Red Seal Electrician Practice
Motor controlsQuestion 227 of 1506

How does the drop-out current of a relay compare with its pull-in current?

  1. It is slightly higher than pull-in current
  2. It is exactly equal to the pull-in current
  3. It is far lower than pull-in current
  4. It is always zero in every kind of relay
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Correct answer: It is far lower than pull-in current

Once the armature is close to the coil, less coil current is enough to hold it closed. This gap between pull-in and drop-out is the relay's hysteresis.

Source: Lessons in Electric Circuits IV: Digital (Kuphaldt), 5.1: Relay Construction

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Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026