In electrical engineering, a protective relay is a relay device designed to trip a circuit breaker when a fault is detected. They are intended to quickly identify a fault and isolate it so the balance of the system continue to run under normal conditions. : 4 The first protective relays were electromagnetic devices, relying on coils operating on moving parts to provide detection of abnormal operating conditions such as. A protection relay is a crucial component of electrical systems that safeguard infrastructure, employees, and equipment from electric problems and malfunctions. It functions as a watchdog by constantly surveying multiple system components including voltage, current, frequency, and phase angle.