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Practice 2. Continuity Tests and

Interlocking System
Autor
Jiménez García Marco Antonio

Professor
Dr. Amezquita Sánchez Juan Pablo

I. Objective
The objective of this practice is to report and observe how the interlocking system works using rrelays and
push buttons to activate the control system for a motor with just one tap and leave it active until the stop
button is pressed.

II. Instruments and Materials

Instruments
- No instruments required for this practice, just materials

Materials
- Banana Connector
- Power Relay 240V
- Push Button
- AC Source 240V

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III. Introduction
What is a power relay?

A power relay is a device that uses an electromagnet to open or close a circuit when the input (coil) is correctly
excited. They provide a high level of isolation between the control signal (coil) and the output (contacts) –
typically with a rated impulse voltage of 4 or 6kV.

A power relay may have change over (both normally open (NO) and normally closed (NC)) contacts or just
normally open (NO) contacts. When NO contacts only are provided this usually means a greater contact gap
when off can be provided, which is required in certain applications. Power relays are reliable problem solvers
when it comes to switching high currents.

How does a power relay work?

The basic design of a power relay utilizes an electromagnet (coil and iron core), an armature, a spring and
one or more pairs of contacts.

Normally open (NO) contacts a small current flow through the input circuit, activating the electromagnet.
The resulting magnetic field attracts the armature which moves the contacts together, completing the second
circuit, allowing a large current to flow. When the source of power is removed, the armature is no longer
attracted, a spring returns it to the rest position allowing the contacts to separate, stopping the flow of
electricity in the second circuit and turning off the device.

In the case of a normally closed (NC) relay, it is reversed. The return of spring keeps the contacts closed.
When the input circuit is activated, the electromagnet attracts the armature, this overcomes the force of the
return spring and the normally closed contacts separate, stopping current flow in the second circuit. As such,
NC relays keep the larger circuit in the on position by default.

What is a Push Button Switch?

A push button switch is a mechanical device used to control an electrical circuit in which the operator
manually presses a button to actuate an internal switching mechanism. They come in a variety of shapes,
sizes, and configurations, depending on the design requirements.

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Fig. 1 Example of a push button switch

How Does a Push Button Switch Operate?

Push button switches rely on a simple in-out actuation mechanism. They can be employed to break (off) or
initiate (on) a circuit. Alternatively, they can provide an input for the user interface of a piece of equipment
or start/stop a particular function.

Push button switches may be categorized as being either momentary (where the switch function only
continues for as long as the operator is pushing the button) or maintained (where the switch function stays
latched in that status after it has been actuated).
Types of Push Button Switches
Push button switches can be classified as being normally open (NO) or normally closed (NC). Normally open
(“OFF” position) switches complete the circuit when actuated, while normally closed (“ON” position)
switches break the circuit when actuated. Within this classification, the functionality of push button switches
can further be defined in terms of the switching circuit they utilize.

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Fig. 2 Examples of common switch schematics found on a datasheet

Enclosure, also known as interlocking for electrical circuits in motors, is a safety mechanism designed to
prevent accidental or unintended activation of certain components, particularly in motor control circuits. This
system ensures that various parts of the motor or equipment cannot operate simultaneously in ways that could
cause harm or damage. Here’s how it typically works:

Purpose and Functionality: The main goal of an interlocking system is to ensure that only certain operations
are allowed based on the current state of the motor or machinery. This is especially important when dealing
with functions that must not occur at the same time, such as forward and reverse operations, which could
lead to serious mechanical issues or electrical faults if activated simultaneously.

Fig. 3 Interlocking system for a motor control

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IV. Methodology
The enclave process is divided into two different parts that consist in how the energy is distributed in all the
system and the buttons to open or close the enclave system, the first part consists of the direct AC line and
the fusible to avoid an overcurrent.

Fig. 4 First section of the control diagram

The second section of the control diagram consists of the stop and run push buttons, those buttons are one
normally closed and the other one is an normally opened button to stop and run the control system and open
or close the enclave system, where the NO button is placed, it’s necessary to connect the Contact of the Relay
to active the coil and leave the system energized.

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Fig. 5 Push buttons and relay section for the enclave control system

Fig. 6 Interlocking system made in a protoboard using a DC relay, two push buttons and a DC source

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Fig. 7 Interlocking system activated by the run button

Fig. 8 Interlocking system made in the motor’s room; the system is stopped.

Fig. 9 Interlocking system activated; the green LED is a signal that the system is working correctly because
is active without a person pushing the button at the moment

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V. Conclusion
The interlocking system for the motor control effectively demonstrated how simple control mechanisms can
maintain a motor’s operation using only basic components like push buttons and a relay. The system was set
up so that pressing the start button energized the relay coil, which remained active due to the relay's self-
holding contact. This allowed the motor to continue running until the stop button was pressed, interrupting
the relay’s power and deactivating the coil, thus stopping the motor. This setup illustrated the principle of
interlocking control, where a motor remains in operation until a specific action (in this case, pressing the stop
button) breaks the circuit, showing the relay’s function in maintaining or interrupting the motor's power based
on operator input.

Bibliography:
1] B. R. Smoot, “Push Button Switches 101 | Same Sky,” Same Sky, Feb. 11, 2022.
https://www.sameskydevices.com/blog/push-button-switches-101
2] Finder S.p.A., “What is a power relay and its use within applications? | Finder UK,” Finder, Aug.
11, 2022. https://www.findernet.com/en/uk/news/what-is-a-power-relay-and-its-use-within-
applications/
3]