injury or death

16

High Voltage Precautions

=> Never work alone.

=> Never use exposed conductive items within 4ft. => Handles of all metal tools should be covered. => Short circuit a capacitor before touching it. =>No wet hands, no wet clothing.

17

=> No thin-soled shoes with metallic plates.

=> All rings, wristwatches, bracelets and similar metal items should be removed.

18

Work on energized circuits => Never work on energized circuits if possible.

=> Every known safety precaution must be observed carefully. => Ample light for illumination must be provided. => Technician should be insulated from ground with some suitable non-conducting material such as dry canvas, dry wood, or a rubber mat of approved construction.

19

=> Use one hand keeping the other away.

=> Helpers should be stationed near the main switches/circuit breakers so that the system can be de-energized in case of emergency. => A man qualified in first aid for electrical shock should standby during the entire period of the repair.

20

BATTERY SAFETY PRECAUTION

The principal hazard in connection with batteries is : - The danger of acid burns when refilling or handling batteries. - The danger of explosion due to the ignition of hydrogen gas given off during charging. These burns can be prevented by the proper use of eye shields , rubber gloves , rubber aprons , and rubber boots with none-slip soles

21

PRECAUTIONS WITH CHEMICALS

=> Volatile liquids such as: - Insulating varnish - Alcohol - Kerosene - Turpentine are dangerous when used near energized circuits

22

=> Alcohol should never be used for cleaning electrical

equipment since it also results in damage to insulation. => Carbon tetrachloride should never be used as a cleaning agent because it s fumes are dangerous.

23

TEFLON WIRE PRECAUTIONS

Teflon or T.F.E. (tetra flouro ethylene) is an insulation of electrical wire. It is chiefly used for it s high temperature performance without burning. It is capable of operating at 2000oC . In actual fact , Teflon doesn't burn, but will vaporize when exposed to flame. In the process of vaporization , its fumes will cause - headache - Dizziness - Nausea - if the fumes are breathed in poorly ventilated areas ,the effect may be loss of consciousness , or even death.
24

Factors to determine the severity of shock - Current: amount of current flowing through the body(mesured
in amperes) - Path : The current through the body - Duration: Length of the time the body is in the circuit

Current Effects
Current Level 1 mA Effect on the human body Slight tingling sensation. Still dangerous under certain conditions.

5 mA

Slight shock felt; not painful but disturbing. Average individual can let go. However, strong involuntary reactions to shocks in this range may lead to injuries. Painful shock, muscular control is lost. This is called the freezing current or let-go range. Extreme pain, respiratory arrest, severe muscular contractions. Individual cannot let go. Death is possible.

6 - 30 mA

50 - 150 mA

Ventricular fibrillation (the rhythmic pumping action of the heart ceases.) Muscular contraction and nerve damage occurs. Death is most likely. 1000 - 4300 mA

10,000 mA

Cardiac arrest, severe burns and probable death.

26

Safety Gear Eye shield (goggles). Respirator. Gloves. Apron. Rubber boots/safety shoes. Crash helmets. Ear plugs.

27

Analog multimetere

PART THREE
Fundamental Concepts of Electricity

29

Electron Theory
Electron theory helps to explain electricity. Our understanding of electrical current must begin with the nature of matter. All matter is composed of molecules. All molecules are made up of atoms, which are themselves made up of electrons , protons , and neutrons

 Matter is defined as anything that has mass and occupies space. Matter exists in three states: solid, liquid or gas. The basic building block of matter is called an atom. An atom is the smallest possible particle that an element can divide into and retains its chemical properties.

31

 An atom comprises of- electrons and nucleus. According to electron theory electrons revolve the nucleus being on their own shells.

32

Nucleus
Is where mass of the atom is concentrated Comprises of protons, neutrons and some other particles.

33

Protons
A particle carrying a positive electric charge Its mass is 1840 times mass of electron Stationary

Neutrons
A particle that carries no electric charge Have the same size as protons but their mass is slightly greater stationary
34

If an atom gains electrons, it becomes a negative ion. If an atom loses electrons, it becomes a positive ion. Positive ions attract electrons from neighboring atoms to become balanced. This causes electron flow.

