If your profession involves frequent car trips, or you simply like to travel, then you probably know that without good optics it is quite difficult to guarantee driving safety. At this point, even the shortest trip should not be undertaken without good anti-fog equipment. Such optics are now installed on almost every car as standard.
However, there are cars in which you have to independently connect the fog lights via a relay. The diagram and installation steps for this optics are further in our article.
What are fog lights for?
Before I tell you about the features of installing these elements, a few words about the importance they are for the car. The main function is to supply light. The quality and range of road illumination depend on this characteristic. If the fog lights are well configured, they are capable of illuminating up to 10 meters of asphalt in front of them, which is quite enough for safe driving at a speed of 50-60 kilometers per hour. Moreover, it does not matter what weather you are driving in - with a cloudless sky or with thick fog - this optics always copes with its function. So how do you install it in a car?
Connecting fog lights via relay: diagram and instructions
First, let's prepare necessary tools and materials. During the work, we will need a 15 amp fuse, several meters of wires, insulating tape, a power button, a block and a PTF relay. The connection diagram for fog lights via a relay is shown in the photo below. We will navigate by it.
This is the same diagram for connecting the fog light relay. In principle, it does not present any complexity, and it is very easy to understand.
Where to start installation?
The first step is to remove the central panel - there will be 2 backlight lamps for the furnace regulator. They do not affect the operation of the PTF in any way, but we will need their wires. To find the two-pin connector, run your hand along the wire to the very end. It is especially important since this is where the first contact on the relay will be made. Next, the wire is connected to the stove backlight connector, and its second part goes to a separate PTF power button.
Connecting contacts
How to connect fog lights via a relay further? In order for the system to have a twelve-volt network from the dimensions and 85 contacts, it is necessary to run a wire to the relay. Next we extend contact 87 under the pedals to the battery.
How to properly connect fog lights through includes 30, 85, 86 and 87 contacts. According to the drawing, we connect them. Here we install a 15-amp fuse. Moreover, the closer it is to the battery, the better. Next is contact 86. Everything is simple here - we connect it to the body.
About wires
Now you need to deal with the fog lights themselves. As we know, there are only two wires coming from each headlight (“plus” and “minus”, respectively). We connect the latter to the body, that is, it will be our mass. Next, we lift it onto the relay so that the wires are not visible, and connect it to the battery.
This completes the connection of the fog lights via the relay. The connection diagram, as we see, is very simple, so even a novice motorist can cope with this task.
Second installation option
It will be much easier for car owners whose bumper already has space for mounting fog lights. Then you don't need to buy any fuses. All that is required is a pair of new fog lights and up to 100 centimeters of wire (in reserve).
PTFs for foreign cars most often have two wires, painted black and red. The latter is connected to the “plus”, and the first to the “minus”. Although on some copies (such as, for example, on fog lights for “ Daewoo Nexia"made in Asia) it doesn’t matter what color you connect to what. Red may well serve as a “plus” and “minus”. By the way, if you don’t find wires for connecting optics in the bumper, it doesn’t matter - you can try connecting them directly to the battery. Moreover, it is not necessary to pull the “plus” and “minus” from each lamp separately. The installation procedure can be as follows - two wires (as we have already said, black and red) are installed to the battery terminals (more precisely, under them), which go first to the left headlight on the driver’s side, and then to the right. If the wires are short, take longer ones, strip their contacts at the ends and connect them. You will have to stock up on electrical tape for this. The color of the long wire that will connect to the PTF and battery is not important. The main thing is that you do not get confused in the polarity. You should also be vigilant and disconnect power from the battery before installation. Otherwise, the slightest contact of the wire with the body may cause a short circuit.
This algorithm for installing PTFs is suitable not only for foreign cars, but also for all domestic cars on which the manufacturer has provided a mounting location for the optics. For example, on VAZ 2110 and 2114 cars, connecting foglights in this way takes no more than 20-40 minutes (and this despite the fact that the car owner has no experience installing such equipment on a vehicle).
What requirements must PTFs meet?
Finally, we note what rules modern fog lights must meet:
Conclusion
As you can see, connecting fog lights to a VAZ 2110 and many other domestically produced cars is a fairly easy task that every car enthusiast can handle. A fog light is your reliable assistant, which allows you to distinguish objects on the roadway in time and react to the traffic situation with a large margin of time.
According to the rules of the road (traffic rules), a moving vehicle during daylight hours must be indicated by low-beam headlights, fog lights (PTF) or daytime running lights (DRL or in English DRL). We will learn about various options for connecting DRLs to car wiring via an electromagnetic relay in this reference material prepared by the site.
