Help with solid state relay

car54 · November 30, 2005, 12:55:23 AM

I just bought a Dayton 5Z944 relay with the following specs.

Solid State Relay, Input AC, Maximum Input Voltage 280 VAC, Minimum Input Voltage 90 VAC, Output AC, Minimum Output Voltage 40 VAC, Maximum Output Voltage

I put voltage across 3&4 and the lights go on but I can't get 1&2 to close for a completed circuit for the heater. What am I missing?

click to enlarge

Thanks, Brad

TomG · November 30, 2005, 01:50:02 AM

Hi Brad, are you just testing for conductivity across 1 & 2 or have you tried hooking the relay to a load(like a light bulb)? I'm not sure how SSRs work, but yours may require a min of 40 VAC output to close. One other possibility is that you have a relay that opens with input current.[:(!]

-Tom-

car54 · November 30, 2005, 02:09:42 AM

Tom,

I tested it with a continuity tester and with an actual load. I used full household current on 3&4 which is 120 VAC with is more then the 40 VAC minimum input. The relay is NO(normally open). I don't understand.

Brad

TomG · November 30, 2005, 05:52:41 AM

Brad, maybe this test hookup will help. If the light doesn't go on when you power up the input, the SSR is broke. The 40V min that I mentioned was for the output load.

-Tom-

car54 · November 30, 2005, 10:18:17 AM

Tom. thanks for your help.

What you showed with the light is just about what I did and it did not work.

Brad

car54 · November 30, 2005, 11:21:29 AM

Tom,

At 4:15 in the morning before I went to work, I played with the relay and traced the problem to a corroded connector. It works.

Thanks very much, Brad

TomG · November 30, 2005, 04:36:01 PM

Brad, Glad it worked out. Did you mention in a post that your daughter worked for Kraft Foods in Chicago? Ours just started there last month and seems pleased.

Cheers-Tom-

car54 · November 30, 2005, 10:21:18 PM

Tom,

She has worked at Kraft in Madison for about 5 years. They have been going through job cuts for the last 2 years and so far she has not been affected. Originally she was a formulater. She would decide what ingredients would go into the products depending upon the current ingredient prices. Now she is computerizing the transportation department to make deliveries more cost affective.

Brad

TomG · December 01, 2005, 04:10:42 PM

Brad, good for her. My daughter, who refused to eat anything but Parmigiano Reggiano when she lived at home, is now pitching Kraft Parmesan. Where did I go wrong[?]

-Tom-