Traditionally, protective relays were electromechanical devices utilizing induction disk, coils, contacts, and solenoid elements to determine protective characteristics. They are intended to quickly identify a fault and isolate it so the balance of the system continue to run under normal conditions. Types of Protective Relays: Protective relays are categorized by their mechanism (electromagnetic, static, mechanical) and function. A protective relay is an intelligent electrical device designed to detect faults in power systems and initiate corrective actions such as tripping a circuit breaker. This comparison summarize characteristics of all protection relay types described in previously published technical articles: 1st generation relays.