Solenoid or Relay
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 294
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From: Central Coast, California
Solenoid or Relay
Well this is the trouble. The fuse that protects the Blower circuit on my 91 F-250 started to melt the plastic around the fuse block and 30 amp fuse. I work at A diesel repair shop and one of my co workers advized me to just run a in line fuse because the reason the fuse had done that was because of a bad connection. So I did I found the wire that goes to the Blower switch and ran a hot wire from the hot side of the Starter solenoid. Wanting not to drain the battery down when the ignition switch was off I installed a starter solenoid and ran a control wire of another solenoid that conttrols power to a trailer battery.
The problem is that the solenoid gets hot.
Also How many amps should this particular blower motor pull?
Why in the first place would cause a fuse to melt the surounding plastic but not blow the fuse?
What would you guys recomend I do At this point?
Thanks
John
The problem is that the solenoid gets hot.
Also How many amps should this particular blower motor pull?
Why in the first place would cause a fuse to melt the surounding plastic but not blow the fuse?
What would you guys recomend I do At this point?
Thanks
John
Fleet Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,609
Likes: 18
From: Lake Tahoe, Nevada
I'd say your friend was most likely correct about the poor connection, and you have already made the right moves. As to the solenoid getting hot... what kind did you use? A certain amount of heat is normal. It is generated by the coil that closes the contacts, not by the current flow through the contacts. If it is always on with the key, it's bound to get hot. A smaller relay will draw less than a 'starter solenoid' that in it's usual application is a momentary contact switch rather than a "continuous duty" type of relay. If your blower is fused for 30amps, a thirty amp relay will suffice just as long as it is rated for continuous duty.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
There are continuous duty solenoid/relays that look like the old Ford starter solenoids and usually have a metal case but they are much more expensive than a simple Bosh relay.
The blower fuse went up in smoke on my 85 E150 when it was about 10 years old. It was a bad crimped connection on the wire. I don't like crimped connections, -have had way too many fail. It charred the fuse panel and melted some of the wires. Damn exciting when it smoked driving down the road and lucky I did not have a fire. I bought a HD blade fuse holder and epoxied it into the fuse panel. replaced and solder-spliced the wires needed, no crimps! I also used a blade type circuit breaker to replace the fuse. It is still working last time I checked although I have not driven that vehicle for a year.
The blower fuse went up in smoke on my 85 E150 when it was about 10 years old. It was a bad crimped connection on the wire. I don't like crimped connections, -have had way too many fail. It charred the fuse panel and melted some of the wires. Damn exciting when it smoked driving down the road and lucky I did not have a fire. I bought a HD blade fuse holder and epoxied it into the fuse panel. replaced and solder-spliced the wires needed, no crimps! I also used a blade type circuit breaker to replace the fuse. It is still working last time I checked although I have not driven that vehicle for a year.
Last edited by Torque1st; Nov 12, 2006 at 06:45 PM.
