relay or tilt swich

danielsmusic

New Member

• Jul 25, 2005

• #1

i need info on this conponent i dont know weathe it is a tilt swich or a relay
i says this way up.
and it is called: mercury wetted contact relay i have a few pics

 

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danielsmusic

New Member

• Jul 25, 2005

• #2

2 of the back

 

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danielsmusic

New Member

• Jul 25, 2005

• #3

and the pins...

 

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JimB

Super Moderator

Most Helpful Member

• Jul 25, 2005

• #4

It is "exactly what it says on the tin", a mercury wetted contact relay.

The relay contacts are in a sealed envelope with a small quantity of mercury, which helps to give good contact at the relay points.

They should be mounted with the arrow to the top so that the mercury forms a pool in the correct place in the envelope.

JimB

 

danielsmusic

New Member

• Jul 25, 2005

• #5

what pins do what i can't make sence of it
thanks for the reply

 

JimB

Super Moderator

Most Helpful Member

• Jul 25, 2005

• #6

The pins:

C Common contact
NO Normally open contact
NC Normally closed contact

+ positive side of coil
- negative side of coil

The relay probably has a protection diode across the coil to kill the back EMF when the coil is de-energised.

S the can around the relay (Screen)

JimB

 

danielsmusic

New Member

• Jul 25, 2005

• #7

do these normaly make a noise when they are energised,
you know like a "click".

 

danielsmusic

New Member

• Jul 25, 2005

• #8

thanks for telling me the pins

 

JimB

Super Moderator

Most Helpful Member

• Jul 25, 2005

• #9

When operated, there will be a click, but with a relay like this you may have to listen very carefully to hear it.

JimB

 

danielsmusic

New Member

• Jul 26, 2005

• #10

one last thing, do you know what wattage this runs at.

 

JimB

Super Moderator

Most Helpful Member

• Jul 26, 2005

• #11

danielsmusic said:

one last thing, do you know what wattage this runs at.

Click to expand...

Sorry but this statement does not make any sense.

Are you looking for the contact rating or the coil rating.

Contacts are usually rated in terms ov voltage and current.
The coils have a resistance and a normal opeating voltage.

I dont know them off the top of my head but the data is available if you Google for HGSM 51111, the part number on the relay label. Have a quick dig around and you will find a data sheet with all you need to know.
How do I know? I just did it.

JimB

 

eblc1388

Active Member

• Jul 26, 2005

• #12

The image shows the inside of such a relay after removing its casing and taken out the magnetic operating coil.

Shinny mercury coating can be seen along all the surface of the moving contact.

These contacts are usually for fast signal switching purpose where contact bounce is a problem. You can see from the image that large cylindrical metal block is attached to each fix contact at the top to absorb the energy that the moving contact carries when the contact closes.

 

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JimB

Super Moderator

Most Helpful Member

• Jul 26, 2005

• #13

Nice picture.
That is the first time I have actually seen what one looks like inside.

JimB

 

eblc1388

Active Member

• Jul 26, 2005

• #14

Note the contact point is the tiny bits at the bottom of the semi-circular depression on the fixed contacts in the image. So it is really tiny and not meant for a lot of current.

The nice thing is mercury will climbs up the moving contact and "wets" the contact point.

 

zevon8

New Member

• Jul 26, 2005

• #15

I agree with eblc1388, low current/voltage is common in this type of relay, in that type of enclosure.

The relay looks very much like what was once found in PBX telephone switchgear. I recall "raiding" an old PBX box years ago for one of those relays. The contact rating was very minimal, as in well under one Amp, and low voltage as well. They are used in telephone gear to give "quiet" conections that don't oxide over time, and have extremely high numbers for expected nuber of operations before failure, often MTBF could be several million operations.

You can also get VERY high capacity mercury wetted relays ( contactors at these power levels. ) They are often used to interupt live loads at high speed or fast cycling, which could trash/weld a normal mechanical contact.

 

danielsmusic

New Member

• Jul 26, 2005

• #16

i think your right about the telephone gear i read some it hos no "contact bounce" thanks for everyones time for helpping me on this.

im going to use it for communication just like the phones over i long wire.
between to computers.