What is a Relay used for?

In part one of this video I explain what the common relay is used for. In the most simple terms an automotive relay is an electronically operated switch. The type most commonly used in the automotive industry is an electro-mechanically operated switch. They are found in all types of vehicles - cars, trucks, vans, trailers and boats. They employ an electromagnet device to mechanically manoeuvre a switch to make or break an electrical circuit. The type of relay most frequently used in the automotive industry is the small cube shaped unit known as a standard relay or a mini relay.

The most common application of automotive relays is to switch a high current circuit using a low current circuit. This application comes into play whereby an in-line switch does not have the capacity to handle the current required to switch a high current electrical system. For example, this scenario could be observed during the operation of a set of high powered lamps. If the lamps are wired to light when the headlights are activated they could exceed the capacity of the existing loom set-up. An automotive relay can solve this problem.

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#Howitworks
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[elemartin]

Omg, I was 45 minutes trying to understand in plain simple about this in other videos, and with this video is easy, simple, clear and just in 2 minutes!! well deserved like and subscribe!

[billturner]

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[Limeayy]

From what i remember from school,
Control high with low. In automotive uses, you don't want a ECU to control high amounts of current, i remember hearing more than .5 amps i believe is too much for a ecu to handle so using a ecu to control the low current side to trigger the relay to control the switched side/high current side.

[paulnarramore]

So basically they are heavy duty switches then.

[king_ofthenorth]

So can we use relay to light a sparkplug?

[zzzzzz...]

So, I am a little confuse here, but where does the big load side go on? Does the big load go to 85, 86 of the relay while the small switch connects to 30, 87 of the relay? Or does the big load go to 30, 87 of the relay while the small switch connects to the power side of 85, 86 of the relay? Also I am guessing you have a relay with big enough current specifications for big load side right?

[thomasjordan]

For LED fogs I have a switch rated 10 amps.
Any point in a relay here ?

[genesiswaltz]

I purchased a Toyota IQ 2009 push start button last year it was good and all ( its a used car) but i didnt drive it for a little while and now that i'm ready to drive it, its not Couldnt be the battery because i purchased a new one when i got the car, i just replaced the gas pump and there's petrol in When i push the button to start it stuff shows up on the dashboard but when i try to start the car its making a clicking sound repeatedly then its like its dead again. What could be the issue??

[jamesmkay]

Why do I need an "electronically operated switch" for my lights when I am using a manually operated switch already? I just want on and off, so why do I need an extra switch and twice as much wiring for a relay? Someone messed with my fog light relays and now my truck's battery is dead all the time, the lights don't work and even the illuminated turn on switch doesn't work correctly. Can I bypass the relay to just have on and off? I don't care if the turn on switch lights up or not. What happens if I bypass the relay and just have fuses where they're needed?

[Grindtoddtv]

I’m still not getting why your switch inside the cab wouldn’t do the same thing (on/off) on its own without the relay. And why the relay would be needed

[robertsharp]

It is used for my fog lights on the outside of my truck