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Wiring h3 Flood Lights, need some advice.
- Thread starter Stomis
- Start date
bp71k5
3/4 ton status
The choice between relays and switches is also related to the rating of both of them. The normal recommendation is to not run more than 80% of the current rating of the device. This would mean a max of 16amps through a switch (or a relay) rated for 20.
-Brian
-Brian
Um, no..... full-on hamster!!!
and if that doesn't work completely.....
would you two stay on point!?!?! dont make me call a mod on you. this is the garage after all.... take your fuzzy rodents and armpit goo and be gone with you!!
since we are on the subject. anyone want to give me a WTF/laymans idea of what a relay actually is, other then just a little fat box that has wires going to it? why does it get 4 wires instead of only 2 like a switch?
4 wires? Thats a baby relay!
I have had to work with relays that had dozens!
In its basic form, its an electromagnet with a metal plate which is sucked to the magnet when you put power to it.
That plate is attached to some contacts that either open, close or some of both when you put power to the magnet and reverse when you take the power off.
There are several advantages to it. The main one, is that a small amount of current can switch a large amount of current.
It doesn't take much power to turn on the relay, but the contacts can be hooked to a large load and will do all the work of switching.
Often this means that you can run a short heavy wire from the power source to the relay to the load and have the control a long way off using small wire.
Plus there is total isolation between the load and the controller. Which means that the load can be a different voltage from the switch, and a short in the load will not burn up the switch or the wires in between.
The best example you would be familiar with, is the starter solenoid on your car.
Its a very heavy duty relay.
Your ignition switch turns it on, which takes maybe a couple of amps and a 12 ga wire.
It then switches the battery to the starter using 2 to 4 ga wire and drawing hundreds of amps.
I have had to work with relays that had dozens!
In its basic form, its an electromagnet with a metal plate which is sucked to the magnet when you put power to it.
That plate is attached to some contacts that either open, close or some of both when you put power to the magnet and reverse when you take the power off.
There are several advantages to it. The main one, is that a small amount of current can switch a large amount of current.
It doesn't take much power to turn on the relay, but the contacts can be hooked to a large load and will do all the work of switching.
Often this means that you can run a short heavy wire from the power source to the relay to the load and have the control a long way off using small wire.
Plus there is total isolation between the load and the controller. Which means that the load can be a different voltage from the switch, and a short in the load will not burn up the switch or the wires in between.
The best example you would be familiar with, is the starter solenoid on your car.
Its a very heavy duty relay.
Your ignition switch turns it on, which takes maybe a couple of amps and a 12 ga wire.
It then switches the battery to the starter using 2 to 4 ga wire and drawing hundreds of amps.
A relay IS a switch. It's just flipped by an electromagnet instead of a lever.
Unless we're talking about solid-state relays, which are electronic instead of electro-mechanical.
sniperthx1
1/2 ton status
I've never managed to successfully wire a relay. Every time I try to wire one, it doesn't work.
Does a relay need two power inputs I wonder?
Does a relay need two power inputs I wonder?
even simpler terms...
positive---magnet---ground
put power to positive---magnet makes contact to complete circuit---and out to ground
The other two wires are your circuit. This is either off (when there is no power to magnet) or on and complete (when power is applied to magnet) The load is on these wires and battery ONLY, which is very good when pulling heavy amps. Relays are wired direct to the battery and can pull whatever power is needed (given the size of the relay and gauge wire)
The power needed to switch the magnet on and off is minute. Knowing this, you can literally wire several relays off one switch (ex: ALL your external aux lights) because that one switch and it's little wire will provide at least 15-20 amps of relay switching power
Looking at a relay diagram...posts 85 & 86 are for the switched power and ground. Between those posts is the magnet (represented by the squiggly line in the diagram).
I wish I had saved the link to a really good diagram and explanation.
Do a Google images for "relay" or "relay how to" and a lot of stuff will come up. 
positive---magnet---ground
put power to positive---magnet makes contact to complete circuit---and out to ground
The other two wires are your circuit. This is either off (when there is no power to magnet) or on and complete (when power is applied to magnet) The load is on these wires and battery ONLY, which is very good when pulling heavy amps. Relays are wired direct to the battery and can pull whatever power is needed (given the size of the relay and gauge wire)
The power needed to switch the magnet on and off is minute. Knowing this, you can literally wire several relays off one switch (ex: ALL your external aux lights) because that one switch and it's little wire will provide at least 15-20 amps of relay switching power
Looking at a relay diagram...posts 85 & 86 are for the switched power and ground. Between those posts is the magnet (represented by the squiggly line in the diagram).
I wish I had saved the link to a really good diagram and explanation.
Do a Google images for "relay" or "relay how to" and a lot of stuff will come up. sniperthx1
1/2 ton status
Well I just managed to successfully wire a relay.
I was being stupid and didn't realize you need both a main power source, and a switching power source.
So, yeah it works now.
I was being stupid and didn't realize you need both a main power source, and a switching power source.
So, yeah it works now.