CONDUCTORS, INSULATORS, AND SEMICONDUCTORS

All elements of which matter is made may be placed into one of three categories: CONDUCTORS, SEMICONDUCTORS, and INSULATORS, depending on their ability to conduct an electric current.

36

 CONDUCTORS are elements which conduct

electricity very readily. INSULATORS have an extremely high resistance to the flow of electricity. All matter between these two extremes may be called SEMICONDUCTORS.

37

Every substance offers some impedance to flow of electric charge. This property is known as resistivity, and differs from material to material. Gold allows electric charges to pass through it more easily than copper does, hence the resistivity of gold is lower than that of copper.

38

 It is the valence electrons that we are most concerned with in electricity. These are the electrons which are easiest to break loose from their parent atom. Normally, conductors have three or less valence electrons; insulators have five or more valence electrons; and semiconductors usually have four valence electrons.

39

 Silver, copper, gold, and aluminum Order the above elements in increasing order of best conductivity. Answer

40

Answer
Silver, copper, gold, and aluminum.

41

Primary Methods of Producing Electricity

Heat Chemical action Pressure Light Magnetism Friction

42

Electricity from Heat

6/18/2011

43

Thermocouple is a device capable of transforming heat energy in to electrical energy. It consists of two pieces of different metals. When a difference of temperature exists between the junction of the two wires and the other ends of the wires , a potential difference exists between the two free ends

Electricity from Chemical Action

Chemical energy can be changed into electricity Two types Primary/ dry cell Secondary cell

45

6/18/2011

46

Electricity from Pressure

Pressure is another means of producing electricity Piezoelectricity means electricity created by applying pressure to certain types of crystals Most piezoelectric devices use crystalline materials like quartz, Rochelle salts, and tourmaline to produce voltage. When a force is applied to a certain crystals, their molecular structure distorts and electrons may be emitted into a conductor.
47

6/18/2011

48

Electricity from Light

Light is another of energy that can be changed into electricity. When certain chemical elements and materials are exposed to light, they absorb energy from light and release electrons Electricity produced by light is called photo electricity.

49

50

6/18/2011

51

Electricity from Magnetism

Invisible lines of magnetic force, called magnetic flux, pass between the poles of a magnet, and any time a conductor cuts across these lines of flux, electrons are forced to move through the conductor.

52

6/18/2011

53

Static Electricity
Consists of electric charges that stay in one place Is the study of electric charges at rest Can be produced by rubbing, contact, and induction

54

Laws of Electricity
Unlike charges attract each other Like charges repel each other

55

Charges and Fields

Charges that are accelerated produce electric and magnetic fields and electromagnetic waves Stationary charges produce only electric fields.

Charges in uniform motion (constant velocity) produce electric and magnetic fields
56

Electric Field
Is the region around a charged body. Is a vector whose magnitude at each point in space is force per unit charge. Mathematically E = F/d

57

Coulomb s Law
States that the force between two charged object is directly proportional to the product of the charges magnitude and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Mathematically

58

Charging by Conduction
A charged object (the rod) is placed in contact with another object (the sphere) Some electrons on the rod can move to the sphere When the rod is removed, the sphere is left with a charge The object being charged is always left with a charge having the same sign as the object doing the charging
59

Charging by Conduction

60

Charging a Metal Object by Induction

When an object is connected to a conducting wire or pipe buried in the earth, it is said to be grounded A negatively charged rubber rod is brought near an uncharged sphere The charges in the sphere are redistributed Some of the electrons in the sphere are repelled from the electrons in the rod
61

62

Charging a Metal Object by Induction

63

Charging by rubbing
Two different objects are needed Electrons move from the surface of an object to the surface of the other if the second material holds on to its electrons more strongly than the other. Objects that gain electrons become negatively charged. Objects that give up electrons become positively charged.
64

65

Electroscope
Is a device used to measure the amount of electric charge an object has It also enables us to identify what type of charge an object has carried

66

6/18/2011

67

Electric current
Definition Direction of current flow Units of measurement

68

Voltage and Current

Electrical effects are attributed to the separation of charges and charges in motion. The separation of charge creates an electric force called voltage. The motion of charge creates an electric fluid called an electric current.

