What are relay switches?

Answer 1

a relay switch can be used to control one voltage from another(e.g. 24 volt controlling a 120v circuit), or controlling multiple functions and circuits from one voltage switch or location. advantages to relays are that the size of conductor can be greatly reduced with a lower voltage(cost and ease of installation) and consumer convienience(one switch for 100 lights or one photocell controlling an entire parking lots lighting even with a rating of 15 amps)

Answer 2

A relay is a switch controlled by another switch. It is a little one inch black cube with four or five posts. when you flip a switch, you send current through one part of it, which generates a magnetic field that moves a larger switch. Relays are used to have smaller currents SAFELY switch larger currents, at a remote location.

Answer 3

An electrical relay uses a relatively small amount of electric current to switch a larger (or simply different) amount of current. Also used to isolate different parts of an electric device by using a non-conductive mechanical link between two or more electrical circuits. Such usages may be as in cars where a small wire running to key switch is used to switch many hundreds of Amps of current from the battery to the starter motor. In smaller applications a small signal from a coffee pot timer circuit may switch a larger current comming from the plug to the heating element that heats the water. Examples of switching different types of circuits may be using a logic circuit to switch either a video or audio circuit.