Is it possible to burn out a solenoid? I'm trying to install some door poppers and i think i may have burnt out one of the solenoids. I did a quick hook up of wiring just for a test and didn't put the relays in, now when i try to get it to pop only one door is popping. could i have 'burnt' out one? any advice is greatly appreciated. I have a auto loc system, if anyone is familiar with this brand and has any tips, please feel free to advise.
Yes it is possible that one is burnt out. No, it is not neccessarily because you did not use the relay. Sometimes this will cause the problem, but sometimes the solenoid is just bad. One other thing is sometimes if the door is not adjusted right or even if the door seals have too much pressure against them(happens a lot with new seals) it will have a hard time for the solenoid to pop the latch. Make sure to check the solenoid with the door open and the latch tripped to see if it works then or not. Might just be too much tention/pressure on the latch for the solenoid to pop.
a-ha! thank you for that advice. i put in new seals awhile back, so i'm crossing my fingers that this is the issue. i will try it with the door open to see like you said. Thank you!!
Improper ground is the most common cause. Ask me how I know. The ground needs to be to the vehicle frame instead of the door itself. The hinge doesn't always carry a proper ground.
Not necessarily... The relay is more of a control device than a protection device, that's what fuses/circuit breakers are for. Make sure you have a good clean chassis ground on the solenoid before going any further. Example: You’ve got one hell of a ground connected to the door but is the door grounded to the body? The door may have rust/gunk/sealant on the bolts/mounting points preventing it from providing a good ground/return for your popper. If it’s still not popping then you’re gonna have to step it up a notch! If you have access to a multi-meter, check the resistance through the coil looking for an open. Resistance should read relatively low maybe 1 ohm or so? OL (overload) on the meter means you have an open or in plain English, a burnt up solenoid! No bueno…
Take a test meter and check it. Turn the dial on the meter to ohms (looks like a horse shoe) then touch the leads to each side of the solenoid (with no power wires attached to the solenoid). If you get no reading or the needle does not move the coil is burned out on your popper.
Yes, that is why I don't trust solenoids for doors. If they seize up, they can burn up your wiring harness, unless you use a BIG fuse. I prefer Ball's screwmotors. Had them on my Kustoms, and dailies for many years. Very few problems!
HIya Christie. Remember me from the RD's??? Yea, I burned up mine as well. I was driving down the road, when I noticed this Gawd awful burning smell. Took a bit to discover that my solenoid was like frozen in the on position. Was so hot I couldn't touch it. Gimmie regular door handles, anyday. (these were shaved off by the previous owner)
anytime you use an electrical device into a door always run grounds out to the cabin because you can't count on moving parts to hold a good ground. A relay is only a power transfer unit, or a switch that is operated by another switch. One of the main reasons for using the relay is to be able to use low amperage (like a wireless remote module that might run on a 5 or 10 amp fuse) to switch on and off a high amperage device ( like your solenoids that might run 40 or 50 amps). If you are not using a remote you could buy pass the relay all together. I've seen buttons hidden under vinyl tops and stainless button integrated into trim pieces. But ALWAYS fuse at your power source. It dose take a lot to burn out a solenoid that wasn't defective in the first place. You can just jumper power past any connections to check it and eliminate that issue. The other Issue is as mentioned with the doors being too tight. If this is the case you should still be able to hear the solenoids trying to work making a tick sound when activated. If this is the case you will need a solenoid with a stronger pull rating. hope this helps, Vernon
yes, patrick, i remember you! hope you've been well guy! scooter, i know....we stink. we'll have to see you soon lil' bro! oxoxoxo maybe i can convince willie to a pomona field trip soon?! i've been trying to talk him into gnrs...he he he to everyone else, thank you bunches and bunches! i'm going out in garage later and see what happens, cross your fingers for me!
CHRISTIE...it's no big deal, you will find the little grimlen. but installing a big fuss will only make the harness burn faster. use smaller fuse so if theres a short it will pop the fuse faster. in my view...POP.
The Jalopy Journal