Example of connecting DRLs from a generator
Attention: do not forget to install a fuse in case of a short circuit. No one is safe from accidental short circuits during installation and operation!
DRL connection diagram via 4-pin relay
Some people buy DRL headlights and simply connect them to the headlights. But it is more correct to make them light up when you turn on the ignition and go out when you turn on the side lights of the car.
You can even connect the DRL lamps to the cigarette lighter, because voltage is supplied to it only when the ignition is turned on. This will be better than looking for the ignition wire in the wiring.
Connecting DRL lamps via a 5-pin relay
Many are in no hurry to install daytime LED headlights by simply turning on the low beam headlights, but you need to take into account that using DRLs instead of low beams will allow you to charge the battery faster while driving, since their power consumption is 5 times less.
15 watt LED DRLs DRL connection diagram using a control unit
Some daytime lights, the most expensive and modern models, have a control unit that allows you to automatically control their operation (brightness, switching on, and so on). In this case electrical diagram will look like this:
Some auto electronics manufacturers produce running light control units with the ability to turn off the DRLs when one of the functions is active: parking brake, reverse, or starter operation when starting the engine. So it’s better to overpay a little and buy just such a set of headlights.
A single-phase voltage relay is used to protect household electrical appliances from unacceptable voltage surges in the electrical network. The device disconnects a house, apartment or separate load from the power supply, and when everything returns to normal, it automatically turns it back on. There are two main types of devices: with an automatic time delay before turning on and manually configured.
We connect various models
Voltage control relays are connected in different ways, depending on the model, characteristics and purpose.
Local protection
Socket relay
To protect one device (refrigerator, TV, computer), it is enough to purchase protection that can simply be plugged into an outlet. The procedure is as follows:
- We connect the power plug from our device to the relay.
- We plug our relay into the socket.
There may either be additional settings on the panel, or it may be an automatic device programmed at the factory. In this case, you don’t need to do anything else - turn it on and use it.
Note! These relays are not voltage stabilizers. If necessary, they must be purchased separately.
If the device has a settings panel, it must be properly configured. For correct settings, set the maximum and minimum operating voltage specified in the passport of the device that needs to be protected.
Extension
A protective relay, made in the form of an extension cord, works in the same way. The only difference is the number of sockets - there are several of them, which allows you to connect several consumers at the same time.
Comprehensive protection
Now let's figure out how to properly install and mount more complex models. They have one thing in common: they are installed in electrical panels next to the electric meter and power circuit breaker. The voltage relay connection diagram is very simple, but there may be nuances that we will pay attention to.
Basic actions:
- Using an indicator screwdriver, determine the phasing. As a rule, a “phase” comes out of the power machine, but it’s always worth double-checking.
- Turn off the machine and make sure there is no voltage.
One option: UZM
Connecting a relay of this type is carried out in several steps:
- After turning off the power circuit breaker, install the device on a DIN rail or fasten it using another method described in the passport.
- We determine the input - output.
- Marking meaning: INPUT - input, L - phase, N - zero. We connect the wires, observing the phasing.
- We also connect the ends to the output and bring them to the load.
The device is ready for operation, we supply power. Depending on the settings, it should enter operating mode after a certain time. This time can be hard-coded in the settings and cannot be adjusted, or it can be adjusted manually.
One way connection
The next type of protection devices looks different: all contacts are on one side, and there are not four, but three. Let's figure out how to install it and put it into operation. A general diagram for this type of voltage relay will help.
The first steps are the same as in the previous case: determine the phase, de-energize the circuit, make sure there is no voltage. Next we install the relay in its place. Switching is done as follows:
- Terminal 1 - working zero. The neutral wire from the circuit breaker fits here.
- Terminal 2 - input. We supply the phase with AB.
- Terminal 3 - output to load.
As you can see in the diagram, the wire from the machine comes to the first terminal and from there it goes further to the load. If the electrical panel is installed correctly, there should be a zero bus, then you won’t have to clamp two ends into one terminal. It will allow you to make as many branches as necessary and at the same time maintain reliable contact.
Model RN-104
This type of protective relay is connected in a completely different way. At first glance, it is no different from the previous one, but there are significant differences in the scheme. The key to understanding is the markings on the top of the case and the diagram drawn on the side. According to it, the input is terminal 1, the output is terminal 3. Contact number two is common. It is used both as a relay power input and as an output to the load.
When connecting this device with your own hands, you need to connect the “phase” wire to the leftmost contact, “zero” to the middle one. We connect another wire to the same bolt - to the load, and clamp both well. If there is a zero bus, we connect the wire from it to the middle contact, so there will be only one connection on this contact. Conductors go to the load from the extreme terminal of the device and from the zero bus.
