Relay - Revision history

Jnc: better name

2018-12-14T03:08:45Z

better name

Jnc: +cat

2018-12-14T00:59:45Z

+cat

Jnc: Clarify

2018-11-12T16:36:18Z

Clarify

Jnc: A good start

2018-11-11T14:23:49Z

A good start

New page

A '''relay''' is an electro-mechanical device that, depending on the presence or absence of a [[voltage]] (and thus [[current]]) across a pair of [[contact]]s, opens and closes [[circuit]]s between other pairs of contacts. How many pairs, and whether they are open or closed when incoming voltage is applied, will depend on the design of the specific relay.

Generally, the incoming current is fed into a [[inductor|coil]], which functions as an [[magnet|electromagnet]]. That either attracts (or not) a hinged, spring-loaded, piece of metal, which has contacts which can make or break the circuits with the output contacts, depending on its position.

Early computing devices used relays for [[logic]]; a few of them did not use any [[electronic]]s at all, just relays.

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-A '''relay''' is an electro-mechanical device that, depending on the presence or absence of a [[voltage]] (and thus [[current]]) across a pair of [[contact]]s, opens and closes [[circuit]]s between other pairs of contacts. How many pairs, and whether they are open or closed when incoming voltage is applied, will depend on the design of the specific relay.
+A '''relay''' is an electro-mechanical device that, depending on the presence or absence of a [[voltage]] (and thus [[current]]) across a pair of input [[connector|pins]], opens and closes [[circuit]]s between pairs of [[contact]]s (which are connected to other pins, for electrical access). How many pairs, and whether they are open or closed when incoming voltage is applied, will depend on the design of the specific relay.
-Generally, the incoming current is fed into a [[inductor|coil]], which functions as an [[magnet|electromagnet]]. That either attracts (or not) a hinged, spring-loaded, piece of metal, which has contacts which can make or break the circuits with the output contacts, depending on its position.
+Generally, the incoming current is fed into a [[inductor|coil]], which functions as an [[magnet|electromagnet]]. That either attracts (or not) a hinged, spring-loaded, piece of metal (the 'armature'), which is mechanically linked with contacts which can make or break the circuits with the other contacts, depending on its position.
 Early computing devices used relays for [[logic]]; a few of them did not use any [[electronic]]s at all, just relays.
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