Relay

• What is a Relay?
• A switch is a component that opens (turn off) & close (turn on) an electrical circuit.
whereas, a relay is an electrical switch that control (switch on & off) a high voltage
circuit using a low voltage source. A relay completely isolates the low voltage circuit
from the high voltage circuit.
 Terminals Of Relay
Control Input or Coil Terminals:
Control input terminals are two input terminals
of a relay that controls its switching mechanism.

A low power source is connected to these

terminals to activate & deactivate the relay. The
source can be AC or DC depending on the type of
the relay.

COM or Common Terminal:

COM refers to the common terminal of the relay.
This is the output terminal of the relay where one
end of the load circuit is connected.
 Terminals Of Relay
NO Terminal:
NO or Normally Open terminal is also a
load terminal of a relay which
remains open when the relay is not active.
The NO terminal becomes closed with
the COM terminal when the relay activates.
NC Terminal:
NC or Normally Closed terminal is the
other load terminal of a relay. This terminal
is normally connected with COM terminal
of the relay when there is no control input.
When relay activates, the NC terminal
disconnects from the COM terminal & stays
open until the relay is activated.
 Poles & Throws:
Poles refer to the switches inside a relay.

The numbers of Switches inside a relay is called

the poles of the relay.

The number of circuits being controlled per pole

is called the throw of a relay.

Poles & Throw

A single throw relay can control only one circuit

i.e. either OFF or ON, while a double throw relay
can control two circuits i.e. alternating from one
circuit to another by opening one circuit and
closing another during switching (ON & OFF).
 Relay Operation(SPDT):
When there is no power source, the relay is inactive &
the position of its pole remains at NC terminal, which
in the above-mentioned case happens to be the upper
terminal. This results in an electrically short path
between the COM terminal & NC terminal. Thus it
allows the flow of current through the circuit
connected to COM & NC terminal.

When the relay is powered on using a low voltage

source, the pole of the relay shifts to the NO terminal.
Thus the NC terminal becomes open & the COM
terminal becomes closed or electrically short to NO
terminal. Subsequently, allowing the flow of current
through the circuit connected with COM & NO
terminal.
Types of Relay Based on Pole and Throw.
Types of Relay (Based on Operation Principle.)
EMR (Electromechanical Relay)
This type of relay has an electromagnetic coil and a mechanical movable contact.

When the coil is energized it produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field attracts the
armature (movable contact). When the coil is de-energized the coil loose magnetic field and
a spring retract the armature to its normal position.

EMR relay

The EMR relay is designed for AC or DC source depending on the application it is used for.
The structure of AC & DC EMR relay differs from each other by having a slight difference in
SSR (Solid State Relay)
SSR relay is made up of semiconductors instead of mechanical parts and it works on
isolating the low voltage circuit from high voltage circuit using an opto-coupler.
When the control input is applied to a solid state relay, an LED lights up which produce
infrared light. This light is received by a photosensitive semiconductor device which
converts the light signal into an electrical signal and switches the circuit.

SSR operates on relatively high speed & has very low power consumption as compared
to EMR relay. It has a longer lifespan because there are no physical contacts to burn out.
The main disadvantage of SSR relay is its nominal voltage drop across the
semiconductor which wastes power in the form of heat.
•Hybrid Relay:
• Hybrid relays are made using both SSR & EMR relays.

• As we know that the SSR wastes power in form of heat and EMR has contact arcing problem. The
hybrid relay uses both SSR & EMR to overcome their disadvantages.

• In Hybrid relay, SSR & EMR are used in parallel. A relay control circuit is used for switching the
SSR first. The SSR takes the load current. So it eliminates the arching problem. Then the control
circuit energizes the EMR coil & its contact closes but there is no arching since the SSR is taking
the load in parallel. After some time, when the EMR contact settles down, the control input of SSR
is removed. The EMR conducts the entire load current without any loss. Since there is no current
flow throw SSR & the EMR takes the entire load, there is no power loss in form of heat. Thus, it
eliminates the heat problem too.
• Reed Relay
• Reed relay is made up of a reed switch & an electromagnetic coil with a diode for
back EMF.
• A reed switch is made up of two metal blades made up of ferromagnetic material
hermetically sealed in a glass tube which also supports the metal blades. The glass is
filled with inert gas.

• When the coil is energized, the ferromagnetic metal blades attract each other and
form a closed path. As there is no moving armature so there is no contact wear-out
problem. The glass tube is also filled with inert gas which also prolongs its life.
Electrothermal Relay (Thermal Relay):
An electro-thermal relay is made up of bimetallic (made up of two metals having
different thermal expansion coefficients) strip.

When the current flow through the conductor, it produces heat. Due to which the
temperature of the bimetallic strip rises and expands. The metal having high thermal
expansion coefficient expands more than the other metal. Due which the strip bends &
closes the contacts to usually activate the trip circuitry.

Thermal relays are usually used for electric motor protection.

 Special Relays

Time Relay
Time Relay
 Special Relays

Voltage Relay /
Voltage
monitoring
Relay
Latching/Trip Relay
Buchholz Relay
Numerical Relay