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Starter solenoid current?
Something I don't know ... and can't seem to find out all that
easily. I'm trying to figure out the current draw by the starter solenoid, (not the starter motor) at terminal 50. It's powered through the ignition switch in the Golf GTI but the 4mm wiring has me baffled. That's too much current to go through a little ignition switch if the wire is sized for current capacity. So I assume it's sized to avoid voltage drop, which leaves me none the wiser regarding the current actually drawn by the starter solenoid. -- /"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia \ / ASCII ribbon campaign | For every complex problem there is an X against HTML mail | answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. / \ and postings | --HL Mencken |
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#2
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Starter solenoid current?
"Bernd Felsche" wrote in message ... Something I don't know ... and can't seem to find out all that easily. I'm trying to figure out the current draw by the starter solenoid, (not the starter motor) at terminal 50. It's powered through the ignition switch in the Golf GTI but the 4mm wiring has me baffled. That's too much current to go through a little ignition switch if the wire is sized for current capacity. So I assume it's sized to avoid voltage drop, which leaves me none the wiser regarding the current actually drawn by the starter solenoid. Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia ASCII ribbon campaign | For every complex problem there is an against HTML mail | answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. and postings | HL Mencken <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><> Use a multimeter if you have one. The size is usually for volt drop. The actual solenoid Id imagine wouldn't draw much at all. I'd take a wild guess at 7 or 8 amps for modern cars. the cables that size as when cranking it needs the full voltage other wise it will do what you call Motor Boating. that is where the voltage drops too low to maintain the solenoid and it drops out during cranking. As your still holding the key to the start position it will re-engage as the voltage increases now the starter isn't engaged, it keeps doing this until either a contact burns out or usually the person trying to get to work takes the bus. (or its jump started of course) Do you know that clicking sound when ya batteries very flat? that's it. |
#3
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Starter solenoid current?
"Bernd Felsche" > wrote in message ... > Something I don't know ... and can't seem to find out all that > easily. > > I'm trying to figure out the current draw by the starter solenoid, > (not the starter motor) at terminal 50. > > It's powered through the ignition switch in the Golf GTI but the 4mm > wiring has me baffled. That's too much current to go through a > little ignition switch if the wire is sized for current capacity. > > So I assume it's sized to avoid voltage drop, which leaves me none > the wiser regarding the current actually drawn by the starter > solenoid. Why not put an ammeter in series? |
#4
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Starter solenoid current?
On 11/2/2011 3:45 AM, Bernd Felsche wrote:
> Something I don't know ... and can't seem to find out all that > easily. > > I'm trying to figure out the current draw by the starter solenoid, > (not the starter motor) at terminal 50. > > It's powered through the ignition switch in the Golf GTI but the 4mm > wiring has me baffled. That's too much current to go through a > little ignition switch if the wire is sized for current capacity. > > So I assume it's sized to avoid voltage drop, which leaves me none > the wiser regarding the current actually drawn by the starter > solenoid. I believe you will find there is a relay in the circuit. What year Golf is it? BTW, yes, it is a lot of current--more than one might expect. -- I'm never going to grow up. |
#5
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Starter solenoid current?
atec77 > wrote:
>On 2/11/2011 5:45 PM, Bernd Felsche wrote: >> Something I don't know ... and can't seem to find out all that >> easily. >> >> I'm trying to figure out the current draw by the starter solenoid, >> (not the starter motor) at terminal 50. >> >> It's powered through the ignition switch in the Golf GTI but the 4mm >> wiring has me baffled. That's too much current to go through a >> little ignition switch if the wire is sized for current capacity. >> >> So I assume it's sized to avoid voltage drop, which leaves me none >> the wiser regarding the current actually drawn by the starter >> solenoid. >Is it direct activation or relay switched ? Direct. 4mm wire from the battery to the switch and all the way back to the strater - via a couple of connections through the central electrics backplane. Madness. > usually a solenoid like that draws upwards of 8 or 10 amps possibly >more in a foulcan , doesn't the solenoid have to drive the engagement >mechanism? It has to start. Once it gets going, the contacts of the solenoid close and the tarter current runs a holding coil in parallel with the one powered through the key switch. -- /"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia \ / ASCII ribbon campaign | For every complex problem there is an X against HTML mail | answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. / \ and postings | --HL Mencken |
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Starter solenoid current?
