Relay problem

[Pooh Bear]

This could be OT, but I'm posting here to get replies with no
baggage....
I have a relay in my boiler which buzzes/arcs I'm trying to diagnose
the fault, probably in my wiring. What conditions (eg shorting) would
cause a relay to switch on & off very rapidly (leading to a buzzing
noise) & arc?
Many thanks
Jonathan

Many possibles. Get a heating engineer in to look at it.

Graham

 

[Art]

Inproper current draw, unregulated control voltage, protective circuits,
maultple things. As suggested, HVAC Technician time, would probably save you
a bunch in the long run.

 

[Rich Grise]

This could be OT, but I'm posting here to get replies with no baggage....
I have a relay in my boiler which buzzes/arcs I'm trying to diagnose the
fault, probably in my wiring. What conditions (eg shorting) would cause a
relay to switch on & off very rapidly (leading to a buzzing noise) & arc?
Many thanks
Jonathan

It's ON-topic for s.e.basics, so no worries on that account. The only
OFF-topic questions on s.e.b are those that don't involve electrons in one
way or another. ;-)

I'd look at the physical condition of the relay, like dirt or some
obstruction; and check all of the connections in the relay's coil
circuit. It sounds like it's not pulling in fully.

It used to work, and this symptom appeared recently, right?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Chris]

It's ON-topic for s.e.basics, so no worries on that account. The only
OFF-topic questions on s.e.b are those that don't involve electrons in one
way or another. ;-)

I'd look at the physical condition of the relay, like dirt or some
obstruction; and check all of the connections in the relay's coil
circuit. It sounds like it's not pulling in fully.

It used to work, and this symptom appeared recently, right?

Thanks,
Rich

Hi, Rich. Always good to hear from you. Nice to see you're spending
some time amidst us groundlings on s.e.b.

You're right, it's probably a good idea to look at the physical
condition of the relay first. Since it's a heating application, I'd
guess it's probably an AC relay, so I'd also suspect a partial short in
the coil, or a loose shading ring. Sometimes the shading ring comes
loose, and can be snapped back into place.

http://www.geindustrial.com/pm/notes/artsci/art02.pdf

Less likely, the thermostat or sensor switch driving the relay might
not be closing fully, or has gotten resistive.

Best solution might be to replace the relay, and see if that solves the
problem. If it doesn't, the solution is probably in the switch or
thermostat.

I hope this does something to improve the knowledge : baggage ratio.

Good luck
Chris

 

[[email protected]]

This could be OT, but I'm posting here to get replies with no
baggage....
I have a relay in my boiler which buzzes/arcs I'm trying to diagnose
the fault, probably in my wiring. What conditions (eg shorting) would
cause a relay to switch on & off very rapidly (leading to a buzzing
noise) & arc?
Many thanks
Jonathan

 

[Rich Grise, but drunk]

Hi, Rich. Always good to hear from you. Nice to see you're spending some
time amidst us groundlings on s.e.b.

Oh, puh-leeze! I'm a groundling too, just I've been in the trenches for
going on forty years. ;-) (i.e., I've learned the difference from my
elbow to a hole in the ground. I made up that expression by incorporating
two old cliche's[1], by the way. I've heard it on TeeVee. Anyway....

Admittedly, the accolades make my ego get too big for the cubicle, and it
makes me want to dance and shtuff, but please don't gush!

I got a stipend from a benefactor once, (benefactress, actually, but I
don't want to be sexist), and when I went to kiss her feet, she said,
"Oh, don't grovel!" If you want to find somebody to fawn at the feet of,
lurk for awhile. ;-)

You're right, it's probably a good idea to look at the physical
condition of the relay first. Since it's a heating application, I'd
guess it's probably an AC relay, so I'd also suspect a partial short in
the coil, or a loose shading ring. Sometimes the shading ring comes
loose, and can be snapped back into place.

http://www.geindustrial.com/pm/notes/artsci/art02.pdf

Less likely, the thermostat or sensor switch driving the relay might not
be closing fully, or has gotten resistive.

Best solution might be to replace the relay, and see if that solves the
problem. If it doesn't, the solution is probably in the switch or
thermostat.

I hope this does something to improve the knowledge : baggage ratio.

<AOL>
Me, Too!
</AOL> ;-)

Cheers!
Rich
[1] apostrophe used in lieu of accent grave

 

[John Fields]

Graham & Art wrote,
HVAC Technician time, would probably save you
a bunch in the long run.
Many possibles. Get a heating engineer in to look at it.

Thanks - I am somewhat impecunious at present & also trying to check
whether my wiring is at fault or if therelay is defective from new -
and therefore who should foot the bill. If I had the cash I would
quite happily call an engineer. In fact, if I'd had several grand
spare, I would have got a pro to install the whole CH system and save
me a lot of time & effort. But I haven't.

---
If the boiler and all the rest of it is brand new, and you wired it
together and it doesn't work right, guess what... It's probably your
wiring that's at fault.

You've posted no schematics, nothing about what the problem is other
than that the relay is buzzing, and nothing about what you've done
to isolate the problem, and yet you seem to expect us to pinpoint
the solution for you because you say you can't afford to have a
professional come in and do it properly.

What's wrong with that picture?...

 

[[email protected]]

This could be OT, but I'm posting here to get replies with no
baggage....
I have a relay in my boiler which buzzes/arcs I'm trying to diagnose
the fault, probably in my wiring. What conditions (eg shorting) would
cause a relay to switch on & off very rapidly (leading to a buzzing
noise) & arc?
Many thanks
Jonathan

Graham & Art wrote,
HVAC Technician time, would probably save you
a bunch in the long run.
Many possibles. Get a heating engineer in to look at it.

Thanks - I am somewhat impecunious at present & also trying to check
whether my wiring is at fault or if therelay is defective from new -
and therefore who should foot the bill. If I had the cash I would
quite happily call an engineer. In fact, if I'd had several grand
spare, I would have got a pro to install the whole CH system and save
me a lot of time & effort. But I haven't.

Rich Grise wrote:
I'd look at the physical condition of the relay, like dirt or some
obstruction; and check all of the connections in the relay's coil
circuit. It sounds like it's not pulling in fully.

It used to work, and this symptom appeared recently, right?

The boiler & all controls are brand new, so it SHOULDN'T be u/s.
No, the arcing was there at the start. I looked at Schrack's website
at the spec, hoping the relay was plug-in rather than soldered in
directly, but alas not. I can't see into the casing of the relay as
it is too small & too crowded. I don't want to go opening stuff up
until I know the fault is mine not the boiler manufacturers.