Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

Truck starter solenoids are not designed to be held in the on position for more than a short time without overheating, although you could perhaps design a circuit to reduce coil current after pull in. Also be aware that the solenoid coil sucks up a lot of power itself.
What I've successfully done with a number of inverters, is go in and solder wires on the terminals of the normal on/off switch, which carries only low power, basically just a signal, then route those wires out through the cabinet of the inverter to a small relay which is remote controlled by a switch over 100 feet away. The use of the little relay eliminates direct electrical connections to the long wires, eliminating damage from induced voltages on that long wire. Especially during lightening storms. In my case, the inverters are located away from the house, in the solar/battery shed, and I needed to remote control them, as you are wishing to do. Works awesome. They can be turned on and off using either the remotely switched relay, OR the original on/off switch. They both must be off though, to shut down the inverter.
Food for thought.:p

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

GreenPowerManiac wrote: »

Sounds like a good plan.....Now to find out if my inverter switch will come off easily and be modified....

Should be able to get at it's connections, either wires soldered to the switch, or the switch itself soldered to a circuit board. Most likely just removing an end cover or some such from the inverter will allow access, depending on the design of the inverter. Once you can get at it, all required is to add two wires, one to each of the two terminals on the switch, or to the circuit board where the switch terminals are already soldered, then route them to the outside of the inverter where the little relay will be located. I've done this to half a doz. inverters over the years with no problems.
Good luck

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

Ralph Day wrote: »

What, never read the ''no user servicable parts inside'' ''warranty void if opened" all that good scare the consumer stuff?:p

If you don't know what's in it how are you gonna know how it works? Just keep the magic smoke inside.

Ralph

Hahaha I like your thinking Ralph. lol
However one time I did get a shock. Against all the warnings, and what many would consider better judgement, I took the back off a piece of electronics to have a look inside the rather sizeable nice looking cabinet, and I did indeed get a shock! It wasn't however a shock of the electrical kind. I stared into the big empty cabinet, and way down in one corner of the big beautiful cabinet, there it was. All the electronics in one tiny little package. WHAT???? You mean to tell me THAT'S ALL that's in there?!?!?! SHOCKING!!!!!:p:p Hahahahaha
On a serious note, GreenPowerManiac, if you're not used to what could be a delicate soldering job, it might be an excellent idea to volunteer someone who has such experience. Could pay off in the end
And it goes without saying, never use acid core solder around electrical/electronics, but I'm sure you already know that:p

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

GreenPowerManiac wrote: »

There's enough solder on it to do the connection without extra solder or flux.

Hope you got a good connection. Most times a little rosin flux (rosin core solder) is needed to get a good and proper connection, to get the solder to properly "take" to the new wires you are adding, instead of just surrounding the wires and looking like a proper connection.
"Pre-tinning" the new wires ends with solder before making the connections will greatly help too.
Keep us updated when you get a chance.

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

This is why you need a small relay to make the connection across the two wires you have soldered to the inverter switch. The inverter probably won't work directly connected to that 200 foot long cable. That and the fact that the long wire directly connected to the electronic guts of the inverter will act as an awesome antenna for induced voltages from various sources, most damaging of all, lightening discharges. And with 200 feet of wire, it need not be close lightening. For these reasons I would never recommend directly connecting long wires to the control guts of an inverter.
I HIGHLY recommend that you get your hands on a small relay with a 12VDC coil, such as Radio Shack #2750249. Have your remote switch power the relay coil ONLY. (from some 12 volt source) Then solder the two short (one foot at most, the shorter the better) wires you already soldered to the inverter switch, to the Normally Open contacts of the relay. This will electrically isolate your inverter control circuits from the long wires, thus protecting your inverter, and also provide the required low resistance connection for the control circuit. By the way, not sure what kind of telephone wire you are using, some types with plugs already attached, have very fine wire that a 200 foot length of which, may not let enough power through to power the relay coil. We'll know once you have it hooked up:) Good luck and let us know how you make out.
Wayne

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

GreenPowerManiac wrote: »

Thanks for the tips. I'll look into that relay and go from there. Most of the wires are either inside or buried underground. Lightning issues with that ?

Regular telephone gauge wire used. I'm thinking 22 gauge...

