2.

1 wORKING OF A SWITCH

Switch: A switch is a device used to make, break or change electrical connection. In electronics, a switch
is an electrical

component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one
conductor or another.

A simple switch iS represented symbolically as

In electronic engineering, an ideal switch describes a switch that:

Has no current limit during its ON state.

Has infinite resistance during its OFF state.

Has no voltage drop across the switch during its ON state.

Has no voltage limit during its OFF state

Has zero rise time and fall time during state changes.

Action of a Switch:

Action of a switch can be explained from the following:

In fig (a), the switch S is opened. An open switch offers infinite resistance when it is opened and no
current flows in the circuit,

thus the bulb did not glow.

In fig (b), the switch is closed. The closed switch offers a Zero resistance, so maximum current flows
through the circuit and thus the bulb glows.

c) In fig (c), the switch is used to change the electrical connection between two circuits. Thus either one
of the two bulbs will glow at once.

A switch essentially consists of two terminals. But there are switches which will have several terminals in
one assembly. The

moving part in a switch is called a pole. Switches are designed to have one, two or more number of
poles. Pole (s) can be thrown in different ways. If the pole (s) of a switch alternately opens and closes
only one circuit; the switch is a single throw switch. On the other hand if the pole (s) of a switch closes
and opens either one of two circuits i.e., if it breaks one circuit and at the same time closes the other
circuit; the switch is a double throw switch.

ClaSIFICATION OF SWITCHES ACCORDING

TO POLES AND THROWS

baced on the number of poles and throws, switches are classified as:

Single Pole Single Throw (SPST) switches

Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT) switches

Double Pole Single Throw (DPST) switches

Double Pole Double 'Throw (DPDT) switches

Multi-Pole Multi Throw switches

3 1.S.I SYMBOLS OF VARIOUS SWITCHES

The circuit symbols of various switches are shown below:

2.4 NEED OF FUSE IN ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

A fuse or fusible link is a type of over Current protection device. lt is used for protecting a circuit or
equipment from excessive current. It consists of a metal wire or strip. It melts and break the circuit when
too much current flows through the circuit to which it is connected. Fuse is represented by the symbol as
shown below

Need of Fuse : If there are no fuse in the circuit, the over current due to accidental short circuit or
overload damages the circuit or equipment. Therefore fuse is an important element to safe guard the
circuit from over current.

A glass cartridge fuse and its holder are shown below

2.5 TYPES OF FUSES

Basically the fuses are classified into two types namely, low voltage fuses and high voltage fuses. These
fuses are further classe

fied as shown below.

NECESSITY OF CONNECTORS IN ELECTRONIC

CIRCUITS

Connectors : An electronic connector is a conductive device with proper interface for joining electrical
circuits or systems together.

An electrical connector is an electronic mechanical device for joining electrical circuits as an interface
using a mechanical

assembly.

Necessity of connectors: Connectors are used in electronic circuits to connect different circuits. When
complex electronic circuits are assembled, it will not be possible to have all of the circuit functions in one
circuit board or block and interconnecting one part with the others requires suitable connectors.
Connectors are of several types each one having a particular area of use.

2.7 TYPES OF CONNECTORS

there are various types of connectors. The following are someConnectors used in electronic circuits

1. Audio Connectors: These are designed for low level signals. These are widely used in tape recording
and broad-casting. Two of the most common connectors used for professional audio are the XLR
connector and the 1/4" phone connector.

1/4" Phone Connector

Radio Frequency (RF) connectors: A RF connector is an electrical connector designed to work at radio
frequencies in the multi-megahertz range. RF connectors are typically used with coaxial cables.

Male Type N RF connector

3. UHF connectors : As the name suggests they can be used for high frequency range with peak voltage
rating upto 500 V. These are general purpose threaded connectors used in low frequency applications
where mismatch is not a problem. These are used in video applications.

4. BNC Connectors: These are used to connect input fCRO to testing points in the electrical or electronic
circuits.

5 TNC connectors : These are similar to BNC connectors except that they use a threaded coupling instead
of bayonet coupling.

2.8 USE OF MCB

MCB is a circuit protecting device which serves both as a switch and fuse. It can be used to switch ON or
switch OFF the supply. In addition to this, it protects the circuit by automaticallyvswitching off the supply
to the circuit when overload or short circuit occurs.
It is different from fuse that the circuit breaker will not over-load or short circuit occurs. Once the fault is
rectified, the MCB can be turned ON manually and the supply can be resumed.

