![]() ![]() The input circuitry of an SSR may consist of just a single current limiting resistor in series with the LED of the opto-isolator, or of a more complex circuit with rectification, current regulation, reverse polarity protection, filtering, etc. Also, the LED and photo-sensitive device could be totally separate from each other and optically coupled by means of an optical fibre. Not only does the opto-isolator provide a higher degree of input/output isolation, it can also transmit dc and low-frequency signals. As the only connection between the input and output is a beam of light, high voltage isolation (usually several thousand volts) is achieved by means of this internal opto-isolation. Thus the output of an opto-coupled SSR is turned “ON” by energising this LED, usually with low-voltage signal. When a current passes through the LED, it illuminates and its light is focused across the gap to a photo-transistor/photo-triac. The LED light source is connected to the SSR’s input drive section and provides optical coupling through a gap to an adjacent photo sensitive transistor, darlington pair or triac. The opto-isolator isolates the input from the output. One of the main components of a solid state relay (SSR) is an opto-isolator (also called an optocoupler) which contains one (or more) infra-red light-emitting diode, or LED light source, and a photo sensitive device within a single case. This makes them ideal for microcontroller, PIC and Arduino interfacing as a low-current, 5-volt signal from say a micro-controller or logic gate can be used to control a particular circuit load, and this is achieved with the use of opto-isolators. Similar to an electro-mechanical relay, a small input voltage, typically 3 to 32 volts DC, can be used to control a much large output voltage, or current. However, solid state relays with very high current ratings (150A plus) are still too expensive to buy due to their power semiconductor and heat sinking requirements, and as such, cheaper electro-mechanical contactors are still used. Solid state relays can be bought in standard off-the-shelf packages ranging from just a few volts or amperes to many hundreds of volts and amperes of output switching capability. Solid state relays have no such limitations. While the solid state relay and electro-mechanical relay are fundamentally similar in that their low voltage input is electrically isolated from the output that switches and controls a load, electro-mechanical relays have a limited contact life cycle, can take up a lot of room and have slower switch speeds, especially large power relays and contactors. Solid state relays can be designed to switch both AC or DC currents by using an SCR, TRIAC, or switching transistor output instead of the usual mechanical normally-open (NO) contacts. Just like a normal electro-mechanical relay, SSR’s provide complete electrical isolation between their input and output contacts with its output acting like a conventional electrical switch in that it has very high, almost infinite resistance when nonconducting (open), and a very low resistance when conducting (closed). Unlike electro-mechanical relays (EMR) which use coils, magnetic fields, springs and mechanical contacts to operate and switch a supply, the solid state relay, or SSR, has no moving parts but instead uses the electrical and optical properties of solid state semiconductors to perform its input to output isolation and switching functions. ![]()
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