Interesting stuff ntsqd
I thought they were just two names for the same component. Same as "Mag-Switch" is another and used mostly in some areas more than others, but still to describe a relay. Seems legit, as that's precisely what it is. Just like "contactor" makes sense to be used as an alternate, but not as an exclusive to one power range.
I can see where some would like to differentiate of course. Happens in many industries with the same category of "things" being called a different name to differentiate those items with a different rating or in a different category of the same basic part.
Shackles and clevises come to mind. Now I'm going to have to go look that up too!
A relay can conduct as much current as it's designed for and still be called a relay. There are automotive 200 amp relays for instance, as well as I'm sure there are gazillion amp relays in big power switching equipment.
Well, I'm not actually "sure" from experience. Just big wild-assed assumptions on my part!
But even on that Gigavac site they mention 3500 amp relays.
And if Ford calls it a relay (which they do) then I'm ok with that and don't mind making people aware of it. Especially because to call it a "solenoid" is actually making a literal mistake in naming as far as I know.
I've never heard a specific definition to the contrary based on rating, but I would trust someone like Gigavac to know. But I would also trust that they might have devised their own wording to make things easier to keep track of, even if there is no literal differentiation between the types.
Maybe they're utilizing the correct names, or maybe, like regional preferences such as "relay" vs "mag-switch" they are just using their own preference.
I don't know if there is a "first name" used back in the beginning of electricity, but I'd love to hear what, when and where the origins of all these different words came from and how they were worked into our lexicon.
It seems to me that "contactor" could be used interchangeably with relay. Do they spell it out on their website, giving a distinct definition to both names? If so I missed it.
I notice that in the lower section there is this information:
"
Relay Distributors"
"Wherever you are in the world there
is a GIGAVAC distributor in your country...
...Our Export Sales Partners are there to
assist you with the easiest and most cost effective
way to get GIGAVAC
High Voltage Relays and Power Products...
Maybe the "high voltage" part is the only indicator. Or maybe it's just one of multiples.
The definition I use is based on function, not power rating. In that version a "relay" is simply any electro-mechanical or electronic switch that simply closes a contact. Where a "solenoid" by definition MUST do physical labor (other than closing contacts) to be called that.
Which would be why a starter solenoid is what's used to push the gears into mesh as well as closing electrical contacts. While a starter relay simply closes contacts and does no physical labor.
A contactor just by the sound of it's name could easily fall into the first category.
An initial search shows an internet dictionary's definition of contactor to be "a device for making and breaking an electrical circuit" which sounds like just another name for a relay to me.
The Wikipedia version says it's another name for a relay.
It does make for some interesting reading and has some distinctions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contactor but I did not have time to read it all.
So far though, it still looks to me like they're all names for the same category of items and can either be used to describe exactly the same things, or used in such a way as to differentiate between different versions within the main category.
But even at that, it does not preclude using the term relay for a 12v high amp conducting switch.
But if there is, I'm all about learning more. Until then I go with Ford, who calls it a starter relay in the old books. And NOT based only on what the manufacturers of them put on the box labels. Which varies even more than the listed definitions because they also use the different regional names too! I see what looks like French names on some labels. Such as "conducteur" or similar such.
Hope you were able to read through all the rambling without nodding off. Typical early morning stuff and I keep hearing good songs that force me to keep the computer on.
Just now the "Ballad of Uneasy Rider" by Charlie Daniels came on. Can't turn that one off!
I agree with your last sentiment to a point. But I feel it's always worth correcting a mistake before it becomes gospel truth. Or before people just stop caring.
Paul
