• Mustang Forums
  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
  • Classic Mustang Specific Tech

How to: 12v Relay

  • Thread starter Thread starter xoxbxfx
  • Start date Start date Oct 4, 2007
Prev
  • 1
  • 2
First Prev 2 of 2

xoxbxfx

Founding Member
May 9, 2001
3,959
0
0
Southlake, TX
Oct 18, 2007
#21
  • Oct 18, 2007
  • #21
BottleFed70 said:
For your needs:

Key switched power goes to pin 85
Temp switch goes to pin 86
fused + 12V directly from battery goes to pin 30
fan motor (+12V) goes to pin 87

With this wiring, the fan will only come on when the key is turned on AND the temperature switch is also on.
Click to expand...

not to bash your skillz...but are you sure?

Here is a pdf of a negative trigger relay setup I found for an alarm...should work on the same principal. I was questioning myself so I googled it... It should be setup like the 2nd example.

http://www.koolglo.com/BOSCH1.pdf
 
N

norcalsvt

Member
May 4, 2004
88
0
6
San Francisco,CA
Oct 18, 2007
#22
  • Oct 18, 2007
  • #22
Even after doing searching I have come across a few different ways to wire the relay. Not sure which one to use. Maybe I'll just have to do both & see which one turns the fan On/Off correctly & if the fan is running which one will shut the fan off with the ignition off
 

xoxbxfx

Founding Member
May 9, 2001
3,959
0
0
Southlake, TX
Oct 18, 2007
#23
  • Oct 18, 2007
  • #23
norcalsvt said:
Even after doing searching I have come across a few different ways to wire the relay. Not sure which one to use. Maybe I'll just have to do both & see which one turns the fan On/Off correctly & if the fan is running which one will shut the fan off with the ignition off
Click to expand...

Im really thinking my way is correct...you really got me thinking. You want a ground to trigger... so a ground closes the relay on, where normally a hot does... so that means your trigger (86) is ground.

You want to send a ground to your fan since its negative trigger. This means your hot source goes from the battery directly to the fan. When the relay closes, it sends the ground out to the fan and completes the circuit. So 87 is ground, and normally this is +.

If you put a hot source on 30, its going to try and pass a hot source through 87 like it normally would. So you would want 30 to be a ground to complete the ground circuit.

So 85 is where the + source goes.
 

Tim65GT

Active Member
Feb 24, 2004
1,149
2
39
West Texas
Oct 19, 2007
#24
  • Oct 19, 2007
  • #24
Trying to wire in a relay with a temperature on/off switch. The switch is supposed to turn the fan on @185* & OFF @170*. It is supposed to ground by screwing into the intake. the switch has one connector on top.Don't have the relay wiring anymore, so trying to make my own. As far as the relay wiring, would I connect 12v power from the battery to 30, temperature switch to 86, ground to 85, & fan motor to 87. If this is correct will the fan turn off when the ignition is off? It seems like I am missing a switch power source. Where should this connect on the relay?
Click to expand...

It won't work like this. You have ground across both sides of the coil.

by Bottlefed:

Key switched power goes to pin 85
Temp switch goes to pin 86
fused + 12V directly from battery goes to pin 30
fan motor (+12V) goes to pin 87

With this wiring, the fan will only come on when the key is turned on AND the temperature switch is also on.
Click to expand...

This will work.
 
F

ForceFed70

That's why they call it "dope"
Founding Member
Dec 6, 1999
4,818
1
69
BC Canada
Oct 19, 2007
#25
  • Oct 19, 2007
  • #25
xoxbxfx said:
not to bash your skillz...but are you sure?

Here is a pdf of a negative trigger relay setup I found for an alarm...should work on the same principal. I was questioning myself so I googled it... It should be setup like the 2nd example.

http://www.koolglo.com/BOSCH1.pdf
Click to expand...


Yes I'm sure.

I think you are getting confused with how the relay coil works. It doesn't have a polarity. So long as there is 12v across the coil, it will throw the relay. If you look at a wiring schematic for a relay you will notice that polaritys arn't marked... that's because it doesn't matter. He could reverse the wires going to pins 85 and 86 and it would still work.
 

xoxbxfx

Founding Member
May 9, 2001
3,959
0
0
Southlake, TX
Oct 19, 2007
#26
  • Oct 19, 2007
  • #26
BottleFed70 said:
Yes I'm sure.

I think you are getting confused with how the relay coil works. It doesn't have a polarity. So long as there is 12v across the coil, it will throw the relay. If you look at a wiring schematic for a relay you will notice that polaritys arn't marked... that's because it doesn't matter. He could reverse the wires going to pins 85 and 86 and it would still work.
Click to expand...

right on... thanks for teachin me something.
 

valley82

Member
May 16, 2005
204
2
19
San Diega, Ca.
Oct 19, 2007
#27
  • Oct 19, 2007
  • #27
Yes, the coil needs one side hot (or +) and the other side ground (or -).
this will activate the relay (normally open "n.o." switch "contacts" will close while the normally closed "n.c." switch "contacts" will open).
In it's most basic form, you flip a switch on your dash "closing the circuit" letting the positive "+" electricity flow to the relay coil. The relay coil energizes activating the relay, any loads "lights, stereo, underdash lights, etc..." on the n.o. terminals of the relay get power "turn on" while any loads on the n.c. terminals loose power "turn off".
Hope this helps???
Think of electricity as if it was water, the wires are the pipes that carry the water, and the switches, relays as the valves (they stop the flow or let it flow). The switches are called out when in the non powered state. n.c.-normally closed (power will flow through when the relay is not powered)...n.o.-normally open (power will flow through when the relay is powered.
 
N

norcalsvt

Member
May 4, 2004
88
0
6
San Francisco,CA
Oct 19, 2007
#28
  • Oct 19, 2007
  • #28
Ok. Finally reached a consensus. I will go with 85 Switched 12V- 86 Temp Switch- 87 +Side of Fan- &30 12V from battery w/inline fuse. Thanks for everyones help.
 
Prev
  • 1
  • 2
First Prev 2 of 2
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Resolved Holley terminator integration into CCRM
  • BrandonMP
  • Feb 25, 2026
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Replies
1
Views
275
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech Feb 27, 2026
BrandonMP
1
Electrical 1985 mustang gt Led conversion trouble
  • 1985fox
  • Jan 5, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
10
Views
642
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Jan 15, 2026
1985fox
1
M
Electrical 1989 mustang dash lights
  • Mustang_65-87
  • May 9, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
12
Views
1K
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 24, 2025
Mustang_65-87
M
82 Gen 1 Coyote Swap AC Questions...
  • thinkfaster
  • Aug 14, 2025
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
Replies
1
Views
379
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- Aug 15, 2025
thinkfaster
68 horn and turn signals stopped working
  • connella08
  • Sep 10, 2025
  • Classic Mustang Specific Tech
Replies
1
Views
322
Classic Mustang Specific Tech Sep 10, 2025
Noobz347
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
  • Classic Mustang Specific Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?