How long do relay switches last?
Relays have a limited lifetime, but they are reliable in benign environments. 50,000-100,000 operations are usually at full rated load. Up to many millions of operations with a negligible load will experience an increase in life at lighter loads.
Why do relay switches go bad?
Even in low-level signal applications, accidents and faulty UUTs can cause relay failures, and inrush currents, caused by hot-switching capacitive loads, and voltage spikes, caused by hot-switching inductive loads, accelerate relay aging.
Does a bad relay switch drain a battery?
A failed ECM power relay can also cause a battery drain or dead battery. If the relay shorts it can leave power on to the computer, even when the vehicle is turned off. This will place a parasitic drain on the battery, which will eventually cause it to go dead.
How to troubleshoot a temperature gauge in a car?
Temperature gauge troubleshooting begins with isolating the problem either to the gauge, sending unit, fuse or wiring. As with any electrical troubleshooting it is best to check all wiring connections are clean, tight and free of corrosion. The following process must be preformed with the ignition key turned to the “on” position.
What is the effect of temperature on electro mechanical relays?
A much neglected and misunderstood area in the application of electro-mechanical relays is the effect of temperature both on the relays and that generated by the relays themselves.
Is it better to use relays or gauges?
By using a relay near the item being switched, you use less of the heavier gauge wire. Some may argue that relays add an additional failure point to an electrical system.
Why is the fan relay sender the same as the temperature?
Because the fan relay sender is just a switch, it doesn’t detect variables in temperature like a typical gauge sender does. If you’re coolant temperature is 125 degrees, it’s the same as 0 to the sender, and it’s switched off. If your coolant temperature is 210 degrees, it’s the same as seeing 185 degrees,…