Connectors

An electrical connector, is an electro-mechanical device used to join electrical terminations and create an

electrical circuit.
Electrical connectors consist of plugs (male-ended) and jacks (female-ended). The connection may be
temporary, as for portable equipment, require a tool for assembly and removal, or serve as a permanent
electrical joint between two wires or devices.
An adapter can be used to effectively bring together dissimilar connectors.
A connector is a coupling device that joins electrical terminations to create an electrical circuit.
Connectors enable contact between wires, cables, printed circuit boards, and electronic components. Different
types of connectors including PCB connectors and wire connectors are manufactured to reduce application size
and power usage while enabling increased performance.

Three Types of Electrical Connectors

Electrical connectors are classified into three types based on their termination ends: board-to-board connectors,
cable/wire-to-cable/wire connectors, and cable/wire-to-board connectors.

Board-to-Board Connectors

Board-to-board connectors are used to connect PCBs without a cable. The board-to-board connectors can save
space on cables, making them suitable for systems with limited space. The PCBs can be connected using
connectors in parallel or perpendicular configuration. A connector that connects two PCBs in a stacking
configuration is called a mezzanine connector. However, the term is sometimes used to describe perpendicular or
side-by-side PCB arrangements. These arrangements are usually seen for motherboard–daughterboard
arrangements, where the focus is on the parallel arrangement.
Wire/Cable-to-Wire/Cable Connectors

Wire-to-wire connectors connect two wires, as the name suggests. One end of the connector is permanently
connected to the wire. The other end of the connector forms a separable interface. The permanent connection can
be made using either crimping or insulation displacement contact (IDC). In the IDC method, connection is made
by inserting the insulated wire into a slot of a sharpened metal beam. The sharp edges of the beam cut through
the insulation and make a rigid metal-metal contact between the wire and the beam.

In the case of discrete wire connections, a crimping process is usually employed. However, in the case of
multiconductor cable conductor termination, IDC is usually employed. This is because of the advantage an IDC
offers with respect to wire handling and mass termination. Wire-to-wire connectors come in a wide variety of
housing geometries, including rectangular and circular with polymer housings, made from a wide variety of
polymers, and metal shells, primarily for military applications.
Wire/Cable-to-Board Connectors

A wire-to-board connector, as the name suggests, connects a wire/cable to a PCB. The wire connections are
similar to the one used for wire-to-wire connection, and the board connections are, for the most part, press-in or
soldered two-piece connectors; although, some card edge versions remain in use. The mating interface for the
separable connection may be identical to that of a wire-to-wire connector from the same product family. While
there are many applications of wire-to-board connectors, the trend is toward cable-to-board connectors, or cable
assemblies, to take advantage of the benefits of IDC.
What is a Relay?
A switch is a component that opens (turn off) and close (turn on) an electrical circuit. whereas,  a
relay is an electrical switch that control (switch on and off) a high voltage circuit using  a low
voltage source. A relay completely isolates the low voltage circuit from the high voltage circuit.

A relay is an electrically operated switch. It consists of a set of input terminals for a single or multiple control
signals, and a set of operating contact terminals. The switch may have any number of contacts in
multiple contact forms, such as make contacts, break contacts, or combinations thereof.
Relays are used where it is necessary to control a circuit by an independent low-power signal, or where several
circuits must be controlled by one signal. Relays were first used in long-distance telegraph circuits as signal
repeaters: they refresh the signal coming in from one circuit by transmitting it on another circuit. Relays were
used extensively in telephone exchanges and early computers to perform logical operations.

Electromechanical relay schematic showing a control coil, four pairs of normally open and one pair of normally
closed contacts
 A simple electromagnetic relay consists of a coil of wire wrapped around
a soft iron core (a solenoid), an iron yoke which provides a
low reluctance path for magnetic flux, a movable iron armature, and one or
more sets of contacts (there are two contacts in the relay pictured). The
armature is hinged to the yoke and mechanically linked to one or more sets
of moving contacts. The armature is held in place by a spring so that when
the relay is de-energized there is an air gap in the magnetic circuit. In this
condition, one of the two sets of contacts in the relay pictured is closed,
and the other set is open. Other relays may have more or fewer sets of
contacts depending on their function. The relay in the picture also has a wire connecting the armature to the
yoke. This ensures continuity of the circuit between the moving contacts on the armature, and the circuit track
on the printed circuit board (PCB) via the yoke, which is soldered to the PCB.
Types of Relay
Coaxial relay
Contactor
Force-guided contacts relay
Latching relay
Machine tool relay
Mercury relay
Mercury-wetted relay
Multi-voltage relays
Overload protection relay
Polarized relay
Reed relay
Safety relays
Solid-state contactor
Solid-state relay
Static relay
Time-delay relay
Vacuum relays