69

Voltage and Current

Current equation Voltage equation

I = Q/t

V = W/Q

70

Definitions
An electric current is defined as a flow of electrons through a conductor in a unit of time. Is measured in amperes( A) 1C 1A ! 1s

71

Electric current def

An electric current is the transfer of electric charge, or equally accurate, the rate of flow of charge. The Ampere is the current resulting through a resistance of 1-ohm when the applied voltage is 1-volt. When charge is being transferred at the rate of 1-coulomb per second, there is said to be a current at that point of 1-ampere.
72

Definitions
Voltage is a difference in electrical pressure at the end of conductor Voltage is also called electromotive force (emf) Voltage is measured in volts.

73

Direction of flow of current

Two types
1. Electron current  Current flows from the negative terminal to the positive terminal  Electrons flow towards the positive terminal 2. Conventional current  Current flows from positive terminal to negative terminal
74

Electrical Resistance
Resistance is an opposition to the flow of current. Resistance in a circuit drops voltage, produce heat, and can be used to control the amount of current that flows in a circuit. Resistor is a device which provides resistance. Resistance is measured in ohms ( ) Resistance is represented by R.

75

Factors Affecting Conductor Resistance

Types of conductor material Length of conductor Cross-sectional area Temperature

76

Types of Resistors
Carbon composed resistors Are made in values from less than one ohm to several mega ohms Are color banded

77

Actual resistor

Power resistor

Wire-wound resistors
Winding wire with high resistivity on a core of heat-resistant material. Coating the wire for protection and heat conduction. With a power dissipation rating of over 3 watts to a maximum of 250 watts.
80

Carbon And Wire Wound Resistors

81

Resistor colour code

Three coloured bands are used to tell us the resistance of a fixed resistor. First band => First digit of resistance Second band => Second digit of resistance Third band => Multiplier A power of 10 , the number of zeros to follow the two digits.

Tolerance It is the fourth coloured band on a resistor, at the end opposite to the three bands. This band indicates the tolerance or precision of the resistor. This tells us how far the actual resistance may differ from the nominal resistance

Carbon Composed Resistors Color Code

6/18/2011

84

1st. & 2nd Color Band BLACK BROWN RED ORANGE YELLOW GREEN BLUE VIOLET GRAY

Digit it Represents 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

-----Multiplier----X1 X10 X100 X1,000 or 1K X10,000 or 10K X100,000 or 100K X1,000,000 or 1M Silver is divide by 100 Gold is divide by 10

WHITE

Tolerances Gold= 5% Silver=10% None=20%

85

Mnemonics Mechanism
Black Brown Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Violet Gray White Willingly Our Young Girl But Viola Bad Boys Bad Boys Run Over Yellow Gardenias Behind Victory Garden Walls Bad Boys Run Over Yellow Gardenias Behind Victory Garden Walls

86

Example:

First color is red which is 2 Second color is black which is 0 third color is yellow which is 10,000 Tolerance is silver which is 10% Therefore the equation is:
2 0 x 10,000 = 200,000 Ohms

87

Resistors
Fixed resistors It does not have any range value which enables the user to adjust to the required value Variable Resistors Can be adjusted to the required value by wiper

88

Variable Resistors
Two types
1. Potentiometer 2. Rheostat

89

Potentiometers
Has three terminals, one at each end of the resistance element, and one that is connected to the wiper Position of the wiper determines the amount of resistance Is used to control the amount of voltage which appears across a load.

90

Variable resistor

92

Rheostat
Has only two connections, one connection to the end of the resistance element, and the other to the wiper Is used to control the amount of current flowing through the circuit.

