Looking for someone who knows relay switches

[kickass audio]

Do you know how to wire a relay? Not trying to bash you or anything just wanted to make sure. You would wire the relay like normal so that it has a live power and constant ground and then the switchable wire of the relay that tells it when to energize or de-energize the coil of the relay would go to a toggle switch for you. Then you can get a potentiometer like the one listed before for the light dimming or even fab one up by getting one at radioshack. I would think something like this would be PERFECT for you: http://www.radioshac...=Potentiometers

You can make it so that when you push the button it will either energize the coil of the relay or disable it and then you can make it so that when you turn the knob whichever way you set it up that it will raise or lower the speed of your fan.

Last thing you can do is like was mentioned earlier is get a fan that has 3 wires. The reason for the three wires is that one is a ground and one will be like half-speed and the other will be full speed. Lets say your fan has 4 brushes in it (i think they are called brushes but they are what sends the rotating electrical energy to spin the fan, if someone knows the name of it please chime in), the half power wire will only energize 2 of the 4 brushes thus holding back from full output. Now if you energize the full speed wire of the fan all 4 brushes will be activated and make it spin as fast as possible.

The choice is yours for how you want to hook it up and run it but i really dont see much of a need to get the potentiometer involved in the mix. I would get a variable speed fan, 2 relays (one to wire up for half speed and another to wire up for full speed) and then get a 3 way momentary switch. The switch will be wired up so that one position will be off, another for half speed and another for full speed. It sounds complicated but its super easy to achieve what you want.

Edit: im sorry for that variable speed part. Please forgive. Not too sure if you want a visual indicator to remind you that the fans are engaged or not but you can get a simple 2 way toggle switch with or without a light to tell you if its on or not. Just wire the relay up normal but for connector # 86 on the relay you will run constant power to this and then in the middle of that wire you will wire up your 2 way switch. I would recommend to use the remote output of your headunit or even an accessory wire on your vehicle that turns off when the key is removed just to help ensure you dont leave the fans running when you park your vehicle. If you keep it so that the wire 86 on the relay is an always live wire then you can take the chance to make it so that you forget to flip the switch when you get out of your car and keep the fans running. by using a wire that isnt always live (the acc wire for your radio for example) you can make it so that if the key is turned then you can engage or disengage the switch to power the fans however once the key is turned to off and removed your fans will be killed regardless of where you keep the switch.

Edited May 16, 2012 by kickass audio

[RooTxBeeR]

Do you know how to wire a relay? Not trying to bash you or anything just wanted to make sure. You would wire the relay like normal so that it has a live power and constant ground and then the switchable wire of the relay that tells it when to energize or de-energize the coil of the relay would go to a toggle switch for you. Then you can get a potentiometer like the one listed before for the light dimming or even fab one up by getting one at radioshack. I would think something like this would be PERFECT for you: http://www.radioshac...=Potentiometers

You can make it so that when you push the button it will either energize the coil of the relay or disable it and then you can make it so that when you turn the knob whichever way you set it up that it will raise or lower the speed of your fan.

Last thing you can do is like was mentioned earlier is get a fan that has 3 wires. The reason for the three wires is that one is a ground and one will be like half-speed and the other will be full speed. Lets say your fan has 4 brushes in it (i think they are called brushes but they are what sends the rotating electrical energy to spin the fan, if someone knows the name of it please chime in), the half power wire will only energize 2 of the 4 brushes thus holding back from full output. Now if you energize the full speed wire of the fan all 4 brushes will be activated and make it spin as fast as possible.

The choice is yours for how you want to hook it up and run it but i really dont see much of a need to get the potentiometer involved in the mix. I would get a variable speed fan, 2 relays (one to wire up for half speed and another to wire up for full speed) and then get a 3 way momentary switch. The switch will be wired up so that one position will be off, another for half speed and another for full speed. It sounds complicated but its super easy to achieve what you want.

Thanks, I do not know relays myself. My neighbor does realllly well though so I would have him hlp me with putting it all together. I do like the idea of the multi speed fans with a 3 way switch for on/half/full Will definetly look more into this because All my amps are going in a small spaces and will NEED some type of air flow.

[kickass audio]

I hear ya on the airflow. Amps can get nice and toasty if they cant breathe. You can do the relay work yourself. This is exactly what you will be doing with the fan setup you are going after: http://www.the12volt.com/relays/relaydiagram25.html All you will do is place a simple 3 way switch (if you are getting a fan that is dual speed) on the remote wire going to pin 86 of both the relays and then you will be able to turn the fans on and off yourself and adjust the speed of the fans with a flip of the switch. If you want the fans to always be running when the system is on then just get a 2 way switch and make it so that one position will make the fans run at low speed and the other position will be full speed. Relays look hard but in all honesty they are super easy. I would do it with the supervision of your neighbor and get the experience from it. Ill admit the first time i wanted to do work with relays i was so confused with the diagrams but good relays have the pins labeled and are super easy to follow.

