How does should a relay be wired???

**sheepy** · 11-12-2006, 05:57 PM

Hey guys, I understand what a relay as such.....I think lol. I have just brought a book on ICE so i'm sure there will be loads more questions to come.

Anyways I am going to be making an amp enclosure in the near future and am just trying to build the best system that I possible can. In the amp enclosure I what to fan some fans to keep it nice and cool and two neon’s.

I want the amp and the fans (not the neon’s) to be turn on by the remote output on the head unit. In this book it says something about the remote output 'turning on' the relay and in turn switching the amp and fans on. Please say if this is totally rubbish!!

However this book does not state how to wire anything like this up. I was just wondering how it all works and if anybody had a diagram.

Thanks for your help guy....hope this is all clear!

**2k1Toaster** · 11-12-2006, 06:01 PM

A relay is like a magnetic switch. When you apply current through the side that is supposed to be the switch (the swirly coils on the diagram), that induces a magnetic field which in turns pulls the little metal arm closer closing the other circuit. So... Put whatever you want to be the control such as the remote output from the HU to the "swiggly coils". And put the fans power and all that on the switch part.

**sheepy** · 11-12-2006, 06:04 PM

Ok, so should the relay be wire straight to the battery or would that be to much power to the amp???

**Wiredwrx** · 11-12-2006, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by sheepy

Ok, so should the relay be wire straight to the battery or would that be to much power to the amp???

Welcome.

You should read the FAQ section. Your question indicates that you are unfamiliar with how wiring works. Also, you should not need a relay for an amp. Something just isn't righty.

Please read the manual that came with your amp (and if you think saying "I bought it used, it didn't come with an manual" then you should serarch the web for a maual) and look at www.the12volt.com and do some internet searches on how to install an audio amp.

Michael

**walky_talky20** · 11-12-2006, 06:59 PM

The reason that your "ICE book" is suggesting to use a relay is due to the fact that the remote turn-on wire from your head unit has a limited output. It can usually only be used to turn on 2 or 3 amps ( their turn-on signals) . For example, the maximum output that can be taken from your headunit turn on wire is about 500ma. Each amp you turn on needs about 200ma. You defiantly cannot power anything off of that amount of power ( not even a few fans ). However a single relay only used about 100ma. So you should connect your headunit turn-on wire to the relay, along with a fused wire from the battery. It doesn't have to be huge wire, perhaps 12 gauge or so. You will just be using the relay to trigger your amps and power the fans. Nothing else. The amps need their own direct fused 12 volt line from the battery to the amps. I've included a diagram to help you. There is a good explanation of this at the12volt.com. Here is the link. http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page5.asp#rtol