NOT enough current?
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Security and Convenience
Forum Discription: Car Alarms, Keyless Entries, Remote Starters, Immobilizer Bypasses, Sensors, Door Locks, Window Modules, Heated Mirrors, Heated Seats, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=244
Printed Date: July 22, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Topic: NOT enough current?
Posted By: ogb1
Subject: NOT enough current?
Date Posted: April 05, 2002 at 10:13 AM
Hey, I got everything installed and working properly, thanks for your guys help. But i ran into a problem yestarday. I was using my power windows, 2 of them. And all of a sudden they stop working and the radio goes out. I pulled over to see what was wrong, but then my car wouldnt start. I had thought that i shorted or burnt out the ignition or something, but i later found at, it just busted a fuse under the hood. It was labeled AM1 or AM2, i forgot. It was a 40 amp.
I talked to some people about it, and they said it wasnt caused by a short, it was caused because the power windows were drawing too much current out of my ignition wire. The ignition wire that i tapped into that goes to my switches and eventually to my power windows, is the same ignition wire used to go to alarm starter kill relay. It is a relatively thin wire.
So what caused the fuse to blow?? My friend told me to just add a relay to the ignition wire, so it doesnt have to handle the load of the power windows. He said to use the ignition as the trigger, ground, constant 12v, and the output of the relay to my switches. Will this solve the problem that i just had??
thanks!
Replies:
Posted By: ogb1
Date Posted: April 05, 2002 at 10:17 AM
And where should i be fusing the relay and my power windows? Should i place one on the 12v constant both before the relay and before my car battery?? Should i place one between the ignition wire and the relay? Do i need one between the output of my relay, and the switches? Do i need one between my switches and my power windows?? Let me know, thanks a lot!
Posted By: the12volt
Date Posted: April 06, 2002 at 8:17 AM
Hi ogb1, adding a relay should solve your problem. Connect terminal #85 to ignition, #86 to ground, #87 to 12V+ (fused within 18 inches of the battery), and #30 to the power lead of your power windows. the12volt
Posted By: ogb1
Date Posted: April 06, 2002 at 10:28 PM
OK, i hooked up the relay like how it was suggested in the "NOT enough current???" thread. It works fine, SOMETIMES. Now i pop the 30 amp fuses that i placed on the 12v from my battery to the relay that i just added. SO this means i have a short somewhere right?? The power windows shouldn't be drawing more then 30 amps right??? One thing that is strange is that, when the fuse blows, my sirens go on..... but not very loud, they are very faint, but they stay on even if the car is moving, until i arm and unarm the alarm. It did this when i first hooked up the relay and tried to test it, but i didnt put the fuse at the battery in yet. Did i hook up the relay wrong?? Does it matter whether 85 or 86 is grounded?? I can give more details about how my windows and switches are wired up, if u need them. BUT right now: 1) fuse on power wire going to relay that i just hooked up, is blowing, when i use the power window switches. 2) once fuse blows, sirens go off, but very faint. 3) there is no short at the switch, maybe a short somewhere along the way. So is something shorting along the way, or are my relays hooked up wrong?? PLEASE HELP!!! thanks a lot!
Posted By: the12volt
Date Posted: April 06, 2002 at 11:09 PM
Hi ogb1, the power windows should not effect your alarm or siren at all. Double check all your connections. The output from the relay (#30) should only be connected to the power lead of the window switches and nothing else. Make sure the ground from the switches is connected to nothing else but a solid chassis ground. Check that each motor lead is connected properly at the switch. If you can't find the cause of the problem, post exactly what you have each lead of the relay, power window switches, and motors connected to. the12volt
Posted By: ogb1
Date Posted: April 06, 2002 at 11:29 PM
The ground from the switches shares a ground with the relay i just added.... i dont know if that is a problem or not?? do i need to ground it seperately?? I have checked all the connections at the switches and at the relays. For the relay i just added.... i have it hooked up the following way:
#87 12v constant
#30 output to power window switches
#86 from oem ignition wire
#85 grounded to same wire that is going to power window switches Power windows:
both leads from each power window goes to its own dpdt momentary rocker switch
then i have the wire from #30 of the relay above, going to opposite ends on the dpdt switch
then i have ground going to the opposite ends on the switch as well.
