Relays and Contactors

Standards Organizations

 IEC - International Electrotechnical

Commission

 NEMA - National Electrical

Manufacturers Association (USA)
Relays

 Relays: electromechanical switches that

contain auxiliary contacts
 Auxiliary contacts
– Small; intended to be used for control
applications; generally not intended to
control large amounts of current
 Current ratings for most relays can vary
from one to ten amperes
Relays (cont’d.)

 A bridge type relay operates by

drawing a piece of metal or plunger
inside a coil
Electromagnet Construction

 Control relay types

– Can be set as either NO or NC
– Plug into 8- or 11-pin tube sockets
 Solid-state relays
– Use solid-state devices to connect the
load to the line
– AC loads use a device called a triac
Courtesy of Electrical Engineering Portal
Contractors

 Designed for use on higher voltages

than most relays
 Can operate on different control circuit
voltages by changing the coil
 Manufacturers make coils to
interchange with specific types of
contactors
 NEMA standards
Contractors (cont’d.)

 Load contacts
– Large contacts intended to connect high
current loads to the power line
– Can control several hundred amperes
– To extinguish the arc produced when
heavy current loads are disconnected
 Arcing chamber
 Arc chutes
 Contactors
 Large Relays Overload
– control of electric motors heater
 Motor Starters

 Contactors with an overload relay

 NEMA and IEC standards determine
the size of starter needed
 Motor control centers
– Combination starters
– Connected by terminal strips
Magnetic Motor Starter
120 V
Coil

Trip
window

Normally
Closed
Overload
heater
Relay Logic