What is a Signal relay?

A signal relay is an electrical component that inputs an electrical signal and controls the ON/OFF of the electrical contact based on that signal. Signal relays are divided into two types: contact relays and non-contact relays. Reed relays control ON-OFF by moving the contacts with the electromagnetic force of the electromagnetic coil. Since the contacts actually operate, aging deterioration occurs due to wear of the contacts, but on the other hand, it has the advantage that it can be used for outputs with surge currents. A non-contact relay is a relay that performs ON-OFF control using semiconductors such as transistors. Since there are no parts that actually operate, there is no life span based on the number of operations, but many relays that can only be used with a DC power supply are on the market. Due to their unlimited number of operations, non-contact relays are often used inside high-tech products such as computers. Contactless relays are also called solid state relays.

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