Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!watmath!att!ucbvax!agate!apple!well!nagle
From: nagle@well.UUCP (John Nagle)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Latching Relay - does such a thing exist
Keywords: relay, latching
Message-ID: <13732@well.UUCP>
Date: 21 Sep 89 18:23:45 GMT
References: <3558@dgis.daitc.mil> <3397@kitty.UUCP>
Reply-To: nagle@well.UUCP (John Nagle)
Lines: 16


       Assuming you really want an electromechanical latching relay,
they do exist.  Potter and Brumfield makes a good selection.  Call 
Newark Electronics (312-784-5100) and get their catalog.  Prices
are in the $15 range.  These are open-frame relays, and are basically
a solenoid connected to a rachet mechanism.  They tend to require substantial
current to drive, like half an amp at 12V.  If this is for an application
that involves other electronics, where there's a +5 supply handy, you're
much better off with a flip-flop driving some kind of solid state relay
rather than fooling with these little pieces of machinery.  Among other
things, they require a rather long input pulse to switch properly, and
can stop in intermediate positions, especially if not cleaned every
year or so.  They are much more troublesome than ordinary relays.

      
					John Nagle