solenoid acting up

[GARY MINKER]

Those giant solenoids will occasionally blow up inside and have a carbon track leak on the main terminals. Remove all wired from it. Check for a few hundred Ohms resistance on the coil leads. An infinite reading from the coil leads to the case and infinite from the main pins to each other, the case and coil wires. If you get a few hundred KOhms, the solenoid is leaking and will get worse or eventually catch fire. Also, Activate the solenoid and read ZERO Ohms main pin to main pin to show there is no pitting or burning on the main contact surfaces Gary --- On Tue, 6/9/09, Michael <michael3536@...> wrote: From: Michael <michael3536@...> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: solenoid acting up To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2009, 11:27 PM Wayne I may have not worded my question right--- I am having trouble with the Anti/Theft switch on my dash that controls a solenoid/relay in the lower generator fan bay. It is a 200 Amp sp st Cutler-Hammer solenoid that when turned off still has 3 or 4 volts running thought it to the dash. When that happens my step extend switch light flitters and some switch chatters and will only completely shut off when I activate another switch like the heated mirrors that has a large draw. When the cable is disconnected and a meter is attached the solenoid works every time showing 12vdc and "o" or .01 vdc when off. The solenoid either has feedback? or is broken? A friend has suggested a bad ground but do not know how to go about finding one.. I've been looking and checking for bad fuses and trying to get a understanding of schematics ----- but no luck yet Also I seem to be missing the key for the relays in the front panel they are numbered and on my schematic but not described. A new Cutler- Hammer solenoid is 200$ and it may not be the problem I have 3 other components that are not working and may or may not be connected or caused by the low voltage/solenoid problem My upper dash clock is out, my bedroom clock and I've lost 12vdc to my rear bedroom Carrier AC unit. I think my bedroom clock and AC unit are powered from the old Dometic control wiring harness / plug. I have not found any fuses that are out. I've purchased a circuit tester but do not really know were the lines go and read that I could hurt components that are still connected or at the other end. Thanks for your help and I apologize for not being clearer..... Michael --- In WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com, "Michael" <michael3536@ ...> wrote: > > How do you test a test solenoid? > > my A/T switch does not completely shut off the power to the dash > > I got out my meter and performed these tests; > > #1 found it had 3.8 to 4.5 volts still passing through the relay when > switched off and went to "0" only when I activated another switch with a > larger draw like the (mirror heat) The step extend switch just changes > the tone of a low voltage chatter. > > #2 with load wire disconnected from the switch, it seemed to > workconsistently, showing only .01 or.02 VDC on the meter. > > I'm not sure what that means or how I should really test it.... why > would it work without a load? > > I've checked temperature of the relay when left on and gets up to 120+ > degrees. Is that normal? I hate to lose all that energy to heat. > > Thanks for any help >