Relay ratings

Relay contact ratings work just like switch ratings.

In this case, the contacts can safely handle up to 1 amp, at up to 24 volts DC.

Thanks Chris,

If the load I'm switching is lower than 24VDC, actually it's 5 can you push more amperage through or is the 1A rating just 1A regardless?

-Dave

use

which

weld

separation

The relay is rated to switch a 24VDC resistive load at 1 amp for the manufacturer-specified number of times before failure. That number can be anywhere between 20,000 and millions, depending on the spec sheet. If you use a higher DC voltage, you will get excessive arcing at contact open/close, which will reduce life, pit the relay contacts and possibly cause them to spot weld together on make. Usually it's rated that way because of contact separation and contact separation speed.

Good luck Chris

You can't push 500% more than rated current through the relay and expect it to survive for long. A lower DC voltage won't help.

There is one possibility of getting more, but I don't think it will be 5 times. Just like a switch, relays have a published rating for switching current, and another (almost always non-published) rating for holding current. If you're not going to use the relay to switch the load on and off, you could probably get more (say, 20% to 100% more, depending), but certainly not 5A. Guess you need another relay to do the job. They're not expensive, and that's what I'd do.

Of course, you might just try it and see what happens. You might get anywhere from 1/2 (on, but no off -- contacts welded) to hundreds of uses out of the relay, particularly if it's a purely resistive load. No guarantees, though. A

Good luck Chris