Called Series 131, they are single pole (normally-open) single-in-like devices with a 12.5 x 3.7mm footprint and 6.6mm height.
The high voltage rating is specified with resistive loads. “At these high voltages, even stray capacitance can generate very high current pulses, which can damage the contact plating causing welding of the reed switch,” said Pickering. “If there is capacitance in circuit, provision should be made to limit the surge, to within the current and power ratings of the relay.”
Contacts are vacuumed sputtered ruthenium, so they work at low levels too – to switch signals, for example. Further contact ratings are: 10W max, 700mA max switched and 1.25Amax carried.
Life expectancy switching a resitive 10V 10mA load is typically 108 (to 1Ω, initial is 170mΩ), typically dropping to 107 at the heaviest specified resistive load.
Load capacitance is also the enemy with low-voltage loads: “In the event of abusive conditions – high currents due to capacitive inrushes, for example, this figure [107] reduces considerably”, according to the firm, which is prepared to test lifetimes with customer-specified loads.
Closing time is 500μs including bounce, and it opens in 200μs.
Capacitance is 2.5pF closed-switch-to-coil and 100fF across the switch, while insulation ressitance is 1012Ω switch-to-coil or across switch.
There are three coils options, nominally 3V (100Ω), 5V (250Ω) or 12V (750Ω).
Applications are expected in: cable testers, mixed-signal testers, semiconductor testers, backplane testers, high voltage instrumentation and in-circuit test equipment.
Series 131 is based on the company’s established Series 113 style of plastic package – including the internal mu-metal magnetic screen which allows relays to be packed close without interaction. Pickering’s SoftCenter construction is used to protect the inner glass reed switch.
View the Series 131 Datasheet here.