"Clocky" > wrote:
>"Bernd Felsche" wrote >> I'm trying to figure out the current draw by the starter solenoid, >> (not the starter motor) at terminal 50. >> >> It's powered through the ignition switch in the Golf GTI but the 4mm >> wiring has me baffled. That's too much current to go through a >> little ignition switch if the wire is sized for current capacity. >> >> So I assume it's sized to avoid voltage drop, which leaves me none >> the wiser regarding the current actually drawn by the starter >> solenoid. >Why not put an ammeter in series? Because it could fry the poor thing ... Most multimeters maxo ut at 10 Amps. I suspect that it could be 30A, if not more. Bosch book says 30 to 70A, depending on the size of the starter. -- /"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia \ / ASCII ribbon campaign | For every complex problem there is an X against HTML mail | answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. / \ and postings | --HL Mencken |
#7
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Starter solenoid current?
PeterD > wrote:
>On 11/2/2011 3:45 AM, Bernd Felsche wrote: >> Something I don't know ... and can't seem to find out all that >> easily. >> >> I'm trying to figure out the current draw by the starter solenoid, >> (not the starter motor) at terminal 50. >> >> It's powered through the ignition switch in the Golf GTI but the 4mm >> wiring has me baffled. That's too much current to go through a >> little ignition switch if the wire is sized for current capacity. >> >> So I assume it's sized to avoid voltage drop, which leaves me none >> the wiser regarding the current actually drawn by the starter >> solenoid. >I believe you will find there is a relay in the circuit. What year >Golf is it? BTW, yes, it is a lot of current--more than one might >expect. 1990. There's 4mm wiring into and out of the ignition switch when I last had that part of the sah and steering column uncovered. Current flow diagrams (two sources) draw it as direct-wired. No relay. -- /"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia \ / ASCII ribbon campaign | For every complex problem there is an X against HTML mail | answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. / \ and postings | --HL Mencken |
#8
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Starter solenoid current?
On 11/2/2011 8:36 AM, Scotty wrote:
> I think that you are thinking of the starter motor current which can > easily reach 300amps. He is asking about the current draw of the actual > solenoid. No, I'm thinking the solenoid, which does draw more current that most people realize. > > theres two ways of easily testing the actual draw. Use an ammeter in > series (or clamp style) and test it, or use an ohmmeter to see what the > resistive load is and work it out that way @ 12v. > An ohmmeter would be less accurate due to the lower resistance, and would not provide a good indication of shorted turns (assuming that is his problem...) The best testing tool is a DC clampon meter, a tool that I find invaluable when diagnosing starter problems. > -- I'm never going to grow up. |
#9
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Starter solenoid current?
"Bernd Felsche" > wrote in message ... > PeterD > wrote: > >>On 11/2/2011 3:45 AM, Bernd Felsche wrote: >>> Something I don't know ... and can't seem to find out all that >>> easily. >>> >>> I'm trying to figure out the current draw by the starter solenoid, >>> (not the starter motor) at terminal 50. >>> >>> It's powered through the ignition switch in the Golf GTI but the 4mm >>> wiring has me baffled. That's too much current to go through a >>> little ignition switch if the wire is sized for current capacity. >>> >>> So I assume it's sized to avoid voltage drop, which leaves me none >>> the wiser regarding the current actually drawn by the starter >>> solenoid. > >>I believe you will find there is a relay in the circuit. What year >>Golf is it? BTW, yes, it is a lot of current--more than one might >>expect. > > 1990. There's 4mm wiring into and out of the ignition switch when I > last had that part of the sah and steering column uncovered. > > Current flow diagrams (two sources) draw it as direct-wired. > No relay. That would explain the 4mm. |
#10
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Starter solenoid current?
On 03/11/2011 1:31 AM, Bernd Felsche wrote:
> > wrote: >> "Bernd Felsche" wrote > >>> I'm trying to figure out the current draw by the starter solenoid, >>> (not the starter motor) at terminal 50. >>> >>> It's powered through the ignition switch in the Golf GTI but the 4mm >>> wiring has me baffled. That's too much current to go through a >>> little ignition switch if the wire is sized for current capacity. >>> >>> So I assume it's sized to avoid voltage drop, which leaves me none >>> the wiser regarding the current actually drawn by the starter >>> solenoid. > >> Why not put an ammeter in series? > > Because it could fry the poor thing ... > Most multimeters maxo ut at 10 Amps. > I suspect that it could be 30A, if not more. > Bosch book says 30 to 70A, depending on the size of the starter. That's a hell of a current to be going through the switch, it would be very unusual for there not to be a relay? Daryl |
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