![]() |
electrical issues relat solenoid - Printable Version +- Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum (http://www.wanderlodgegurus.com) +-- Forum: Yahoo Groups Archive (/forumdisplay.php?fid=61) +--- Forum: WanderlodgeForum (/forumdisplay.php?fid=63) +--- Thread: electrical issues relat solenoid (/showthread.php?tid=6304) |
electrical issues relat solenoid - Gregory OConnor - 01-31-2008 15:12 The forum/shop talk use of the term "relay" and "solenoid" often create confusion with members that want to follow a thread and do repairs at home. Both a relay and solenoid are electrical switches that act like a toggle switch. A toggle switch is moved by hand but a relay and solenoid switch is moved by electrical current. The current that throws the switch "Control current" has nothing to do with the current that the switch passes. Example of a '12vdc control / 120vac contact Solenoid' A dash mounted AC switch is a hand thrown toggle switch that passes 12 volts to a '12vDC actuated - 120vAC solonoid switch'. the 12 volts is the "control current" that pulls a plunger in the solenoid to make contact and pass 110 voltsAC for the airconditioner/heater. *** vdc = volts of direct current, like from a car battery *** vac = volts of alternating current, like from a wall socket If you leave the dash ac toggle switches on, they are always energizing the solenoid and the 12vdc current that holds the solenoid switch on is amperage lost. I believe this is one of the phantom loads. Technicaly a solenoid is a relay. But common referance refer to a relay as slang for a 'Bosch relay switch'. The term Solenoids refer to larger round metal plunger actuated relay switch. Example of a bosh relay many members install bosh relays for head light because the dash toggle headlight switch cotacts and wires are not large enough and develop a resistance which will not allow the running lights to glow as bright as they should. with this relay add-on the existing dash headlight toggleswitch is used to send control voltage to one Bosch relay for each light. the dash switch no longer turns on the light, it moves the swing arm contactor in the bosch relay. Since it takes little electrical control current to move the contact arm, this becomes an easy task for the old overused headlight switch. New fresh bigwire 12vdc is fed to the contact side of the bosch relay and the output is sent to one head light. then the head light switch is turned off the relay swing arm moves back to rest and the head lights turn off. Note that at rest contact is made so care must be taken when chosing the correct output terminal. below is a good relay article http://tinyurl.com/5hjxm or http://www.classictruckshop.com/clubs/earlyburbs/projects/bosch/relay .htm GregoryO'Connor 94ptRomolandCa |