Cincinnati Area Thread (Tri-State, Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana)

Electrical tape and send it

 

If you would've seen my wiring before hand, you would have noticed how that's exactly what it was.

 

A few wire nuts in there for good measure. Oh wait, that's me....

 

Just fill them with some flowable sealer and it’ll be fine

 

It gave me anxiety AF

 

If something has a hot and a ground, it'll work!

 

...and also burn your truck to the frame

 

Speaking of rigs burning to the ground... one of my CH4x4 switches MELTED the night of rush causing my light bar to get stuck on lol. i had to go flip my master breaker.
CH4x4 said something about using a relay in line from the battery? Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

They're right. Anything pulling that much juice needs a fuse and relay, not a direct power source. Anything over ~5 amp draw.

https://www.ch4x4.com/product/ch4x4-12v-20-30-amp-relay-with-5-pin-harness/
https://www.ch4x4.com/product/ch4x4-marine-grade-waterproof-12v-40-amp-relay-with-5-pin-harness/

Or you can likely get something similar to the above for cheaper at your local parts store, just need a harness.

 

I have a fuse inline for each one of my switches.
Thanks man - i'll check it out

 

I've used

$22 True Mods 12V DC Auto Waterproof Fuse 5-Pin Relay Box Block [6 Bosch Style Relay Holder] [6 ATC/ATO Fusible Holder] Universal Relay Block Box for Automotive Vehicles Cars Marine Boat Light Equipment

this to make the relay half of the circuit, and to keep things tidy vs the panel mounted setups I've seen.

That said, the 1:1 fuse to relay ratio means you are short a few fuses so I also have a cheap blue sea fuse box. It Also doesn't have good bus connectors/room for good bus connectors, so they might get a little sketchy... but contained within ABS box = not a lot of risk

If you are spendy, I'd recommend a nice bussman box over anything else.

 

Can you help me understand where the relay goes in the circuitry and what value it adds. I know i've read about it, but it never clicked.
I'm using a blue sea fuse block now where the block is directly to the battery, and then all the switches are fused off the block.

Edit: the fuse block actually has a 150amp breaker between it and the battery. I flip that sucker on before activities happen

 

I got this:

Relays are switches that open and close circuits electromechanically or electronically. Relays control one electrical circuit by opening and closing contacts in another circuit. As relay diagrams show, when a relay contact is normally open (NO), there is an open contact when the relay is not energized. When a relay contact is Normally Closed (NC), there is a closed contact when the relay is not energized. In either case, applying electrical current to the contacts will change their state.
Relays are generally used to switch smaller currents in a control circuit and do not usually control power consuming devices except for small motors and Solenoids that draw low amps. Nonetheless, relays can "control" larger voltages and amperes by having an amplifying effect because a small voltage applied to a relays coil can result in a large voltage being switched by the contacts.
Protective relays can prevent equipment damage by detecting electrical abnormalities, including overcurrent, undercurrent, overloads and reverse currents. In addition, relays are also widely used to switch starting coils, heating elements, pilot lights and audible alarms.


From this website: https://www.galco.com/comp/prod/relay.htm


Basically, relays are a bottleneck (closed) or a gate (open) in the system to make sure other systems get the correct amount of power. I think....lol.

 

Basically that^.

Relay = high load switch thats controlled by a small load switch (rocker/ push button etc) that you, the operator change the position of.

Most switches are rated for low loads, ~5amp, some rockers claim 20amp, but thats for like a 5% duty cycle (meaning you have the thing switched on for a few seconds an hour), so just like what happened to you, it will work when you test it for 30 seconds in the garage, but when left on all night out on the trail, the switch will fail.
Even some of the relays out there are rated for 30 or 40 amps at a certain duty cycle for a set temperature range, so its also important to spec the relay according to the temperature it could be used at. ( I recently had a 40 amp relay fail under a 25amp load due to the working temperature and being 100% duty)

the NC and NO thing is as @Roll Tide copy pasta'd, for the most part you will want NO relays (or really the bosh 87/87a thats always used by everyone) for all these auxiliary device applications.

 

What does everyone do for shock rebuilds/service around here?

 

Good infos ryechere boys

I've got most things (that need it) on relays, from the Blue Sea fuse panel, with a Bussman breaker between the battery. Only 2 things I run right off the battery is the CB and winch, both have respective fuses and whatnot. The only slightly sketch wiring job I have is my ditch lights, suckers are so low powered I didn't relay them, just a fuse. Something like 2 amp draw.

 

When you find out, lemme know!
I contacted a place east of me in WV. Cost was NOT worth it, including shipping/labor/parts. When my rear Foxes go out, I'll likely just buy another $300 pair of em.

 

Any of y'all near Danville?

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/help-request.1225773/

 

buy new replacement

 

I also have my fogs and or Rock lights wired straight to a "20a" rocker switch with similarly low draw.

Since everyone seems to think that way...
I might start offering.