Aimed at lighting control applications, two new energy-saving latching relays featuring the capacity to handle the high inrush currents associated with these application have been introduce by Omron Electronic Components Europe. The G5RL U/K latching relays are also ideal for movement control, smart meter, power line switching and PV inverter applications. Latching relays are only energised while switching and use less power than non-latching designs in most applications, says the company.

Fabrizio Petris, global applications team manager, building automation, Omron, said: “Capacitors used in fluorescent lamps as starters and in parallel to LED drivers lead to particularly high inrush currents in lighting circuits. Omron’s new latching relays are a great switching solution for this and other energy management applications, offering probably the best price performance on the market.”

Both the G5RL-U and the G5RL-K can switch up to 16A and are capable of dealing with inrush currents of up to 150A. Both are offered in SPST-NO form, and are approved to a VDE standard demanding resistance to over 150A inrush. They also carry UL TV-8, a standard that exposes components to 117A inrush currents. The G5RL-U features a single coil whilst the G5RL-K has a double coil architecture. An SPDT version is also available, though its specifications are lower, says the company.