Hot fan relay
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 42
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From: Drums, Pa.
Hot fan relay I'm using a 30 amp relay and a single summit fan on my conversion.
The fan turns on and off ok but I noticed the relay is hot to the touch.
The #87 spade which goes to the fan is even hotter than the relay
Anyone know what could be causing this ?
My connections are on the relay are:
#30 - 12v
#86 - fan switch
#85 - ground
#87 - fan
Jack
The fan turns on and off ok but I noticed the relay is hot to the touch.
The #87 spade which goes to the fan is even hotter than the relay
Anyone know what could be causing this ?
My connections are on the relay are:
#30 - 12v
#86 - fan switch
#85 - ground
#87 - fan
Jack
Originally Posted by jagwrjack
I'm using a 30 amp relay and a single summit fan on my conversion.
The fan turns on and off ok but I noticed the relay is hot to the touch.
The #87 spade which goes to the fan is even hotter than the relay
Anyone know what could be causing this ?
My connections are on the relay are:
#30 - 12v
#86 - fan switch
#85 - ground
#87 - fan
Jack
The fan turns on and off ok but I noticed the relay is hot to the touch.
The #87 spade which goes to the fan is even hotter than the relay
Anyone know what could be causing this ?
My connections are on the relay are:
#30 - 12v
#86 - fan switch
#85 - ground
#87 - fan
Jack
what size wire are you running?
TECH Resident
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 841
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore, MD.
So, you're saying that the power lead to the relay, and the ground are both #10, but the power feed from the relay to the fan is # 16 gauge?
You need much bigger wire from the relay to the fan. And the ground doesn't need to be #10. Think of a relay as an electrically operated switch. All it does is connect the input and output which are high current and therefore need to be big cables. The control circuit (ground and fan switch) are low current, and can both be #16.
Also, make sure that your spade connectors fit on the lug of the relay really tight. Once you upsize the cable for #87, you might think about squeezing the female portion of the spade connector a little tighter (may need to do it with the terminal on the relay) for a better electrical connection. Heat is a sign of a poor electrical connection.
So, in summary, you should:
1.) Replace the relay to fan cable with #10 gauge.
2.) Crimp and SOLDER the terminals on the the cable.
3.) Install the terminal on the relay and ensure its TIGHT.
'JustDreamin'
You need much bigger wire from the relay to the fan. And the ground doesn't need to be #10. Think of a relay as an electrically operated switch. All it does is connect the input and output which are high current and therefore need to be big cables. The control circuit (ground and fan switch) are low current, and can both be #16.
Also, make sure that your spade connectors fit on the lug of the relay really tight. Once you upsize the cable for #87, you might think about squeezing the female portion of the spade connector a little tighter (may need to do it with the terminal on the relay) for a better electrical connection. Heat is a sign of a poor electrical connection.
So, in summary, you should:
1.) Replace the relay to fan cable with #10 gauge.
2.) Crimp and SOLDER the terminals on the the cable.
3.) Install the terminal on the relay and ensure its TIGHT.
'JustDreamin'
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Drums, Pa.
I'll try soldering the female spades to the wires.
The fan actually came with that 16 gauge wire, both + and - wires are already connected internally to the fan motor. Should I re-do that ?
The fan actually came with that 16 gauge wire, both + and - wires are already connected internally to the fan motor. Should I re-do that ?
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,148
Likes: 12
From: Downers Grove, IL
You don`t want to try to put larger wire to the fan internally, but mabey a few inches after the fan you could solder on a larger piece of wire. Before you start doing that though what is the amperage rating on the fan? 16 gauge wire is good for 15 amps. Even if your wire is undersized I would think that the wire would get hot, not the relay. I am wondering if your relay is undersized.