93

94

Part Four

Soldering

95

Soldering process
Soldering the joining together of two metals by the use of third metals or alloy applied in melted condition. Most of the solder used in aircraft electrical work is 50% lead and 50% tin. The amount of lead determines the melting point of the solder and the amount of tin determines its strength. Solder may be pure-chased in many forms. The most common types are solid core, rosin core and acid core. Flux may be added to solder to ensure a clean metal surface. Flux removes oxides and other small impurities from metal

surfaces. Rosin core is preferred on most small jobs because the cleaning flux is within solder itself. Acid core solder should never be used on electrical connections. Three essentials for the successful; soldering of aircraft electrical wiring are:The proper equipment cleanliness correct temperature

Soldering Cleaning
Make sure that all surfaces free from grease Let the soldering iron warm up before you start work Touch the iron to the end of the solder coil A small amount of the lead-free solder melts and coats the tip thinly For best soldering , the combination is hot iron plus quick action Pass the wire link or component lead through the hole in the copper strip Touch the tip of the iron against both the wire and the strip at the same time

After a few moments , feed a little solder in to the angle between the strip and the wire The solder must flow in to the angle and wet all surfaces freely Upon finishing remove the iron. Don t move the board or wire until the solder has set Use a hand lens to examine the joint If there is not enough solder , or if the joint is dry repeat the soldering .A dry joint is often the result of not having the iron hot enough ,or trying to solder on to a greasy surface

Use a hand lens to examine the joint If there is not enough solder , or if the joint is dry repeat the soldering .A dry joint is often the result of not having the iron hot enough ,or trying to solder on to a greasy surface When soldering heat-sensitive components such as diodes and transistors, clip a heat shunt to the wire leads of the device before soldering Even with a heat shunt , still try to solder the joint as quickly as you can to avoid overheating

WARNING: A hot soldering iron does not look hot, but is hot enough to burn your skin, or your clothes, or the surface of the workbench. It is also hot enough to melt the plastic insulation on wires. Handle the iron with a great care!

Desoldering If a component or wire is soldered in the wrong place, it is usually easy to remove it. Simply re-heat the joint with the iron, then pull the wire out. A pair of tweezers helps to avoid burnt fingers. Power rating Many fixed resistance are intended to conduct electricity at a maximum power of a quarter of a watt (250mW).This power must not be exceeded.

Part Five
Magnetism and Electromagnetism

103

Magnet
Piece of iron, which attract iron and ores either naturally or because of electric current passed through it, and which points roughly north and south when freely suspended. Has two poles north and south Two types
i. Natural-Loadstone ii. Man-made/Artificial
104

Lodestone
A Lodestone is a naturally occurring piece of magnetic iron oxide. It is often bound in a brass frame, and is oriented to place the magnetic poles at the ends.

105

Magnetism
Materials that are attracted by a magnet, such as iron, steel, nickel, and cobalt, have the ability to become magnetized. These are called magnetic materials. Materials, such as paper, wood, glass, or tin, which are not attracted by magnets, are considered nonmagnetic. Nonmagnetic materials are not able to become magnetized.
106

6/18/2011

107

Man-made magnets
Permanent Magnets
retain their magnetic properties after the magnetizing force has been removed

Temporary magnets
Do not retain their magnetic properties after the magnetizing force has been removed The amount of magnetism which remains in a temporary magnet is referred to as its RESIDUAL MAGNETISM.
108

Theory of magnetism Magnetism refers to the force that acts between magnets and magnetic materials. Magnets attract pieces of iron, deflect compass needles, attract or repel other magnets, and so on. The region where the force is felt is called the field of the magnet or simply, its magnetic field. Thus, a magnetic field is a force field.

Magnetic Flux

Magnetic fields are shown as lines in space. These lines, called

flux lines or lines of forces. for the field of a bar magnet. As indicated, the field is strongest at the poles of the magnet (where flux lines are most dense), its direction is from north (N) to south (S) external to the magnet, and flux lines never cross. The symbol for magnetic is the Greek letter (phi).

Laws of magnetism unlike poles attract, and flux lines pass from one magnet to the other. like poles repel, and the flux lines are pushed back.

