Ask Electronics

63 readers

1 users here now

For questions about component-level electronic circuits, tools and equipment.

Rules

1: Be nice.

2: Be on-topic (eg: Electronic, not electrical).

3: No commercial stuff, buying, selling or valuations.

4: Be safe.

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

DavideAndrea@discuss.tchncs.de

linker3000@discuss.tchncs.de

Continuous operation of a general purpose relay? (midwest.social)

submitted 1 year ago by trafguy@midwest.social to c/askelectronics@discuss.tchncs.de

9 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hello, I have a circuit that will need to return connected hardware to a default state if power is lost. The hardware can handle continuous voltage, so I'm thinking a simple solution would be to use a battery to provide that fallback power source. To avoid draining the battery, I'd like to connect it through a relay on the normally open contact and energize the relay directly from the main power supply on my board.

Do I need to look for anything in particular to make sure the coil on the relay I choose can sustain constant voltage for potentially months at a time without damage? Or, is there another similarly low cost and simple solution you'd recommend?

The circuit runs on 12VDC from a [Mean Well IRM-10-12 (specification), and the relays I have on hand are OMRON G5LE-14-CF 12VDC (specification). I don't see anything on the relay documentation that specifies a maximum duty cycle.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] tufelkinder@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Would this be a good use case for an SSR?

[–] Saigonauticon@voltage.vn 2 points 1 year ago

I was thinking about that, but if they are using 12VDC + light load a MOSFET would be more cost and space efficient, and probably more electrically efficient too. No real voltage drop, and just a few milliohms added to the load.

I mainly use SSRs to switch mains power, although it's true they can be used for other things too.