BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Gene Obie on February 09, 2021, 04:47:50 PM
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Any recommendations for replacement parts for the 5 pin K relays in the front fuse bay? Is there a better marine grade that folks use? I'm battling some moisture that gets into that front bay driving on wet roads and need to figure out where it's coming in.
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Moisture in my front run bay came from the big conduit used for wire entry (back wall. top). A mechanic crawled under there and emptied a can of foam caulk, not a drop since. Any relay will do once you stop the moisture. Might try West Marine for a relay.....
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I found these on amazon, Fastronix 40/60A Waterproof Relay 6 Pack.
Hopefully this helps, they seem to be very well constructed.
good luck!
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My bay would get 2” of water in it after rains, while just parked here by the house. Despite my BCS advisor saying the windshield seal wouldn’t leak, I finally cleaned the seal and brow above the glass, and filled the extensive cracks in the rubber up there and down the streetside edge with Lexel. Many years hence the bay has stayed dry. Water must’ve found it’s way behind the seal and run down the inside of the cap and/or sidewall and to the opening for the wire loom(s) in the bay ceiling. In spite of expanded foam in that hole, there were barely seen water droplets hanging from the loom/hole/foam on occasion, which led my suspicions to the windshield seal, several feet directly above the loom hole. I was going out after every heavy rain and having to sponge out the bay floor. Over an Oregon winter that routine got old.
I also cleaned the pins and tubes inside the big cylindrical connectors where there was a smidge of blue copper corrosion, and used bulb grease on them. I sprayed Corrosion-X on all exposed metal and connections too. The standing water was no friend to the whiteboard backing in there either, which swelled and cracked around screws. But kept dry since, it has been stable. The Smartwheel module is low in the bay and I’m lucky it didn’t quite get dunked, and stayed fine.
Joel
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Gene
As Joel said the water can come from above the bay through the wall beside the driver on my coach the water was entering at the seam between the front cap and the side wall.
Mine as many others had been sealed at the edges of the trim moulding covering the cap to wall seam .
When I finally broke down and removed that trim moulding I was amazed to find that trim moulding covering a 1/4 inch gap which had been factory sealed with what looks a white Dicor no sag. sealant which over time had cracked and was allowing water from the roof runoff to run right down into the wall and on down into the electrical bay through where the wires go down from the dash to the electrical bay.
Hope this helps
Eric
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Hi Gene,
The relays on my coach are the Bosch 0-332-209-137 or 0-332-209-138 relays. These relays have the following characteristics:
12 VDC 50 AMPS SPDT
SUPPRESSION RESISTOR
5 PIN
160 MA COIL
PULL IN 8 V
DROP OUT 1.2-5 V
One of the most important attributes is that suppression resistor. It's similar to a flyback diode in that it helps reduce electrical noise from collapsing magnetic field when the circuit opens on the control line. Not all relays have that, so make sure that any replacement you get does. Otherwise you could encounter electrical issues later.
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Thanks all for the great info on the relay and wet bay. Always amazes me how these various design defects are so common across the group.