Explain the principle of operation of attracted armature relay with equation and characteristics curve.
Principle: It works on the principle that when a current is passed through a coil magnetic lines of force develop and the coil behaves like a magnet. When we place a magnetic material inside the coil it is attracted.
In attracted armature type of relays there is a spring that keeps the contact open, a plunger that tends to close the contact and a coil through which current is passed. The spring force and magnetic force oppose each other. When these both are equal the relay will pickups.
We can see the inverse characteristics from the above formulae. Usually attracted armature relays are instantaneous. That is there is no intentional (fixed) time delay. If we want a time delay we can add a slug in the armature core.