Hey guys,

I'm building an amp rack which consists of 3 amps, 2 fans and a 30cm CCFL light.

I have the relay set up in the same was as the pic in the tutorial.
(This pic http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/under...lays/image4.png )

The trigger from the HU is on pin 85

The 3 amp remotes, and the +ve of the fans and the light are connected to pin 87

Pin 30 has a 10A fuse and is connected the the +ve distro (which also runs to the amps +ve and 4GA wire to the battery)

Pin 86 (earth) has the -ve of the fans and the light -ve and also runs a wire to the -ve distro (which the amps are connected to and then 4GA wire goes to the chassis.)

The problem is that the amps all turn on, but the fans and the light do not

The strange thing is that the wiring diagram has pins 85 and 86 located on the opposite sides as what is printed on the back where the pins are. There are small numbers next to the pins and I used then and not the diagram, so maybe I have 85 and 86 around the wrong way. If this was the case then would the amps still turn on? I think maybe as the amps don't need a -ve for the trigger. Also would my fans and light still be ok?

Another possibility is that maybe the fuse blew? but if so then wouldn't the amps not turn on?


Would it be safe to swap pins 85 and 86 just incase? I don't want to break anything!

This is all I can think that would be wrong with it.

Thanks all

ok the fuse is fine, the ground is fine and I swapped pin 85 and 86 and nothing changed

ok when the stereo was off, pin 87a should be +12 and so i put pin 87 on to pin 87a - there were sparks and the fuse blew!!
Replaced the fuse and it is back to what it was.

I can't think of enything else to try

As far as i know, there something isnt right.... from the site u giving me completely from what i got
( http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/under...lays/image4.png )


You should be doing what the diagram below show u. (or go to www.bca1.com for more info)
Click to view attachment

Note: Pin 87A is work oposite way from pin 30 (when headunit off Pin 87a has 12v)

Cheers

wow that's completely different, I'll try that one. Thanks

*edit*

ok still didn't work, but the amps did turn on as usual.

I then disconnected the light and hooked it up to +12V and ground to test it and nothing happened!!? So I guess that the light and the fans are stuffed?

Either way u feeding the +12v thru wrong direction. NOT A GOOD IDEA

Why not test ur fan by connecting it to direct +12v power? and test ur light/neon before u do anything else


Not sure where u get that diagram from? but definetly not what i have use so far!!

G'd luck mate

um no - when the HU is off - pin 87a will just be floating....(and hence so will everything connected to pin 30) (from the BCAE diagram wiring)

to achieve 12V at 87a when the HU is off you connect 12V to pin 30 that way there will be 12V at 87a with HU off or 12V at pin 87 when the HU is on (ie coil energised) for this reason it's important to insulate 87a if you're not using it! (or use "horn relays" which don't have 87a)

easy way to remember all this:
coil energised (ie sufficient current flowing through 85->86)
pin 30 -> 87 connected
coil un-energised
pin 30 -> 87a connected

directions don't matter unless you're using a relay with protective diode accross the coil in which case current must flow from 85->86 otherwise the relay won't activate. other pins it doesn't matter. Infact the picture originally shown sticks to the standards a lot better than the bcae one! (bcae wire it their way to stop 87a being active (ie +12V) when the HU is off, but they really should use 86 as ground - I notice later on they do when they use protection diodes i.e. last picutre here)

back to the OP's question - the fact the amps turn on correctly means that your relay is wired correctly (ie it behaves properly) - if connecting fans/lights to 12V they don't work means they're rooted.
are they neons? if so did you keep the inverter?

ok so the origional pic is correct?

Then any ideas how I would have blown the cold cathode light?

(haven't tested the fans yet)

did you inlcude the inverter for the CCFL? it won't light up without it!

I it a DC Fan, sounds like the CCFL is stuffed

yeah I have the inverter, it was the Jaycar 30cm CCFL kit.

The fans are 12V DC, they also have built in LED's, I hope they are alright but I doubt it.

ok all fixed

Thanks for the help guys. The light was stuffed, bought another one and it works.

Also I actually had the fans wired backwards!
But they must have diodes in them cause when I reversed the polarity they were fine!

So now the relay has been wired up in the origional method from the tutorial