How Electrical Relay works?

An Electrical Relay is an Electrical Switch that opens and closes under the control of another electrical circuit. There are many different types of relays such as power relays, automotive relays, latching relays, PCB relays, reed relays, contactor relays, overload relays, protective relays, AC relays, AR relays….and much more... Different types of relays have different design and operation.

Application of relays:

Relays can be used to control a circuit in your car or to protect a motor. The way it works is turning on one circuit when other circuits have been switched to off. For a practical example, a refinery plant has requested a design for 3 pumps and at some time they use only one pump but at some other times 3 pumps will be needed to operate at the same time. Electrical engineers will then apply contactors or relays in their designs to make it happen.

Select a relay:

Selection a right relay depends on application and it is a huge subject but at least requires the evaluations for some factors such as cost, reliability, redundancy, number and type of contact, contact rating, voltage rating, coil voltage, coil current, cost of assembly, mounting structure, and more…

Example Starter Relay Diagram

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