22 gauge should be fine to power that relay. We're gonna find out aren't we
And yes, the wire inside, or underground can still be subject to induced voltages from lightening. Buddy of mine living further back in the sticks than me, had an experience some years ago. Telephone cable was buried in the shoulder of the road (properly done by the phone Co) for about 3 miles to his house. There it came up out of the earth, entered his house then right to the phone, which as per the phone Co installation, had it's own ground wire going back outside to a gnd rod. One morning, after a rather nasty thunder storm, they all got up, had breakfast etc, walking back and forth past the phone. Only later in the day when they went to use it, they discovered it blown off the wall and hanging upside down by it's burned and scorched wires, and the wall blackened where the phone once hung. lol
Seems an induced voltage blasted up the insulated wire to the phone, where it found a path to ground via the ground wire. The phone Co repaired everything and had to replace about 800 feet of underground cable. Never did find where lightening might have entered the cable, but it was melted back almost 800 ft underground. Weird things happen sometimes.

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

GreenPowerManiac wrote: »

Found the part in Radio Shack. Now, with the 8 leads from the relay, which ones do I solder to and how do I mount this thing ?

OK, lets see if I can get it across in words. lol
1) Take a look at the back of the package the relay came in. It should have a drawing, which corresponds to, and represents the terminals on the relay.
The two at one end, off by themselves, are marked "coil".

2) Now, from your 12 volt battery POSITIVE terminal, connect a wire and feed it to a 1/2 or 1 amp fuse holder. (don't install the fuse yet) Another wire will go from the other side of the fuse holder, solder it to one of the two coil terminals. Doesn't matter which one.

3) Now take one of the two wires (doesn't matter which one) coming from your remote switch and solder it to the OTHER coil terminal.

4) Then the OTHER wire coming from your remote switch, must be connected to your 12 volt battery NEG terminal.

At this point you can install the fuse and, if you can get someone to flip your remote switch on and off, the relay should click on and off. If it doesn't, recheck all your connections. If it still doesn't, I hope you have a volt meter, we'll have to do some checks.

Now, assuming the relay does indeed click when the remote switch is operated, we can continue.
Remove the fuse supplying the relay, and we'll connect the other wires.

5) Now, back to the back of the package the relay came in. You should see two sets of three terminals representing what's on the relay. One set will be on one bottom side of the relay, the other set will be on the other bottom side.
Pick one set of contacts, doesn't matter which one, and have a look. You should see one marked "N.O." which stands for Normally Open. Another will be marked "Com", for Common. The third contact in that group will be marked "N.C." (Normally Closed)
Ignore and do not connect anything to the N.C. terminal.

6) Now take one of the two short wires you've soldered to the inverter switch, and solder it to the relay terminal marked "Com".

7) The other short wire from the inverter switch, solder it to the relay terminal marked "N.O." (On the same side of the relay as the other wire you just soldered.)

Mounting the relay: That will be your personal choice, Would be very good to have it mounted inside a little plastic box of some sort to protect the terminals from accidentally getting contacted or damaged. I just glued mine to the side of the inverter, using Silicone Seal, or more easy to use, Contact Cement. The beauty of Contact Cement is that if you follow it's instructions, you won't have to stand there and hold it while the glue sets up. It's instant stick.

Now, if you've carefully followed this sequence, pop the fuse back in, and you should be in business.
Good Luck and let us know how you make out.

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

GreenPowerManiac wrote: »

Wouldn't it be easier to post a picture or two describing this dilemma ?

Unfortunately, no.
Not being sarcastic - - seriously, do you have someone who can read the step by step instructions I provided, and walk you through it, show you what to do?
Not joking, I would go and do it for you, but I live too far away.
Surely, if you take your time, and follow the steps one at a time, as written, you can do it. If you look at the whole thing without breaking it down, it could well be confusing, but if you take it a step at a time, starting with step one, I'm sure you can do it.
Just start with step one, ignore all the rest until that's done, then go on to step 2.
If you still don't feel confident about it, is there someone, a friend or neighbor who can do it for you, or help you with it?

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

GreenPowerManiac wrote: »

The diagram on back of the package is kind of unclear and blotchy. There is someone at work that can help clean up the confusion. Thanks for all your effort. J...

Awesome! If you get a chance, let us know how you make out.

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

GreenPowerManiac wrote: »

It's been awhile, I know, however, Success ! Took a little troubleshooting but now is done.

Awesome! Been wondering how you made out. Glad you got it working

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

GPM,
Have a look at the link below before/during but not after you do water heat with wood stove! Scary stuff if not done carefully.

http://www.woodheat.org/dhw/dhw.htm

Ralph

Re: Truck Solenoid On/Off Switch to turn the Inverter off/on

In the photo beneath that, see the location of the air bleeder. Is that a valvle that would scare the daylights out of anyone sitting in that chair?