At 22:27 6/24/2000, Bill Davidson wrote:
>So, my question is:
>Is it normal for the stock fridge relay actuator wires to get hot while the
>starter is working and drawing from the starter batter?

No.

>If not, what are the likely reasons that mine is doing so?

Lessee -- relay's wired like this:
D+-----86()()()()()()()()()()()85-------Ign Sw 50-------Starter 50()()()()Gnd

B+-----87--------/ *--------30-------B2+ (used to be fridge)

When engine is not running, D+ is ground.  When engine is being started, D+
might conceivably go pos, but the relay is grounded through the starter
solenoid, which is being pulled high by the starter switch.  I don't know
how the D+ terminal is wired inside the alternator, but the plain intent of
grounding through the starter solenoid is to prevent the relay closing
while cranking.

The wires feeding the fridge relay are .5mm/20 ga -- no way they could get
hot with the relay coil in circuit even if the relay draws an amp, which
I'm sure it doesn't.  Whatever is heating those wires up is not passing
through the relay coil.  I'd look for a short btw -- er -- I dunno.  I'm
probably being stupid, but I don't see a plausible way of miswiring or
shorting that arrangement that wouldn't give some strange results while the
engine was running.

So I'd likely chase around with an ohmmeter and/or trouble light with the
relay in and out of the socket, then if needed pull the distributor
connector and rig a remote start button, and start tracing current.

That's a headscratcher
david
David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"