Community Forums

papademuchos · 06-08-2022, 11:04 AM

I've posted previously here about my battery solenoid and the group helped a great deal! Since I fixed my problem I seem to be having an overload problem.

My initial problem was the battery solenoid / relay went bad. And I wasn't getting charge to the starting post so that when I turn the key it would connect my alternator charge through to my house battery and charge it while driving.

At first I replaced my solenoid with an 80 amp version. And I ran wire from my fuse panel below the driver's left foot around, under and up to the solenoid. I put in a piggy back blade holder socket to one of my fuses that is active with the key, so that when I turn the key it also provides a charge to the solenoid.

It blew the 80 amp solenoid, so I put a 300 amp solenoid and that seems fine. My problem is that it's getting overloaded and blowing the 15 amp fuse. If I replace the fuse, it works again but sometime down the road it will blow the fuse again.

So I'm wondering what is the correct setup for this? Where should the power source from the key come from? Or do I have other electrical problems that's play here?

Thanks again for suggestions and ideas!

Skip426 · 06-08-2022, 01:09 PM

Which fuse is blowing , the one in the blade holder that you installed or the one your piggybacking off of ?

papademuchos · 06-08-2022, 02:04 PM

I'm using this kind of "piggy back" device:

Click image for larger version

Name: Fuse_Piggy_Back.jpg
Views: 33
Size: 10.5 KB
ID: 367755

I pulled the 15 Amp fuse from slot #13, put this in it's place, then put the 15 Amp fuse into this. Then I put this into slot #13. Off of the end of this, I connected my wire that goes to the relay / solenoid. The 15 Amp fuse gets blown after a certain amount of driving time.

Skip426 · 06-08-2022, 05:40 PM

The device shown holds two fuses , one to complete the circuit in the fuse block , the other is fuse protection for the red wire .

Is it only the red wire circuit that blows the fuse and goes dead , or is it the circuit in the main fuse block , that shuts down other items in the chassis ignition system .

Or does the piggyback device you have only use a single fuse for both ?

papademuchos · 06-09-2022, 11:23 AM

You're right - I was misunderstanding how it's used and was only putting in one fuse. I put in two and started to retest, but now my relay / solenoid doesn't seem to be working. What would cause that to go bad? An overload of some sort?

Persistent · 06-09-2022, 12:19 PM

15 amps seems like a very large activating current. Maybe a more efficient one would work better.

Is the solenoid a "latching" solenoid? Latching solenoids require only momentary application of control current. They may draw high current momentarily, but don't need continuous power. These are generally used for remote controlled battery disconnect.

The wire to the activating coil of the 300 amp solenoid requires more than 15 amps. Increase the size of the wire to 12 gauge and use a 20 amp fuse.

YC1 · 06-09-2022, 12:32 PM

If you could provide some pictures of the setup you will likely get more answers.

Things don't add up well. I cannot imagine a simple battery combining solenoid popping a 15 amp fuse IF it is only supplying the coil in the relay.

As for the 80 amp solenoid "burning up" that is highly suspicious as well. That amount of current would be very rare if it is combining batteries for charging.

THenne1713 · 06-09-2022, 01:09 PM

You need to make sure any charge solenoid is CONTINUOUS DUTY RATED? If it is CD Rated, then make sure all connections at FUSE are tight, as LOOSE can cause enough terminal heat to blow the fuse?

papademuchos · 06-09-2022, 01:46 PM

Here's a picture of what I have.

Click image for larger version

Name: Battery_Relay.jpg
Views: 48
Size: 236.2 KB
ID: 367858

The black wire on the left gets ~14V when the engine is running. The black wire on the right goes back to my battery. The small red wire connected to the S terminal is coming from my fuse panel - I need something that's hot when the key is on. I have no idea what item on the side is with the two red wires - I think it's related to my emergency start button. And honestly, I'm not sure if that's supposed to be where it is with the black, or on one of the terminals in front. I'm pretty sure the orange goes all the back to my trailer connection - haven't used that and am leaving it disconnected for now.

I bought this in February and have had problems with this part ever since. There was a smaller solenoid on it to begin with, and I replaced with a new one. That worked for a little bit, and it blew. I replaced that with one that looks like this one in the picture, but 80 amps. It blew. A week and a half ago I replaced it with this 300 amp unit, and it just blew.

Honestly I don't remember whether it's latching or not. When it was working and I'd touch the red wire with the key on, I could hear it "clunk", connecting chassis power to the battery. When I removed the red wire, it clunked again, disconnecting the two.

I connected to the 15 amp because that was the first one I found that comes on with the key. But I can look for a 20 amp if that's what's needed...

What kind of relay should be here? It seems like I'm buying the wrong type and the vehicle isn't happy with it! I want it to be able to link my battery whether I'm driving for 30 minutes or 5 hours... I saw one post suggesting the 300 amp unit is too much and will get too hot - better for shorter periods, whereas the 80 amp is better for longer hours.

Pillbox · 06-09-2022, 02:09 PM

From you pic, you are missing the ground wire. In red circle.
Take your test light, touch the orange wire circled in blue to either big blk wire. If light goes On, oranges wire is your missing ground.
Or just connect a wire, red circled post and ground to frame
Terry

Pillbox · 06-09-2022, 02:16 PM

Maybe this will help

Pillbox · 06-09-2022, 02:17 PM

And here

wolfe10 · 06-09-2022, 02:20 PM

BTW, whoever did those cable ends/crimps should be sent back to grammar school.

Suggest cutting the wire (if you have a little slack) and doing them properly.

All that exposed copper would create quite a dead short if any piece of metal in contact with the chassis touches them.

papademuchos · 06-09-2022, 02:50 PM

Thanks Pillbox for the links.

In the unit I have the grounding is in the mounting plate. When testing with my voltmeter, I've been able to touch black to the mounting plate and red to the leads and get my reading. One of the terminals has "I" and the other has "S".

So is 150amps the right amount? In the diagrams, it says to put a fuse between the battery and the solenoid. What kind of fuse would go there? Also, the wiring diagram only shows 3 terminals, whereas the one on Amazon has four. And how is the wiring from the "switch" supposed to be? Is the piggy-back method I'm doing to one of the fuses a good way to do it? If not, where should it come from?

Finally, any idea what the device is in my picture to the right? Is that wired correctly?

...so many questions - thanks for your review and answers!