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OD Relay fries every 6-8 months 200 1989

uid 43101's pic
posted by  245DogWaggin on  Fri Mar 27 08:59 CST 2009
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last visit: Sat Oct 12 17:07 CST 2013
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This just put in the 3rd junker OD relay in the past 1.5 years. I've driven around with the glovebox removed to check the thing while running...boy it gets REAL hot.

What types of electrical ghosts should I be hunting for to cure this problem? I mean, it shouldn't be doing this with this type of regularity. Is there a common cause for them to overheat and fry?


--
89 245 'loaded' with a Great Pyrenees; 91 245 project








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    OD Relay fries every 6-8 months 200 1989

    posted by  david hunter on  Fri Mar 27 10:16 CST 2009
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    last visit: Mon Jun 30 22:10 CST 2014
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    The relays do run warm, that is normal. Bad contacts are not a known problem with the OD relay. If the contacts are bad there will be less current and possibly generate some heat. Look inside the case. What is very common is bad soldering of the relay to the small PCB. By continuing to install "junker" relays you will almost certainly continue with the problem. Simply resolder the relay as described in the FAQ section.
    --
    David Hunter








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      OD Relay fries every 6-8 months 200 1989

      uid 27's pic
      posted by  Art Benstein on  Fri Mar 27 10:52 CST 2009
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      last visit: Fri Oct 17 20:10 CST 2014
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      Bad contacts are not a known problem with the OD relay.

      Actually I've fixed a lot of Volvo electrical problems and a lot of Volvo relays and never once run into a trouble I could blame on "bad relay contacts". I cringe when I see folks being advised to take emery cloth or sandpaper to their precious metal as though it was a set of ignition points.

      But the solder between the heavy relay armature (frame) pins and the circuit boards they are mounted on is frequently cracked, and the high resistance there can generate some heat in addition to the goodly amount created in a closed box by the coil's power dissipation.

      So, it is hard to tell what is "hot" but advice to reflow the solder on those large pins is the best.
      --
      Art Benstein near Baltimore

      There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.








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    OD Relay fries every 6-8 months 200 1989

    uid 34776's pic
    posted by  Ryan_R on  Fri Mar 27 09:24 CST 2009
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    last visit: Tue Sep 24 13:46 CST 2013
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    Bad contacts typically cause relays to draw more current than they ought to. A good ammeter through the relay socket pins (probably from the blue wire from the fuse box to the grey wire to the solenoid) will tell you what you need to know.

    -Ryan
    --

    Athens, Ohio
    1987 245 DL 314k, Dog-mobile
    1990 245 DL 134k M47, E-codes, GT Sway Bars, GT Braces
    1991 745 GL 300k, Regina, 23/21mm Turbo Sway Bars






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