Relays

Shop Arrow.com's wide selection of relays from industry leading manufacturers including TE Connectivity, Omron, Panasonic, Crydom, Phoenix Contact, Toshiba, IXYS and more. We have relays in-stock and ready to ship for all applications, including Power, Reed, Signal, Solid State, Electromechanical, I/O Module and Time Delay, plus a wide variety of relay sockets, hardware and accessories.

Relays are electromechanical switches that can be actuated by an electrical signal rather than by manually opening or closing the switch. This small signal acts as a gatekeeper for a much larger electrical signal. The ability to have low-power control over a high-power signal is what makes them such prominent electrical components.

Basic Configuration:
Relay configurations are defined by poles and throws. A pole is a switch, and a throw is a possible connection. The simplest is a single-pole single-throw (SPST), which has two ports: A and B. The single pole indicates there is one switch, and the single pole indicates there is only one possible connection (A to B).

Types and Concerns:
There are several types of relays, but the most prominent are the Solid State (SSR) and the Electromechanical (EMR). An EMR uses an actual moving part to connect contacts within the output component that is moved via electromagnetic forces. An SSR uses a low power electrical signal to generate an optical semiconductor signal that acts as a switch, instead of a moving part. SSRs often have a higher upfront cost, but generally are more dynamic in performance. EMRs often cost less but have fewer features, although they do excel in thermal management.