The National Association of Relay Manufacturers and its successor, the Relay and Switch Industry Association
define 23 distinct electrical contact forms found in relays and switches.[13] Of these, the following are
commonly encountered:

 SPST-NO (Single-Pole Single-Throw, Normally-Open) relays have a single Form A contact

or make contact. These have two terminals which can be connected or disconnected. Including two for the
coil, such a relay has four terminals in total.
 SPST-NC (Single-Pole Single-Throw, Normally-Closed) relays have a single Form B or break contact. As
with an SPST-NO relay, such a relay has four terminals in total.
 SPDT (Single-Pole Double-Throw) relays have a single set of Form C, break before
make or transfer contacts. That is, a common terminal connects to either of two others, never connecting to
both at the same time. Including two for the coil, such a relay has a total of five terminals.
 DPST – Double-Pole Single-Throw relays are equivalent to a pair of SPST switches or relays actuated by a
single coil. Including two for the coil, such a relay has a total of six terminals. The poles may be Form
A or Form B (or one of each; the designations NO and NC should be used to resolve the ambiguity).
 DPDT – Double-Pole Double-Throw relays have two sets of Form C contacts. These are equivalent to two
SPDT switches or relays actuated by a single coil. Such a relay has eight terminals, including the coil
 Form D – make before break[14]
 Form E – combination of D and B[14]
The S (single) or D (double) designator for the pole count may be replaced with a number, indicating multiple
contacts connected to a single actuator. For example, 4PDT indicates a four-pole double-throw relay that has 12
switching terminals.
EN 50005 are among applicable standards for relay terminal numbering; a typical EN 50005-compliant SPDT
relay's terminals would be numbered 11, 12, 14, A1 and A2 for the C, NC, NO, and coil connections,
respectively.[15]
DIN 72552 defines contact numbers in relays for automotive use:

 85 = relay coil -
 86 = relay coil +
 87 = to load (normally open)
 87a = to load (normally closed)
 30 = battery +

Application

Relays are used wherever it is necessary to control a high power or high voltage circuit with a low power
circuit, especially when galvanic isolation is desirable. The first application of relays was in
long telegraph lines, where the weak signal received at an intermediate station could control a contact,
regenerating the signal for further transmission. High-voltage or high-current devices can be controlled with
small, low voltage wiring and pilots switches. Operators can be isolated from the high voltage circuit. Low
power devices such as microprocessors can drive relays to control electrical loads beyond their direct drive
capability. In an automobile, a starter relay allows the high current of the cranking motor to be controlled with
small wiring and contacts in the ignition key.
switch
A switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit,
interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another.[1][2] The most common type of
switch is an electromechanical device consisting of one or more sets of movable electrical contacts connected to
external circuits. When a pair of contacts is touching current can pass between them, while when the contacts
are separated no current can flow.
Switches are made in many different configurations; they may have multiple sets of contacts controlled by the
same knob or actuator, and the contacts may operate simultaneously, sequentially, or alternately. A switch may
be operated manually, for example, a light switch or a keyboard button, or may function as a sensing element to
sense the position of a machine part, liquid level, pressure, or temperature, such as a thermostat. Many
specialized forms exist, such as the toggle switch, rotary switch, mercury switch, push-button switch, reversing
switch, relay, and circuit breaker. A common use is control of lighting, where multiple switches may be wired
into one circuit to allow convenient control of light fixtures. Switches in high-powered circuits must have
special construction to prevent destructive arcing when they are opened.
Electronics Expansion
specification of
Description Symbol
and abbreviation
abbreviation
A simple on-off switch: The two terminals are either
Single pole,
SPST connected together or disconnected from each other.
single throw
An example is a light switch.
Single pole, A simple on-off switch. The two terminals are
SPST-NO
single throw, normally disconnected (open) and are closed when the
Form A[4]
normally open switch is activated. An example is a pushbutton switch.
 A simple on-off switch. The two terminals are
Single pole,
SPST-NC normally connected together (closed) and are open
single throw,
Form B[4] when the switch is activated. An example is
normally closed
a pushbutton switch.
SPDT Single pole, A simple break-before-make changeover switch: C
Form C[4] double throw (COM, Common) is connected either to L1 or to L2.
Single pole
changeover
or Similar to SPDT. Some suppliers use SPCO/SPTT for
SPCO
single pole, switches with a stable off position in the centre
SPTT, c.o.
centre off or and SPDT for those without.
single pole,
triple throw

Double pole, Equivalent to two SPST switches controlled by a single

DPST
single throw mechanism.

