Do I need a relay on my softwash 12v pump if I have a 40 amp breaker? I don’t know squat about electrical and I’m trying to get my YouTube degree for my project.
Depends on how you wire it. If you interrupt the positive circuit with a switch that’s fine as long as the switch itself is rated for the amps the pump will draw. To wire it, install a ground from battery to pump and positive from battery—breaker/fuse—switch—pump
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Should the ground go through the same breaker as the positive line?
No. You should do a little more 12 volt studying before you wire it up. I was a heavy equipment mechanic for a long time so I did a lot of 12 volt and can help you the best I can
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Bill, You’re overthinking it. First, no need to run the 12v pump thru the 40amp breaker. Get a piece of 14gauge wire, put terminals on one end to connect to battery and connect wire to the 2 small wires (usually 16ga) coming off pump. If you want a switch, then cut your hot wire and run it thru the switch. Done. My pumps have a inline fuse on the wire coming off pump.
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I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can but I keep find conflicting info. Plus every picture I see of someone’s setup is different than the next.
I agree I am probably over complicating it. I thought I needed a fuse at a minimum if not a breaker. The pump in a box has a fuse and a relay. Is the relay because they have a fan in the box? You said run the positive from the battery to the positive wire and ground wire from the pump? Connect them to the same positive wire from the pump? Shouldn’t the pump negative go back to the battery? Also I wanted to run everything from a busbar.
I am a complete novice to this.
I like the schematic.
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Is that a 15A switch and a 25A pump?
This video might help you.
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Very helpful explaining how a relay works. Thanks
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Yes, that will work except you want the fuse between switch and pump.
Here’s a quick pic I just snapped of my bleach pump. It’s a NT 5.5 gpm. Notice it comes with fuse and has the end that plugs into it’s counterpart like you asked about in other post with just the switch and clamps for battery.
Now on my truck and trailer I cut those funky plugs off and just use insulated connectors like shown here. I put males on the incoming wire from battery and females on the pump side. If your Delavan doesn’t have a fuse already in the short pieces of wire coming off pump, then you can buy inline fuse holder at any hardware or auto supply place. Just tie it in to your + and then connect with disconnects to your incoming power wire.
Link to pic of quick connects - get the insulated ones to protect or just coat with dielectric grease.
You can buy them separate but they’re always in any set of connectors you buy.
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