solid state relay

A solid-state relay (SSR) is an electronic switching device that switches on or off when a small
external voltage is applied across its control terminals. ... Therelay may be designed to switch
either AC or DC to the load. It serves the same function as an electromechanical relay, but has
no moving parts.

Solid State Relays are normally-open semiconductor equivalents of the electromechanical relay
that can be used to control electrical loads without the use of moving parts.
Unlike electro-mechanical relays (EMR) which use coils, magnetic fields, springs and
mechanical contacts to operate, the solid state relay, or SSR, has no moving parts but instead
uses the electrical and optical properties of solid state semiconductors to perform its input to
output isolation and switching functions.
Just like a normal electro-mechanical relay, SSRs provide complete electrical isolation between
their input and output contacts with its output acting like a conventional electrical switch in that
it has very high, almost infinite resistance when non-conducting (open), and a very low
resistance when conducting (closed). Solid state relays can be designed to switch both AC or DC
currents by using an SCR, TRIAC, or switching transistor output instead of the usual mechanical
normally-open (NO) contacts.
While the solid state relay and electro-mechanical relay are fundamentally similar in that their
low voltage input is electrically isolated from the output that switches and controls a load,
electro-mechanical relays have a limited contact life cycle, can take up a lot of room and have
slower switch speeds, especially large power relays and contactors. Solid state relays have no
such limitations.

Thus the main advantages solid state relays have over conventional electro-mechanical relays is
that they have no moving parts to wear out, and therefore no contact bounce issues, are able to
switch both ON and OFF much faster than a mechanical relays armature can move, as well
as zero voltage turn-on and zero current turn-off eliminating electrical noise and transients.
Solid state relays can be bought in standard off-the-shelf packages ranging from just a few volts
or amperes to many hundreds of volts and amperes of output switching capability. However,
solid state relays with very high current ratings (150A plus) are still too expensive to buy due to
their power semiconductor and heat sinking requirements, and as such, cheaper electro-
mechanical contactors are still used.
Similar to an electro-mechanical relay, a small input voltage, typically 3 to 32 volts DC, can be
used to control a much large output voltage, or current. For example 240V, 10Amps. This makes
them ideal for microcontroller, PIC and Arduino interfacing as a low-current, 5-volt signal from
say a micro-controller or logic gate can be used to control a particular circuit load, and this is
achieved with the use of opto-isolators.

Solid-state relays (SSR) are able to perform many of the same tasks as electromechanical relay
(EMR)s. The main difference is that SSRs have no moving mechanical parts within it.
Essentially, it is an electronic device that relies on the electrical, magnetic, and optical
properties of semiconductors and electrical components to achieve its isolation and relay
switching function.

Principle of operation
Both SSRs and EMRs use a control circuit and a separate circuit for switching the load. When
voltage is applied to the input of the SSR, the relay is energized by a light-emitting diode. The
light from the diode is beamed into a light-sensitive semiconductor that, in the case of zero-
voltage crossover relays, conditions the control circuit to turn on the output solid-state switch at
the next zero-voltage crossover. In the case of nonzero-voltage crossover relays, the output
solid-state switch is turned on at the precise voltage occurring at the time. Removal of the input
power disables the control circuit and the solid-state switch is turned off when the load current
passes through the zero point of its cycle.

Applications
Since its introduction, the SSR has gained acceptance in many areas that had previously been
the sole domain of the EMR or the contactor. The SSR is increasingly employed in industrial
process control applications, particularly temperature control, motors, lamps, solenoids, valves
and transformers. The list of specific applications for the SSR is broad.

Typical examples of SSR applications include:

Industrial automation

Electronic appliances

Industrial appliances

Packaging machines

Tooling machines

Manufacturing equipment

Food equipment
 Security systems

Industrial lighting

Fire and security systems

Dispensing machines

Production equipment

On-board power control

Traffic control

Instrumentation systems

Vending machines

Test systems

Office machines

Medical equipment

Display lighting

Elevator control

Metrology equipment

Entertainment lighting

Advantages
When used correctly in the intended application, the SSR provides many of the
characteristics that are often difficult to find in the EMR; a high degree of reliability, long
service life, significantly reduced electromagnetic interference, fast response and high
vibration resistance. The SSR has no moving parts to wear out or arcing contacts to
deteriorate that are often the primary cause of failure with an EMR.

Long life (reliability) > 109 operations

Zero-voltage turn-on, low EMI/RFI

Shock and vibration resistant

Random turn-on, proportional control

No contact bounce
 Arcless switching

No acoustical noise

Microprocessor compatible

Fast response

No moving parts