Ferromagnetic Materials
Magnetic materials (materials that are attracted by magnets such as iron, nickel, cobalt, and their alloys) are called ferromagnetic materials. Ferromagnetic materials provide an easy path for magnetic flux

Electromagnetism
Most applications of magnetism involve magnetic effects due to electric currents The current, I, creates a magnetic field that is concentric about the conductor, uniform along its length, and whose strength is directly proportional to I. with the aid of the right-hand rule. imagine placing your right hand around the conductor with your thumb pointing in the direction of current. Your fingers then point in the direction of the field. If you reverse the direction of the current, the direction of the field reverses.

Flux and Flux Density

the unit of flux is the Weber (Wb flux density B (i.e., flux per unit area) Since flux is measured in Wb and area A in m2, flux density is measured as Wb/m2. the unit of flux density is called the tesla (T) where 1 T = 1 Wb/m2. Flux density is found by dividing the total flux passing perpendicularly through an area by the size of the area,

Magnetic Circuits
Most practical applications of magnetism use magnetic structures to guide and shape magnetic fields by providing a well-defined path for flux. Such structures are called magnetic circuits. Magnetic circuits are found in motors, generators, computer disk drives, tape recorders, and so on.

Series and Parallel magnetic circuit

MMF: The Source of Magnetic Flux

Current through a coil creates magnetic flux. The greater the current or the greater the number of turns, the greater will be the flux. This flux-producing ability of a coil is called its magneto motive force (mmf). mmf = NI ( ampere turn)

Reluctance, : Opposition to Magnetic Flux Flux in a magnetic circuit also depends on the opposition that the circuit presents to it. Termed reluctance, this opposition depends on the dimensions of the core and the material of which it is made. Like the resistance of a wire, reluctance is directly proportional to length and inversely proportional to cross-sectional area. Reluctance = Unit

Ohm s Law for Magnetic Circuits

The relationship between flux, mmf, and reluctance is flux = This relationship is similar to Ohm s law Remember however that flux, unlike electric current, does not flow

Magnetic Field Intensity and Magnetization Curves magnetic field intensity, H (also known as magnetizing force). It is a measure of the mmf per unit length of a circuit.

The Relationship between B and H

You know that magnetizing force, H, is a measure of the fluxproducing ability of the coil (since it depends on NI). You also know that B is a measure of the resulting flux (since B = flux/A). Thus, B and H are related. The relationship is where is the permeability of the core permeability is a measure of how easy it is to establish flux in a material.

Properties of Magnetic Materials

Magnetic properties are related to atomic structure. Each atom of a substance, for example, produces a tiny atomic-level magnetic field because its moving (i.e., orbiting) electrons constitute an atomic-level current and currents create magnetic fields. For nonmagnetic materials, these fields are randomly oriented and cancel. However, for ferromagnetic materials, the fields in small regions, called domains (Figure 1.1), do not cancel. If the domain fields in a ferromagnetic material line up, the material is magnetized; if they are randomly oriented, the material is not magnetized.

Magnetizing a Specimen
A no magnetized specimen can be magnetized by making its domain fields line up. As current through the coil is increased, the field strength increases and more and more domains align themselves in the direction of the field. If the field is made strong enough, almost all domain fields line up and the material is said to be in saturation

Hysteresis
If you now reduce the current to zero, you will find that the material still retains some magnetism, called residual magnetism (Figure 1.2 point b). If now you reverse the current, the flux reverses and the bottom part of the curve can be traced. By reversing the current again at d, the curve can be traced back to point a. The result is called a hysteresis loop

Generator action
The simplest alternating current generator consists of a wire loop suspended between the poles of a permanent magnet. The emf is equal to minus the time rate of change of the flux through the coil. So, the generator produces an emf that varies like a sine curve. Each time the plane of the coil is perpendicular to the the magnetic field, the emf reverses direction.

A transformer consists of two coils of insulated wire wound around the same soft iron core as show in the diagram above. When we connect one coil, which we call the primary coil, to a source a current will flow in the primary coil. The current through the coil will result in a magnetic field. In an ideal transformer, the magnetic field lines will be concentrated in the iron core and will form closed loops, so that all the field lines pass through both coils.

