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Relay vs SCR or TRIAC

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#1

10-06-2009,04:25

krypton_john
Senior Member
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Location:
Zealand
Posts:

Jan 1970
Auckland, New
222

Relay vs SCR or TRIAC

Just wondering what the advantage of a relay
is apart from perhaps isolation?
Why would you ever bother with a bulky relay
that has mechanical wear and requires more
power to activate?
I need to take a logic level output from a gate
motor controller and use it to switch on some
12V AC garden lights when the gate opens. I
initially thought I needed a relay but wonder
why I wouldn't just use a TRIAC?
TIA,
JohnO
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10-06-2009,06:50

#2

Andrew Cowan
Senior Member
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Jan 1970
UK
3,043

With AC, a triac is good. With DC, a triac will

latch so a relay is needed.
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#3

10-06-2009,07:02

MPep
Senior Member
Join Date:
Location:
Zealand
Posts:

Jan 1970
Rangiora, New

Hi KJ,

1,529

Power across a Triac is supposed to be 1A =

1W. If using lots of current, need a large
heatsink.
With a relay, no need to worry.
An SCR is essentially a controlled diode, hence
will rectify the AC, lowering the applied voltage
to the motor.
Your choice really depends on how often the
motor will be operated. If the answer is
infrequent, 3 times a day, then a relay should
be okay. If the answer is 10 times a day or
more, then go for a triac. Mechanical wear and
tear would cause the relay to fail, probably, too
early.
Wonder if a DC motor could not be used. Then
transistors are easy to use. Or MOSFETs.
Good luck.
In theory, there is no difference between theory
and practice. In practice, there is...

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#4

10-06-2009,07:11

Haxby
Senior Member
Join Date:
Posts:

Jan 1970
379

Your logic level output will need a circuit to

drive the relay, or it will need a circuit to drive
your triac. So either way you will have a PCB
floating around.
I have seen triacs fail and I have seen relays
fail. The relay will use very little power
compared to the lights it is switching anyway.
The best of both worlds, but at a few more $$
you could use a solid state relay where
everything is built in for you ready to go.
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#5

10-06-2009,09:13

krypton_john
Senior Member
Join Date:
Location:
Zealand
Posts:

Jan 1970
Auckland, New

Thanks very much for the comments.

222

I agree that the SSR is probably the best

option.
Note that I am not using the motor outputs.
They are 12V DC and beefy, but I want the
lights to stay on while the gates are open. Not
just while the motors are running.
Reason for project: Wife backed down the
driveway crooked in the dark and dinged one
of the gates! :-(
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10-06-2009,09:44

inglewoodpete

#6

Senior Member
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Location:
Australia
Posts:

Jan 1970
Perth, Western

My wife does that in broad daylight.

4,025

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#7

10-06-2009,10:02

Mycroft2152
Senior Member
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Jan 1970
Northeast USA
1,441

My daughter nailed the garage door when she

was learning to drive.
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#8

10-06-2009,17:27

boriz
Senior Member
Join Date:
Jan 1970
Posts:
3,014
Blog Entries: 1

http://www.wimp.com/parkingcar/
War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is
Strength.
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#9

10-06-2009,20:23

BeanieBots
Moderator
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Jan 1970
UK South Coast
8,843

Originally Posted by krypton_john

Just wondering what the advantage of a

relay is apart from perhaps isolation?
Why would you ever bother with a bulky
relay that has mechanical wear and
requires more power to activate?
1. No PCB required.
2. Smaller, neater and easier than any silicon
solution for DC applications.
3. No degredation of the switched signal.
4. Isolation.
5. Lower impedance.
6. Easier to drive.
7. More robust electrically.

8. Copes with overloads much better.

I could probably think of quite a few more but
bottom line, horses for courses.
High quality audio switches use relays in
preference to silicon.
Precision instruments use relays to maintain
signal integrity.
Safety circuits use relays for RELIABILITY.
Don't underestimate the humble relay. It is
NOT a thing of the past.
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#10

11-06-2009,01:43

premelec
Senior Member
Join Date:
Location:
Posts:

Jan 1970
Colorado USA
2,772

I like being able to push the armature manually

to close the circuit using a plastic stick [Bic...]
whilest testing some power circuits - I've had
both solid state and mechanical relay fail in a
variety of ways... I do like the low power drive
for the SSRs and there are some nice SSRs for
DC low current ["Phtomos"]. Whatever works...
:-)
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