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A relay circuit is typically a smaller switch or device which drives (opens/closes) an electric switch that is capable of carrying much larger current amounts. Or a circuit which operates the coil or electronic actuator from one source and uses a separate power source to drive an isolated device. Generally speaking, a relay circuit is a circuit that uses a small mechanical switch or a semiconductor device (with associated circuitry) to energize a relay, which will then close a contact set to complete another circuit. This system is used by most people on a daily basis, and it is used to start a motor vehicle. The key switch (ignition switch) is turned to "start" and 12 volts (approximately) is applied to the starter solenoid (which is a big relay). The coil is energized, it shuts contacts, and the battery voltage is delivered through the heavy contact set (for high current capacity) to the starter motor. There are variations on this theme to which the term relay circuit can be applied, but the idea remains the same: a small switch of some kind controls switching in another (usually higher voltage and/or current) circuit. It could be argued that the telegraph is a relay circuit. Remember those old westerns? When a telegraph key is pushed down (thus completing the circuit), a remote (relay) coil is energized. The magnetic field created by energizing that coil pulls down an armature with the objective being to make a "click" instead of it being to close some electrical contacts. An early and dramatic application of the simple relay circuit, the telegraph, yes? A RELAY CIRCUIT DOES NOT IMPLY MASSIVE CURRENT SWITCHING. It is a means to isolate one source to another.

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15y ago

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It is the circuit (wiring) that supplies power to a relay. The relay when supplied with power allows a circuit to energize without blowing a fuse.

This is commonly used on headlights, Heating, Air conditioning, fuel pumps, etc, etc.

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14y ago
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A relayis an electrically operated switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to mechanically operate a switch, but other operating principles are also used, such as solid-state relays. Relays are used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a low-power signal (with complete electrical isolation between control and controlled circuits), or where several circuits must be controlled by one signal. The first relays were used in long distance telegraph circuits as amplifiers: they repeated the signal coming in from one circuit and re-transmitted it on another circuit. Relays were used extensively in telephone exchanges and early computers to perform logical operations.

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9y ago
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remote-control circuit

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11y ago
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Q: What is relay circuit?
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