Relay burnout may have been caused by overcurrent, overvoltage, vibration, or short circuit. (It does not mean that the relays burn continuously with flames, because flame-retardant materials are used for the relay components. ) Contact vibration (ultra-frequent switching) causes continuous arcing. A burnout is a drop in voltage in electrical power supply system. Both occur in different circumstances. They are intended to quickly identify a fault and isolate it so the balance of the system continue to run under normal conditions. The selection and applications of. Overcurrent is a common cause, where too much current flows through the relay, generating excessive heat.