I'm trying to use the 24VAC relay on my nouns conditioner condensing section to power a solenoid. Enough amps? I'm trying to use the 24 VAC relay on my air conditioner...
I'm trying to use the 24 VAC relay on my air conditioner condensing unit to power a solenoid hooked up to a hose to turn dampen on when the condensing unit is on. I read 24 VAC fine, which is what the solenoid is rated for, but it doesn't power the solenoid. With the solenoid connected, it still fires the relay. It read about 0.05 amps. Is this my problem? Any ideas lacking running separate power and just operating another relay with the 24 VAC from the thermostat? Thanks.
HVAC Tech.: You may have to replace the transformer beside one that has a higher volt/amp output. Just be intensely careful and remember that electricity and water don't mix! The amount of hose you will waste doing this could off set any funds you might gain from electricity. As there is a correlation between temperature and pressure the effect on the section could be detrimental to your compressor. And there are other engineering problems that I shall not go into here. Think roughly speaking the long term effects of what you want to do. Your problem isn't the relay your problem is the transformer is not large satisfactory to pull in the solenoid. You will obligation to increase the VA on the transformer or get a 240 volt coil for the solenoid and wire it past its sell-by date the bottom of the contactor where the power feeds the compressor and the condenser hanger-on motor.
We can't design an electrical circuit minus any figures.
Sounds like you are running the river solenoid in parallel.
The bigger condenser contacter likely have lower resistance so most of the power is going through the contacter not leaving enough for the other solenoid.
I deduce you might try running them in series but if the difference in resistance is too great it may not check out of enough voltage to close that contacter.
Or you might be able to incorporate a small resistor to the contacter side to balance it enough to bring back the water solenoid to operate.
Good luck.
Answers: What are you trying to seize done here?
Hopefully you aren't trying to wet the coil when in operation as this will do devastate to the coil and be an expensive waste of water.