Mercury Relays

In conventional magnetic ballast/capacitor power supplies there is often a need to switch UV lamp power levels. The most popular switching method utilizes a high voltage mercury relay.  This allows complete electrical isolation between control and controlled circuit. These switches are manufactured specifically to withstand the high voltage demands of UV curing lamps. Our mercury relays offer an economical and safe method of switching UV lamp power.

UV power supplies operate at high ambient temperatures.  Mercury relays/switches are well suited for use in this environment. Load terminals are isolated from each other by a glass-to-metal hermetic seal. Internally the “plunger assembly” floats on a pool of mercury-hence the name mercury relay. When the coil is activated, this assembly is magnetically drawn into this pool displacing mercury to make contact with an internal electrode, closing (in the case of normally open relay) the circuit between load terminals.

Our 15 amp high-voltage mercury relay is ideal for applications such as UV lamp circuits. Dielectric insulating voltage exceeds 15,000V AC between load terminals and coil circuit.