Date:         Fri, 9 Nov 2007 15:17:04 -0800
Reply-To:     Dug Smith <dug@DUGBERT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dug Smith <dug@DUGBERT.COM>
Organization: What, me organised?
Subject:      12v relay help
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi all,

I decided to fit an aftermarket central locking and alarm kit into my van,
and everything went swimmingly until it came to get the sliding door to lock
/ unlock.  The standard controller doesn't send anything like enough juice
to lock or unlock the door regularly.  I figure why have central locking if
I have to go and check the door's locked every time?

So I figured what I needed was a relay.  Well, two actually, as the lock
actuator is triggered by reversing the polarity of the electrickery going to
it.  It's wired like the "Actuators / Reverse Polarity" setup in:
http://www.the12volt.com/doorlocks/page3.asp#arp

The lock now works, but I've found that the relay is drawing about 300mA all
the time.  Are my relays bad?  Is my wiring bad?  Am I just too ugly to have
a remote central locking system on my van?

Any insight will be appreciated :o)  I'm not good at electrickery :o)

toodle pip,
--
       Dug Smith         | Terry Pratchett: It's almost
(mailto:dug@dugbert.com) |  impossible to ride a rock and roll
(http://www.dugbert.com) |  motorbike and stay on for three verses.