TS 4833

TS 4833 is a terminology standard that defines international electrotechnical terms used for electrical relays. In relay engineering, a shared vocabulary matters because the same functional idea can otherwise be described with different words across design, testing, documentation, and technical communication. This standard brings together the core concepts used to describe relay structure and behaviour.

Technical areas covered by the relay vocabulary

The standard includes terms for general concepts, excitation concepts such as input and auxiliary excitation, relay states and operation, influencing quantities and related factors, measuring relays, relay outputs in both contact and contactless forms, time-related terms, and the accuracy applicable to specific relay types. The emphasis is on standardising the technical language used to describe how relays are defined and discussed, rather than on prescribing product design rules.

General technical context

Electrical relays are devices that respond to an electrical input by opening, closing, or otherwise changing the condition of a circuit. They are widely used in power systems, automation, protection, and measurement. In relay terminology, distinctions such as excitation, influencing quantity, operating time, and output type are essential for describing performance accurately, comparing devices consistently, and reducing ambiguity in specifications. This document provides a controlled vocabulary for those concepts.

• This is a terminology standard; it does not set product design requirements for relays.
• Its scope covers definitions for terms used in electrical relay technology.
• Accuracy concepts are included for measuring relays and specific-time relays.
• It distinguishes between contact and contactless relay outputs.