TheSamba.com :: View topic - How do you "bench test" 6 & 12 volt relays?

Mon Jan 09, 2017 4:08 pm

Has anyone come up with simple to follow thread, photos, instructions to make a test set up to test various six and twelve volt Bus/Beetle relays. For instance, I have several 6 and 12 volt 9 pin flasher relays. I'd love to be able to test them for proper function. I could swear I remember that Hot VWs magazine had a story quite a while back that showed how to set up such a test appliance and it had wiring diagrams for the test fixture too IIRC. Can't remember the year/issue. Anyone?

Share your test appliance know-how so all of us who have an box of old/used relays can check them out!

Bill

Mon Jan 09, 2017 7:09 pm

hi Bill... Bernie,
I test 'um by installing each one, until one works... end of test. Just requires a little patience, which we all need to work on also.

Tue Jan 10, 2017 5:20 am

I just apply power to the coil of the relay and check the contacts for normal operation of N/C or N/O, pretty simple really. In general a relay just uses a coil to operate a "solenoid" that opens or closes a set of contacts.

Tue Jan 10, 2017 6:41 am

Hey Bill, somewhere I've got the Hot VW's article. Text or call 765-601-3171 later and I'll send you a copy. you can then start a thread or whatever.

Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:26 am

Just us buses wrote: Hey Bill, somewhere I've got the Hot VW's article. Text or call 765-601-3171 later and I'll send you a copy. you can then start a thread or whatever.

Thanks for the thread reply! I guess I'm not crazy, I remember reading an article in HVWs about someone rigging up a test fixture to check out relay operation. I too have most old HVW issues, so if possible could you post here the year/month of the issue? I'm not very electronic savvy, so I'm looking for a fairly easy way to check these old relays out. The 12 volt nine-pin flasher unit in my Jan '67 SO-42 has never worked the e-flashers (turn signals work fine) and over many years I bought lots of used relays planning to someday fix my e-flashers to function as designed.

Bill

Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:30 am

Hot VW's May '05. pp62

Tue Jan 10, 2017 1:38 pm

I have a couple of old ATX PC power supplies. I've hacked them to be regular 600-800w 12v, 6v (using a 12v to 6v stepdown module), 5v and 3.3v DC power supplies that I can test any 12v or 6v accessories with. I've even wired up an entire bus worth of accessories (exterior and interior lights, turn signal switches, etc.) to see what kind of load it will put on the alternator.

Tue Jan 10, 2017 2:49 pm

These battery back up batteries work nicely for testing 12v

And this for 6V