Mercury relays? (UPDATED: Pics post #20)

Not sure exactly what type of mercury relay Ewasted is concerned about (probably any type). Here is one type that is used on circuit boards.


Mercury Wetted Reed Relay: are used for high contact performance. These reed relays are position sensitive and suitable for applications where high insulation voltage and contact ratings are required. The contacts of these relays are wetted with mercury, which is used to reduce the contact resistance and voltage drop.

Originally Posted by bigburtchino

Not sure exactly what type of mercury relay Ewasted is concerned about (probably any type). Here is one type that is used on circuit boards.


Mercury Wetted Reed Relay: are used for high contact performance. These reed relays are position sensitive and suitable for applications where high insulation voltage and contact ratings are required. The contacts of these relays are wetted with mercury, which is used to reduce the contact resistance and voltage drop.

Ouch!
I would have said 'Reed relay' and broken it open.....
I didn't relise there's Mercury in reed relays at all.

Some of then ones I found have a metal case over them.

And I found these on some portable home telephone main boards.


There's a thin wire Copper coil under the blue tape, and the reed switch is inside the plastic tube former.