Industry’s most customisable high-voltage reed relay unveiled

Pickering Electronics has released its most customisable range of high-voltage reed relays to date, the Series 600, which offers more than 2,500 different combinations of rating and connection options. Utilising over 55 years of experience in the field, the company has developed the series in response to increasing demand for tailored high-voltage reed relays. It utilises a modular design architecture that permits engineers to precisely specify the rating parameters and connection options they need for their application, without compromising performance.

“We’ve been manufacturing high-voltage reed relays for more than 55 years,” said Robert King, Reed Relays product manager at Pickering Electronics. “While our catalogue relays meet most general needs, applications above 5,000V, or those with unique constraints, often demand something more specialised. Series 600 answers that call, giving engineers the flexibility to fine-tune key specifications while maintaining the proven reliability of Pickering’s core technology.”

The series relays provide a versatile solution for a wide range of high-voltage application requirements, switching from 3.5kV to 12.5kV, with standoff voltages from 5kV to 20kV, and the industry’s highest switch-to-coil isolation, up to 25kV, ensuring reliable isolation for control circuitry from high-voltage paths, even in demanding environments. With switching power capabilities of up to 200W, the series relays can safely handle higher energy loads, making them ideal for applications where high voltage and high-power switching are required.

Manufactured with tungsten-plated contacts for superior reliability and operating life, the relays also feature internal mu-metal magnetic screens, which minimise magnetic interference (reducing magnetic interaction between adjacent components from 40% down to less than 5%) and promote relay stability, allowing Form A (energise-to-make) versions to be mounted side by side, ideal for dense PCB layouts. Insulation resistance is over 10¹³Ω, providing minimal leakage and maximum isolation for applications requiring high reliability.

Further flexibility is available through the inclusion of coaxial or electrostatic screens for improved signal integrity and noise reduction, as well as optional diodes or Zener diodes for managing coil back EMF. A wide range of case sizes, potting materials, and contact forms can be specified to satisfy thermal, mechanical, or environmental constraints, and application-specific performance testing can be supplied.

Building on more than half a century of expertise in high voltage reed relay technology, and the launch of its new Centre of Excellence for high voltage switching, this configurable new relay series from the company reflects its ongoing commitment to innovative product improvement, driven by customer requirements and engineering excellence. Series 600 relays are ideal for a wide variety of high-voltage test and switching applications, including hi-pot testers; power and signal cable testers; EV BMS and charge point testing; inverter or insulation resistance testing in solar energy systems; isolation in medical equipment; and high voltage switching and signal control for instrumentation.