AC Vane Relay

Key Features

• Heavy-duty design for vital rail applications
• Field-proven over decades of operation
• Minimal maintenance requirements

Customer Benefits

• Ensures dependable performance in safety-critical circuits
• Reduces long-term operating costs
• Compatible with legacy signaling infrastructure

Precision in Motion

The AC Vane Relay operates in a way similar to a moving permanent magnet. It uses two fixed electromagnetic structures placed on either side of a vertically mounted vane. These structures each include a coil: one is the local coil, and the other is the track coil.

The local coil is always energized through local filter components and can have one or two high-resistance windings. In contrast, the track coil connects to the rails through relay-end components and typically has one or two low-resistance windings.

The current in the local coil leads the current in the track coil by up to 90 degrees. This phase difference is essential for the relay to work properly. When the correct voltage is applied to the track winding and the phase relationship is right, the vane rotates, causing the relay's front contacts to close.

Relay filters play an important role by acting as partial phase shifters. They help establish the needed 90-degree phase shift between the local and track windings, which is especially important when ballast levels are low.