Therefore, MCB is a useful device to protect the circuit frequent overloads and faulty currents are
common. MCBs are commonly used in domestic and industrial applications.

2.9 RELAY

Relay is an electrically operated switch. Relay can be defined as "a device that opens or closes an
auxiliary circuit under some predetermined condition in the main circuits". The object of relay is to act as
a sort of electric magnifier i.e., it enables a

comparatively weak current to bring into operation a much stronger current.

the circuit symbol for a relay is shown below:

Advantages : Relays can switch AC and DC, transistors can only switch DC. Relays can switch higher
voltages than standard transistors. Relays are often a better choice for switching large currents(>5A).
Relays can switch many contacts at once.

Disadvantages : Relays are bulkier than transistors for switching small currents and cannot switch rapidly,
transistors can switch many times per second. Relays use more power due to the current flowing
through their coil. Relays require more current than many ICs can provide, so a low power transistor may
be needed to switch the current for the relay's coil.

2.10 CLASSIFICATION OF DIFFERENT RELAYS

BASED ON PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION,

POLARIZATION AND APPLICATION

Relays can be classified according to the principle of operation, polarization and application as follows:

1. Based on the principle of operation

a) Electrothermal relays

b) Electromagnetic relays

c)Solid state relays

d) Hybrid relays (combination of both (b) and (c))

2. Based on the polarization

a) Polarized relays

Ex: Telegraph relays

b) Non-polarized relays

Ex: Telephone relays

Based on the application

a) Commercial relays

b) Industrial relays

c) Military relays

d) Communication relays

c) Railway relays

2.11 SPECIFICATIONS AND APPLICATIONS OF

RELAYS

Specifications of Relays:

1) Rated voltage

2) Rated current

3) Frequency of operation

4) Contact bounce

5) Overload capacity

6) Operate and release times

7) Pickup voltage and dropout voltage

Applications of Relays:

) Traffic control signals

2) Automatic stabilizers

3) Telecommunication systems

4) Temperature controllers

5) Computer interfaces

6) Industries
7) Electrical and electronic applications

0) Semi-automatic processes in industrial plants.

Automatic control processes in industrial plants.Circuit selection and switching in various

systems.Production and test equipment.Tooling machines.Air conditioning and heating.Motor control

2.12 WORKING OF GENERAL PURPOSE

ELECTROMAGNETIC RELAY

Why is a relay used:

The main operation of a relay comes in places where only a low-power signal can be used to control a
circuit. It is also used in places where only one signal can be used to control a lot of circuits. The
application of relays started during the invention of telephones. They played an important role in
switching calls in telephone exchanges. They were also used in long distance telegraphy. They were used
to switch the signal coming from one source to another destination. After the invention of computers
they were also used to perform Boolean and other logical operations. The high end applications of relays
require high power to be driven by

electric motors and so on. Such relays are called contactors.

Relay:

Relay is simple switches which are operated both electrically and mechanically. Relays consist of an
electromagnet and also

set of contacts. The switching mechanism is carried out with the help of the electromagnet. There are
also other operating principles for its working. But they differ according to their applications. Most

of the devices have the application of relays.

Operation:

It is an electromagnetic relay with a wire coil, surrounded by an iron core. A path of very low reluctance
for the magnetic flux is

provided for the movable armature and also the switch point contacts. The movable armature is
connected to the yoke which is

mechanically connected to the switch point contacts. These parts are safely held with the help of a
spring. The spring is used so as to

produce an air gap in the circuit when the relay becomes de-energized. The working of a relay can be
better understood by
explaining the following diagram given below.

The diagram shows an inner section diagram of a relay. An iron core is surrounded by a control coil. As
shown, the power Source is given to the electromagnet through a control switch and through contacts to
the load. When current starts flowing through

the control coil, the electromagnet starts energizing and thus intensifies the magnetic field. Thus the
upper contact arm starts to

be attracted to the lower fixed arm and thus closes the contacts causing a short circuit for the power to
the load. On the other hand,

the relay was already de-energized when the contacts were closed, then the contact move oppositely
and make an open circuit.

As soon as the coil current is off, the movable armature will be returned by a force back to its initial
position. This force will be

almost equal to half the strength of the magnetic force. This force is mainly provided by two factors.
They are the spring and also gravity.

Relays are mainly made for two basic operations. One is low voltage application and the other is high
voltage. For low voltage

applications, more preference will be given to reduce the noise of the whole circuit. For high voltage
applications, they are mainly

designed to reduce a phenomenon called arcing.