Electromagnetic induction
Faraday s law of electromagnetic induction tells us that when the flux through a circuit changes, an emf is induced in the circuit. The changing current through the primary coil causes a changing flux in the secondary coil. According to Faraday s law, an emf will be induced across the ends of the secondary coil. Faraday s law of electromagnetic induction tells us that the emf induced in a circuit is proportional to the time rate of change of the total magnetic flux through the circuit. The negative sign follows from Lenz s law. This law states that the direction of the induced emf is such that it opposes the change that causes it.

Lenz s law
states that the direction of the induced electromotive force is such that its effect opposes the change that produced it. Lenz s law tells us what the direction of the induced emf and current is. The cause of the emf is the change in flux. The induced current will oppose the change in flux, so the direction of the induced flux tries to keep the flux through the loop constant.

Flux through loop increases.

When the magnet is moved toward the stationary conducting loop, an emf is induced that causes a current to flow in the direction shown. What changes here is the flux through the loop increases as the magnet is moved closer to it. According to Lenz s law, the change in flux is opposed by the effect that it causes. Initially there was no flux through the loop. So, the induced emf in the loop must produce a flux through it that opposes the change in flux through the loop.

According to Lenz s law the change in flux must be opposed by the induced flux. to the right and it is increasing. The induced current sets up its own flux, directed to the left to counteract the increasing flux to the right.

When the magnet is moved away again, a current is induced in the opposite direction in the loop. The induced current produces a flux directed to the right, and so it counteracts the decreasing flux to the right

The simplest galvanometer consists of a coil of wire, with attached pointer, suspended in the magnetic field of a permanent magnet. When current flows through the coil, the coil moves and the pointer shows what the magnitude of the current is.

Solenoid
When a current flows through the solenoid, a magnetic field is set up around the solenoid. The magnetic field lines form closed loops and look similar to the field lines of a bar magnet.

Mutual inductance
Mutual inductance occurs when a change in current in one circuit, generates an emf in a second circuit. The induced current in the secondary circuit, is equal to the negative of the mutual inductance M, times the time rate of change of the current in the primary circuit.

Self-induced
The self-induced emf is equal to the negative of the selfinductance L, times the time rate of change of the current in the circuit itself. Self-inductance is the process where a change in current in a circuit generates an emf in the circuit itself.

Protective Device Relay

Fig.1.12 Normally Open relay

The diagram shown above illustrates a very simple magnetic relay whose essential parts are an electromagnet and a movable arm called an armature . When current flows through the coil of the magnet, a magnetic field is set up which attracts the iron arm of the armature to the core of the magnet. The set of contacts on the armature and relay frame then close, completing a circuit across terminals A and B.

Normally closed contact relay

When the relay is energized, the armature is pulled to the magnet and the contacts open, breaking the circuit across terminals A and B

A typical relay
Contact Coil

Switches Switches are used to control the current flow in most aircraft electrical circuits. A switch is used to start, to stop, or to change the direction of the current flow in the circuit. The switch in each circuit must be able to carry the normal current of the circuit and must be insulated heavily enough for the voltage of the circuit.

Single Pole Single Throw

when it is possible to complete only one circuit through a switch, a single-pole single-throw (SPST) switch is used

Single Pole Double Throw

A single-pole switch through which two circuits can be completed (not at the same time) is a singpole double-throw (spdt) switch

Double pole single through

A switch with two contactors, or poles, with each of which it is possible to complete only one circuit is a double-pole single throw (dpst) switch

Double Pole Double Throw

A double- pole switch that can complete two circuits with each pole (one circuit at a time through each pole) is a double-pole double-throw (dpdt) switch.

Fuses A fuse is a stripe metal that will melt when current in excess of its carefully determined capacity flows through it. The fuse is installed in the circuit so that all the current in the circuit passes through it.

Variety of fuses and circuit breaker

Circuit breakers A circuit breaker is designed to break the circuit and stop the current flow when the current exceeds a predetermined value. It is commonly used in place of a fuse and may sometimes eliminate the need for a switch

150