Have you ever watched a foot race where the participants passed a wand between runners? How about the Pony Express of many years ago, where mail was transferred from one rider to another, to speed mail on to its final destination? These are examples of relays and today’s modern omron relay works in a similar manner. Let’s check out what relays are and why they are beneficial to industry today.
What are Relays in Electrical Circuits?
An Omron relay (and other brands) is used to automatically turn something on or off. Here is how it works. Electricity is passed through a coil of wire. This turns the coil into an electromagnet. The magnetized coil attracts a piece of metal (which pivots) connecting the metal to another piece of metal. The purpose is to bring two sets of contacts together. When an electric current is removed from the coil, the contacts break apart and the connection is broken. This is how a “normally open” or NO relay operates.
Relays can break contact in the same manner. With a normally closed set of contacts, when a coil is energized, it pulls the contacts apart.
Contactors and Relays
The basic configuration of contactors is the same as relays. However, contactors are used to switch high current while an Omron relay is typically used to switch low current applications. A contactor may be used to directly turn a compressor or motor on and off. Relays are used in motor control circuits to switch low voltage components.
Today’s Relays
Relays are used in all kinds of electrical circuits today. This includes automotive, computer and motor control. Here is an example. If you wanted to wire an automatic cooling system for a room, you could wire a relay with a thermostat circuit and when the temperature changed, it would activate the relay, sending power to a cooling fan.
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