relay
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A relay is a device that allows a small amount of electrical current to control a large amount of current. A car starter motor uses a relay to solve the problem that a car has in needing a large amount of current to start the engine. A starter relay is installed in series between the battery and the starter. Some cars use a starter solenoid (as shown here) to accomplish the same purpose of allowing a small amount of current from the ignition switch to control a high current flow from the battery to the starter.
In electrical engineering, an electromagnetic switch. A small current passing through a coil of wire wound around an iron core attracts an armature whose movement closes a pair of sprung contacts to complete a secondary circuit, which may carry a large current or activate other devices. The solid-state equivalent is a thyristor switching device.
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