Thread: I am home but the lights arent on

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>Please note that i know as much about electrics as the general public know about why fuel prices are so high. Matt[/b][/quote]

So you know the cause but you can&#39;t fix it hey Matt


Seriously though..... have you checked it&#39;s all earthed properly? Often a simply solution to intermittant electricals...

Mark

<span style="color:#3333FF">also check to make sure the relay is big enough to handle the current required by the lights........

and make sure it is all wired up correctly......do you know what each terminal on a relay is for....?</span>

Also check the relay is away from any water/mud etc.

Larry.

Hi Ace
Buy very good quality relays,they have a heap of current running thru them,cheapies dont last very long at all.I get bosch relays,last around a year,narva and others dont cut it.But remember,if Im travelling to or from Perth in the dark its a hour and a half running the spotties (minus the odd oncomming vehicle).All the replaced relays in the last 20 years have been burnt out,feel how hot they are with the spots running.
Andrew

Also ensure that you have a fuse fitted. There could be a short that is burning out the relay. By fitting an in-line fuse, you should hopefully blow the fuse rather than the relay.

Alex

Hi Ace, how many driving lights are you running off the relay(s) and what wattage are the globes.

I have been running driving lights on different vehicles for over 30 years and I have only had to replace a few relays.

In the early days, I occasionally had to replace the New Era relays but most relays were, in those days, renowned for sticking not burning out.

I do heaps of night driving and I can’t remember having to replace a relay, for any reason, in the last 10 years but I also don’t overload my relays.

If you are having problems then, as LandyAndy pointed out, crap relays are most likely the problem and the worst relays on the market are Narva.

Post us the stats for your set up and we will see if there is any obvious problem.

Cheers.

and the worst relays on the market are Narva.

ahhh, poop. I used Narva when I 'upgraded' my headlights Drivesafe four years ago. (used to usually use Hella or Bosch)
I was really happy in my ignorance, now I'm going to worry till I swap them out....

water and mud will kill relays if they are mounted in the engine bay always mount them with the terminals facing down,most relays are rated at 30 amps which is more than enough and the reason they get hot is the coil gets warm like any solenoid or ignition coil.

Does the relay still click? the contacts may be arcing and building up resestance, on my hyd winch setup the two relays controlling the solenoids I've put a doide on the terminal going to the solenoid when the solenoid is turned off the excess voltage produced from the solenoid coil is shorted to earth.

You can buy relays with the doide in them they only work connected one way.