linear actuators, hood, 98 camaro

first time messing with big dog actuators like this. basically, the hood raises from windshield side and stands perp to the grille. i have 2 actuators, 2 wires each. i used a 451m, wired to battery and using 2 aux channels from a viper 5901. hood goes up and down no problem, until it latches. once it latched shut, it wouldnt open. i hear the relay contact click, but nothing from the actuators. they are 500lb each, idk how many amps i need for them to operate normally? im thinking the relays arent strong enough to handle the current required to lift the hood from the latch (whereas hooking straight to battery works fine), but i can't think of any way to do the polarity switching besides a relay... any input greatly appreciated

If ,when you hook the actuators directly to the battery everything works fine then you are losing voltage and amps from lacluster wiring. You should know how many amps those can draw at maximum load before you start. Then wire appropriately. Evry time you put something in the way( relays, switches....) you will have a voltage drop. We see this all the time. You need specific electrical load data FIRST.The RIGHT way is the ONLY way.

i ended up switching to 2 20/30 bosch relays, wired the same way and its working fine. 451m must not handle the current... anyways i have one more dilemma. right now, the only way to raise the hood is thru the aux on the 5901 remote. i want to run a set of wires to the back of the car (near second battery) so that if the relays fail or remote dies or whatever, that he can still wire these to battery to raise hood. what im having a hard time figuring out is how to isolate the output wiring of the relays from the backup set i'm running to the rear of the car. if i just tap into the motor outputs on the relays, and connect to battery, it will short 87a to ground (i think?). so my best guess is add a toggle switch to activate another relay which would cut ground (87a) from the original relays and let the backup set operate normally. should i be concerned about adding another relay on the ground path of the motors though? another idea i was researching would be a "stud" diode that can block up to 70 amps, but ive never used or had the need to even think about a diode that strong. and i think that may be completely unnecessary...

and i just realized that you're in VA too. whereabouts? im doing this camaro in fredericksburg, i work at the best buy in stafford marketplace

451 is good for about 20amps peak MOMENTARILY. That 15 amp fuse should be a clue, I wouldn't even use 451 for 4 after market lock actuators.

i work for a rod resto shop in norfolk. Here is my other thought. I am currently working on a customers 32 ford with a trunk actuated electrically. when you do a hood or a trunk, especially where the battery is, you need some sort of remote terminals( for dead battery) or a back up, BUT, BUT, what most fail to think about is a complete malfunction of the motor itself, even with proper voltage. ( a broken mechanical part). Now you have a different situation. I always try to engineer the mechanism so that i can get to it to unbolt it and still lift the hood or trunk. This can be quite a challenging series of brainstorming sessions. usually involves bolting things from another direction or with quick release clevis pins on lanyards. you pick but think about it. i have had to destroy a fiberglass cars trunk because the guy that built it bolted the actuators forn the trunk and when the motor went out even with the seat removed i was on the wrong side of the panel. cost 2000.00 in new upholstered panels which i drilled through to get to the bolts and then repaired the fiberglass. wow what a little pre planning would have done for this customer.The RIGHT way is the ONLY way.

Absolutely, X 2.

Too bad someone couldn't design a release like you have on your Garage door.

John DeRosa (Hotwaterwizard)

Stockton California

When in doubt, try it out !