Double pole, Equivalent to two SPDT switches controlled by a

DPDT
double throw single mechanism.
Schematically equivalent to DPDT. Some suppliers
use DPCO for switches with a stable center position
Double pole and DPDT for those without. A DPDT/DPCO switch
changeover with a center position can be "off" in the center, not
DPCO
or double pole, connected to either L1 or L2, or "on", connected to
centre off both L1 and L2 at the same time. The positions of such
switches are commonly referenced as "on-off-on" and
"on-on-on" respectively.

DPDT switch internally wired for polarity-reversal

    applications: only four rather than six wires are
brought outside the switch housing.

Changeover switch with a COM (Common), which can

Two pole, six connect to L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, or L6; with a second
2P6T
throw switch (2P, two pole) controlled by a single
mechanism.

Types of Switches
Generally, Switches can be categorized as.
 Mechanical Switches
 Electrical & Electronic Switches
ELECTRICAL CABLE 

An electrical cable is an assembly of one or more wires running side by side or bundled, which is used as
an electrical conductor, i.e., to carry electric current. One or more electrical cables and their
corresponding connectors may be formed into a cable assembly,[1] which is not necessarily suitable for
connecting two devices but can be a partial product (e.g. to be soldered onto a printed circuit board with a
connector mounted to the housing). Cable assemblies can also take the form of a cable tree or cable harness,
used to connect many terminals together.

Characteristics[edit]

Coaxial

cable Twisted pair cabling

Any current-carrying conductor, including a cable, radiates an electromagnetic field. Likewise, any conductor
or cable will pick up energy from any existing electromagnetic field around it. These effects are often
undesirable, in the first case amounting to unwanted transmission of energy which may adversely affect nearby
equipment or other parts of the same piece of equipment; and in the second case, unwanted pickup
of noise which may mask the desired signal being carried by the cable, or, if the cable is carrying power
supply or control voltages, pollute them to such an extent as to cause equipment malfunction.
The first solution to these problems is to keep cable lengths in buildings short since pick up and transmission
are essentially proportional to the length of the cable. The second solution is to route cables away from trouble.
Beyond this, there are particular cable designs that minimize electromagnetic pickup and transmission. Three of
the principal design techniques are shielding, coaxial geometry, and twisted-pair geometry.
Shielding makes use of the electrical principle of the Faraday cage. The cable is encased for its entire length in
foil or wire mesh. All wires running inside this shielding layer will be to a large extent decoupled from
external electrical fields, particularly if the shield is connected to a point of constant voltage, such as earth or
ground. Simple shielding of this type is not greatly effective against low-frequency magnetic fields, however -
such as magnetic "hum" from a nearby power transformer. A grounded shield on cables operating at 2.5 kV or
more gathers leakage current and capacitive current, protecting people from electric shock and equalizing stress
on the cable insulation.
Coaxial design helps to further reduce low-frequency magnetic transmission and pickup. In this design the foil
or mesh shield has a circular cross section and the inner conductor is exactly at its center. This causes the
voltages induced by a magnetic field between the shield and the core conductor to consist of two nearly equal
magnitudes which cancel each other.
A twisted pair has two wires of a cable twisted around each other. This can be demonstrated by putting one end
of a pair of wires in a hand drill and turning while maintaining moderate tension on the line. Where the
interfering signal has a wavelength that is long compared to the pitch of the twisted pair, alternate lengths of
wires develop opposing voltages, tending to cancel the effect of the interference.

These are the very important symbols in electrical as well as electronics engineering.

Electric Wire or Conductor Symbol

Here, you can see the generic symbol of the electrical conductor or wire, or electric line. It is symbolized by a
straight line.

Different Types of Electric Line Symbol

Here, you can see the symbol of a single wire, double wire, three-wire, or multiple wire electric line.

A line with a single wire can be drawn by a straight line or a straight line crossed by a single line. The electric
line with double or two conductors can be drawn by a straight line crossed by two lines. The electric line with
three wires can be drawn by a straight line crossed by three lines or a single line marked by 3.

Shielded Cable or Shielded Wire Symbol

A shielded cable is also known as screened cable. Thes types of cable are one or more insulated around a
common conductor. The shield is made of either braided strands of copper or aluminium metal mesh. Here, you
can see the symbol of Shielded Cable.

Protective Wire Symbol

Here, you can see the symbol of Protective Wire.

Neutral Wire Symbol

Here, you can see the symbol of neutral wire. It is used in single-phase and three-phase four-wire wiring and
circuit diagrams.

Two Conductor Cable Symbol

Here, you can see the symbol of cable having two conductors.

Coaxial Cable Symbol

The main feature of the coaxial cable is, it can transmit signals without any interference. The inner conductor of
the coaxial cable is shielded by metallic mesh. And this metal shield is connected to both ends of the line. Here,
you can see the symbol of coaxial cable.