6v relay
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Relays
Forum Discription: Relay Diagrams, SPDT Relays, SPST Relays, DPDT Relays, Latching Relays, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=117407
Printed Date: July 13, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Topic: 6v relay
Posted By: snoftalll
Subject: 6v relay
Date Posted: November 01, 2009 at 7:08 PM
Here is my question. If I connect a 6V relay to 12V, will it fail? I searched and searched and could not find an answer to this question! Thanks,
Replies:
Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: November 01, 2009 at 7:38 PM
Yes it will fail. If you have 2 of them, you can wire the coils in series to make it a 12 volt relay.
Posted By: KPierson
Date Posted: November 01, 2009 at 9:43 PM
I will occasionally run a 5vdc relay with a 100 ohm resistor in series with the coil on a 12vdc system and I've never had one fail.
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Kevin Pierson
Posted By: howie ll
Date Posted: November 02, 2009 at 3:00 AM
The point is it's only the coil voltage that's important, NC (87a), NO 87 and common (30) are normally listed in the specs along with amperage. E.g. 6amps at 250 volts.
Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: November 02, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Find out the solenoid's/coil's resistance.
The get the closest resistor and connect it in series with the solenoid. .
EG - if 60 Ohm, get a 1 Watt 56 or 68 Ohm resistor.
If 160 Ohm - get say a 1/2 Watt 150 (else 180) Ohm resistor.
As above, contacts for 6V & 12V don't matter - it's their curent rating that count.
FYI - resistor wattage rating is VxV/R where V = voltage across resistor (say 6V; assume up to 7-8V in 12V vehicles) and R = resistance.
EG - 6x6/60 = 36/60 = 0.6W rounded up to 1W.
6x6/160 = 0.225W, but use 1/2W minimum resistor (physically robust etc).
Or worst cases: 8Vx8V/60R & 160R = 1.06W & 0.4W; so 1W & 0.5W should be fine.
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