thats how my power window system is hooked up right now. For the window module, i just tapped into the existing setup. Which i believe is working fine. I also have a window module use to roll up both windows. Those work fine and do not blow any fuses and have always worked fine. To get those to work i used a "positve rest at neutral" relay system. I was very careful in doing all my wiring, i wrapped every piece of wire, fully in electrical tape. I do not believe that it is a short somewhere along the way. the windows do work fine sometimes, but all of a sudden, it will blow the fuse. I believe the problem is in the relays that i hooked up. ONE QUESTION, that i've been stuck on, did my Car fuse, AM1, in my engine compartment, blow because of a short or because i overloaded the ignition wire?? If it was because i overloaded the ignition wire, then the most likely problem, is in the relay that i just hooked up. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!!!
Posted By: the12volt
Date Posted: April 06, 2002 at 11:54 PM
The switches seem to be sending 12V+ to ground or vice versa when used and could be caused by the other relays you said you added to get the window module to work. Described in detail how you have the window module and additional "positive rest at neutral" relay system wired with your window switches and motors. the12volt
Posted By: ogb1
Date Posted: April 07, 2002 at 11:51 AM
ok, after i wired up the switches for my power windows, i hooked up the window module in the following way: a-> UP Module Left Motor - went to left motor side
b-> UP Module Left Switch - went to left swtich side
c-> UP Module Right motor - went to right motor side
d-> UP Module Right switch - went to right switch side
i-> UP Module 12V (Constant)
k-> UP Module Activation Input - went to armed out (-) trigger of alarm
l-> UP Module Starter Kill Output - went to starter kill relay
m-> UP Module Ground
I think the above covered all of the connections for the module. Then i added relays in the following manner: 
When i first hooked everything up, it worked for a couple weeks, no i've been running into this problems, thanks for ur help!
Posted By: ogb1
Date Posted: April 07, 2002 at 12:21 PM
can the relays i have hooked up for the window module, really affect my power window and switches?? i thought that the module is basically a pass thru, when they arent being used or activited? Also i thought that the relays i have hooked up for the window modules arent working, until the window module activates them as well?? let me know, thanks!
Posted By: hot_shot_guy123
Date Posted: April 07, 2002 at 12:41 PM
Looking at the diagram (if this is how you hooked up everything exactly) are you supposed to have pin 30 and 86 together? I've never done a window module so this is new to me?
Posted By: ogb1
Date Posted: April 07, 2002 at 1:49 PM
yes, i hooked it up exactly like this, and i got this off cliffords website, so i am assuming the relays are shown correctly???
Posted By: ogb1
Date Posted: April 07, 2002 at 2:37 PM
ok... i've been playing around with it some more.... the fuse only blows when i use the left power window switch GOING DOWN......... not up. an i noticed something weird. When i press the up switch, on either window, i can hear the clicking sound from the relays near my alarm brain and window module. But on the down part, of either window, i only hear the clicking on the left swtich, which is the switch that blows my fuse. OK, now the fuse will only blow if i press my dpdt momentary rocker switch halfway down. I mean..... as long as i fully depress the switch, the fuse doesnt blow.... only when i kind of hold it in the middle of on-off posistion. I hope that tells you guys something, and u can help me with my problem! Could it be a bad relay or a bad switch?? my window modules still work correctly. let me know, thanks!
Posted By: 2DamnLoud
Date Posted: April 08, 2002 at 9:45 PM
you need to ditch the window mod and get a dei 530T, controls 2 windows in both directions, all internal relays, i've installed many of these, they work great.
Posted By: the12volt
Date Posted: April 09, 2002 at 10:45 AM
Hi ogb1, it's possible you may have a bad switch if only one switch causes it to blow sometimes and all works fine otherwise, including the window module, but I'd start fresh and if the output of the switches to each motor rest at ground (most aftermarket switches do), you will not need to add relays for your window module. BTW, what switches are you using? Here's a typical window module diagram. https://www.the12volt.com/carsecurity/page6.asp#wm The only differences between yours and the one shown, besides controlling more than two windows in one direction, may be wire colors and type of activation lead, otherwise the connections to the switches and motors will be the same if the motor leads rest at ground through the switch. Also, I'd still use a relay energized by the ignition to provide power from the battery to the switches. If you don't get it figured out or if you need anything else, let us know. the12volt
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