Main > Main Forum

Destroyed my relay? -Working now - bad solder joint

<< < (2/2)

johnm160:
Yeah pictures are in order here.

richms:
Sounds like you connected the relay across the mains instead of switching the phase to the monitor outlet.

Pics, including closeups of the relay, and any markings on it, the outlets and anything else which you have.

original_maxlamer:
Could have used a relay that was only rated to switch 12volts.

Check the markings on the relay to see if it doesn't say 110v/240v (whatever your mains voltage is).

Dervacumen:
Okay.

I was convinced I wired it right so I checked again with fresh eyes last night.

Everything is in the right place.  HOWEVER.  When checking the hot leg of the switched outlet for continuity (a fifth time, I might add) , I noticed that I only had good continuity when touching the wire, and nothing while touching the terminal ring that I had *ahem* done such a good job soldering.

That's where the flash came from.  It was a bad solder joint.  I've only got a 25W soldering iron, and it doesn't get hot enough to solder 14-16GA wire.  At least not very well, apparently.

Since this it hooked to 120V and I wanted a goot joint I didn't want to crimp only.  So I did the next best thing. I put it in my vice an sandwiched the wire into the terminal ring.  There is no chance it's coming loose.  I think I may have melded them together. Just kidding.

Anyway, I hooked it back up and got a welcome surprise when everything worked.

Thanks a lot for the encouragement to check my work again.  More often that not that seems to be the bottom line.  Check...check...check.



Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page

Go to full version