Relay Chattering: Causes & Prevention

  • Thread starter Thread starter kal22
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Relay
AI Thread Summary
Relay chattering is often caused by insufficient power supply leading to a drop in current when the relay engages, resulting in a rapid on-off cycle. Additionally, mechanical vibrations or poor connections can contribute to the issue, especially if the chattering occurs at a high frequency. To prevent this, it's recommended to decouple the relay coil from the load, ensuring adequate power supply and possibly using local AC coupling capacitors. Understanding the specific circuit and conditions is crucial for effective troubleshooting. Proper isolation of the relay's coil and load can significantly reduce chattering incidents.
kal22
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
What causes relay chattering and what can be done to prevent it?
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
What are your thoughts? What specific circuit are you working with? Is this homework?
 
I've dealt with a relay chattering on an A/C unit due to the pressure fluctuations of the reciprocating compressor on the pressure switch that pulled-in the relay...

...so this is very situation specific.
 
How is 'chattering' defined? I mean, as in frequency and/or mechanical vibration. If it's really fast, like a buzzer, I'm wondering about a bad connection that causes the primary circuit to fail when the armature moves...?
 
Two common reasons:
1. When the relay 'makes' the new system load causes a step current drop in the relay drive coil due to an insufficiently sourced system power supply. This causes the relay to 'break', the open load allows the coil current to recover closing the relay again an so on. Decouple the coil drive from the relay load to correct: more head room on your system power supply, separate power for coil and load (usually is anyway for a relay - that's the point) or better local AC coupling caps (careful - can be complicated as you can just create more problems in a tank circuit w/ the coil and caps)
2. A simple oscillation of some kind on the coil (signal side) independent of the load.
 

Thread 'Underwater piezoelectric sensor array receive sensitivity'

Hi all I have some confusion about piezoelectrical sensors combination. If i have three acoustic piezoelectrical sensors (with same receive sensitivity in dB ref V/1uPa) placed at specific distance, these sensors receive acoustic signal from a sound source placed at far field distance (Plane Wave) and from broadside. I receive output of these sensors through individual preamplifiers, add them through hardware like summer circuit adder or in software after digitization and in this way got an...
View full post »

Thread 'Following up on the recent thread about Earth Resistance measurements'

I have recently moved into a new (rather ancient) house and had a few trips of my Residual Current breaker. I dug out my old Socket tester which tell me the three pins are correct. But then the Red warning light tells me my socket(s) fail the loop test. I never had this before but my last house had an overhead supply with no Earth from the company. The tester said "get this checked" and the man said the (high but not ridiculous) earth resistance was acceptable. I stuck a new copper earth...
View full post »

Thread 'Question about bonding ground and neutral'

I am not an electrical engineering student, but a lowly apprentice electrician. I learn both on the job and also take classes for my apprenticeship. I recently wired my first transformer and I understand that the neutral and ground are bonded together in the transformer or in the service. What I don't understand is, if the neutral is a current carrying conductor, which is then bonded to the ground conductor, why does current only flow back to its source and not on the ground path...
View full post »

Similar threads

30 vs 20 amp relay
Replies
10
Views
1K
Multiple signals controlling relay
Replies
7
Views
244
Noise due to chattering of relay
Replies
3
Views
3K
How to make 3-phase contactor to chatter?
Replies
4
Views
3K
Relay Control of Induction Motors
Replies
5
Views
788
How to check the condition of coil in the relay?
Replies
4
Views
1K
Flyback Voltage Spikes Emitted From an Unprotected Relay
Replies
4
Views
2K
Can someone recommend a relay for me?
Replies
15
Views
2K
Samsung double door fridge overload relay changed 3 times in 2 weeks
Replies
12
Views
4K
How to build a radio relay station?
Replies
19
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top