ELECTROMECHANICAL RELAY CONSTRUCTIONS

Electromechanical relay constructions (100) comprising an external housing (102), a pair of switchable electrical contacts (104, 106) disposed within the housing (102), an element for activating the pair of electrical contacts (104, 106), and a temperature sensing element (118) disposed within the housing (102) adjacent the electrical contacts (104, 106). The temperature sensing element (118) provides a signal for determining the temperature within the relay housing (102). The relay (100) may comprise two or more temperature sensing elements (222, 224) disposed within the housing (102) a desired distance from one another. The temperature sensing element (118) may be attached to a member or substrate (115) disposed within the housing (102), may be attached to an existing internal structure (164) of the housing (102), or may be attached to one of the contacts (104, 106). The temperature sensing element (118) may be selected from the group consisting of resistance temperature detectors, negative temperature coefficient thermistors, thermopile sensors, thermocouples, and combinations thereof.