Quote:
Originally Posted by BonzoHansen
I thought you wanted to do it right. 
If you use no relay, the switch is part of the circuit and needs to handle the amperage-it is all part of the circuit. You'll need pretty big wire too (8g), to make up for the increased length and the associated volatage drop.
Why wouldn't you want to use a $5 relay? If you use one, you can run about 4' of heavy wire (10g or 12g), and run small wire to your switch. |
After talking to several mechanics (one of which is an 20+ year mechanic) my original though of just using a switch and no relay is correct.
A relay is a switch ... unless there is a sensor (or something else) that dictated when the fan turns on or not there is no need for one. Why would one hook up a switch just to turn another on another switch?
You don't need 8g wire... not even close (maybe if i'm going to wire something in a house with a 120v). I am running 12 g wire to a 30A switch and have not had a single problem. The switch DOES NOT get hot, neither do the wires.