Relay with multiple operating modes
We have just reviewed the most simple types models of voltage control relays, the connection of which does not cause any particular difficulties. It is worth paying attention to more complex developments. One of them is RN-113. This device can operate in several modes, so its connection diagram is slightly different.
Firstly, there are four bolts on the terminal block at the top. But these are double contacts: a pair on the left and a pair on the right. Such a feature.
Secondly, phasing does not matter here. Although it is most logical to break the phase - it is much safer when the consumer is in a disconnected state without voltage.
Thirdly, the power to the electronics is connected from above, and at the bottom there are switching contacts, which you need to pay special attention to: the device can have several operating modes. Let's look at the diagram.
After installation on the DIN rail (with the power breaker turned off), we connect the 220 volt input to pins 4-7. Then we clamp the phase wire to pin 3 (bottom). Now we need to decide what and how we want to protect.
If you need a normal mode - protection against high and low surges - we take the output from pin 2, as can be seen in the figure, position 1. The Umin and Umax switches on the relay body must both be turned on. We connect the neutral conductor directly to the load. Power can be supplied.
For undervoltage protection mode (only the Umin switch is turned on), the break phase is also connected to contacts 2–3.
Overvoltage protection (only Umax is included) - the phase wire is connected as in the figure, position 2 - terminals 1–3.
The fourth operating mode is automatic shutdown at voltages below 155 volts. Both switches are disabled and manual settings are disabled. The load is interrupted by contacts 2–3; after the emergency mode is eliminated, the return to operating mode occurs after a set time.
RN-112
This type of relay has a different connection type. The output contacts are independent of each other, the load connection depends on the selected functions. This device is more suitable for protecting specific equipment in home workshops, since it has an operating mode of 100 volts.
The device has three operating modes: voltage control below normal, above normal, and both modes simultaneously. On the top bar there are two contacts 1 and 2 - power supply.
To operate in general control mode (exceeding the maximum and minimum values), the lower right knob is turned with the arrow pointing up. The phase wire is connected to pin 5, the output to the load is taken from pin 6.
Undervoltage protection mode. Set the lower right knob to “min”. The load is also interrupted by contacts 5–6.
Protection against exceeding the permissible voltage value. We set the regulator to “max”, connect the load to contacts 3–4.
Setting operating modes
For normal operation of the voltage control relay, it is not enough to secure and connect it. Some models have settings displayed on the case - the maximum and minimum voltage at which the load will be de-energized, and the turn-on delay time. This option allows you to verify that the emergency situation has been resolved.
Factory settings are usually the following values: max - 250 V, min - 175 V, delay time - 5–15 seconds (each factory has its own way). It's best to leave it as is. But if there is a strong scatter in the network, causing frequent triggering, you can change the values by five volts, but no more.
Connecting multiple voltage monitoring relays
Technical conditions allow connection to a private house or apartment of three phases. If three-phase units are used to protect electrical equipment, then in the event of an emergency, all equipment on one branch will be de-energized, which is not very convenient. This problem is solved by three relays connected separately to each phase.
From the bottom terminal of the machine we make a connection to the input of the first block. From the other terminal - to the input of the next block. For ease of maintenance and repair, this should be done with multi-colored wires, while remembering that blue is always “zero”. We connect the neutral wire to the neutral bus.
You can install separate input circuit breakers so that, if necessary, de-energize the desired relay if you suddenly have to turn it off. As you can see, the installation is no different from the examples discussed above, only instead of one block there are three at once, each for its own phase.
We connect the relay outputs to automatic machines, which each go directly to their own load: lighting, sockets, boiler. Accordingly, each relay can be set to a different delay time.
If there is not enough power
There are often situations when it is necessary to install protective relays on powerful equipment, but the protective unit itself is not suitable according to the technical data. There is a way to increase the rated current by installing an intermediate relay. The idea is very simple: the load is connected to the network through a powerful contactor, the coils of which, in turn, are connected through a protective unit. As a result, the main load does not go through the relay, which is not overloaded.
The connection is carried out in the following sequence:
- We attach the protection relay and the starter to the DIN rail next to each other.
- When the power is turned off, we connect the “phase” and “zero” relays to the power input.
- Using a wire of the required cross-section, we connect the “phase” to the input of the breaker contact of the starter.
- The output of this contact is to the load. We take “zero” directly from the line.
- We connect two wires to the starter coil. We connect one to the zero bus, the other to the output of the breaking contacts of the protection relay (at the bottom of the device body).
- We connect the input of the relay breaking contacts to the phase wire of the network.
Now it is possible to control loads significantly exceeding the rated value of the protective relay.
Video on the topic