[RooTxBeeR]

I hear ya on the airflow. Amps can get nice and toasty if they cant breathe. You can do the relay work yourself. This is exactly what you will be doing with the fan setup you are going after: http://www.the12volt...ydiagram25.html All you will do is place a simple 3 way switch (if you are getting a fan that is dual speed) on the remote wire going to pin 86 of both the relays and then you will be able to turn the fans on and off yourself and adjust the speed of the fans with a flip of the switch. If you want the fans to always be running when the system is on then just get a 2 way switch and make it so that one position will make the fans run at low speed and the other position will be full speed. Relays look hard but in all honesty they are super easy. I would do it with the supervision of your neighbor and get the experience from it. Ill admit the first time i wanted to do work with relays i was so confused with the diagrams but good relays have the pins labeled and are super easy to follow.

Understand you 100% I will probably just stick with a 2way switch, I want them running when ever the system is, just want to have the ability to go half/full speed. And They do look somehwat confusing, but I have seen relays because of my neighbor and I know what you mean, once you see it it does look a little bit less intimidating. Thanks for all the help though!Will definitely come in handy.

[kickass audio]

Dont get a 2 way switch for that though unless you want to have 2 switches mounted which i think is kinda dumb when you can get one switch with 3 positions and be done with it. Like i would make it so that if the switch is all the way down that it is off, if its in the middle it is at low and if its all the way up it is on high. If you get a 2 way switch you only have one setting, on and off. A 3 way switch will allow you to pick which relay you energize, the high or low speed relay IF you get fans with 3 wires.

If you want a fan where you can control the speed with like high or low do this:

Buy as many 3 wire fans as you need, buy two relays (wont really need more than a 10-15 amp relay for fans), buy some remote wire so you can hook it all up, buy a single 3-way toggle switch.

If you want a fan where it is just one speed, on and off do this:

Buy as many 2 wire fans as you need, buy one relay (wont really need more than a 10-15 amp relay for fans), buy some remote wire to hook it all up, buy a single 2 position toggle switch.

[RooTxBeeR]

1st option is what I am aiming for, 3 wire so I have up is high down is low speed on a 2 way switch. Will be looking right now for some 3-wired fans. If not then I will just settle with the on/off method.

[skittlesRgood]

you could wire one relay to make the fans run parallel then another replay to run two in series. so one switch position would be 12v and the other would be 6v to the fans. when i had fans i just ran them in series because they were loud and they were on every time the amps were on.

or you might be able to put a resistor on one end of a switch and no resistor on the other end. find out how to do the math on the size of resistor you need to pull the voltage down to what you want. that would be the easiest way.

Edited May 16, 2012 by skittlesRgood

[RooTxBeeR]

you could wire one relay to make the fans run parallel then another replay to run two in series. so one switch position would be 12v and the other would be 6v to the fans. when i had fans i just ran them in series because they were loud and they were on every time the amps were on.

or you might be able to put a resistor on one end of a switch and no resistor on the other end. find out how to do the math on the size of resistor you need to pull the voltage down to what you want. that would be the easiest way.

That's what I was I was trying to think of originally, just didn't know how to say it all. Will think about all ideas and compare prices and what not see whats best. Thanks everyone!

[bassface]

yeah that would work, the wiring of the relay would be the normal way though, have your remote switch from hu activate the relay coil, other side of coil to ground, Then use 12v from battery to NO1, C1 to fans. NO2 to 12v, C2 to the remote turn ons of the amps or devices you wish to turn on besides the fan. To install the pot, wire it in between the relay and the fans. As far as wanting to just wire the fans 2 different ways, it would require a 2nd relay plus a switch, I think the 1 relay pot is a much simpler and better way to do it, you will have more control over speed. Personally though I would just forget the pot and just wire them up with the relay.

Did you even read what am trying to do? I am only trying to put a switch on the fans, nothing else. I am just going to wire all the fans to the battery solo, full speed.

Yeah the only reason i even brought up the remote wire is because actually turning the fans on and off with a switch is trouble waiting to happen, lets say you go on vacation and forgot you left your fan switch on or something. I find that using the remote wire kills 2 birds with 1 stone. First you dont have to split the remote signal to power all your devices, I have never split one signal into like 5 before but im guessing it cant be good for the headunit. And second the fan will only run when the key is turned on, therefore eliminating the need to manually turn it on and off.

[snafu]

I can build you exactly what you're looking for. A circuit to do this requires three relays and no resistors. It would have two speeds - high and low, and be compatible with a wide variety of such fans. If you're interested, PM me.