Hello:
Thanks to all for your thoughts.
I ended up doing the reed relay trick. I used 12awg wire, 4 wraps around the
body of the relay. It flickers just a bit, then locks on and gets my
indicator lamp running. I didn't want to use less then 12awg wire as I was
afraid of getting in trouble (the original cable is 10 awg). I could only
get 4 wraps, so I went with that......


"jon doe" wrote in message
...
Hi:
Looking for a simple circuit idea that will tell us when a 12V DC load is
activated. This is a critical load so we don't want to do anything that
will
make it unreliable. The circuit just has to activate a tiny relay when the
load is going. Any ideas?
Thanks

On Tue, 7 Mar 2006 18:33:53 -0500, "jon doe" wrote:

Hello:
Thanks to all for your thoughts.
I ended up doing the reed relay trick. I used 12awg wire, 4 wraps around the
body of the relay. It flickers just a bit, then locks on and gets my
indicator lamp running. I didn't want to use less then 12awg wire as I was
afraid of getting in trouble (the original cable is 10 awg). I could only
get 4 wraps, so I went with that......


"jon doe" wrote in message
...
Hi:
Looking for a simple circuit idea that will tell us when a 12V DC load is
activated. This is a critical load so we don't want to do anything that
will
make it unreliable. The circuit just has to activate a tiny relay when the
load is going. Any ideas?
Thanks



Glad it worked OK.
Two comments
1 A length of a smaller gauge rated to breaker would have had little
effect on voltage drop. (Compare to pump leads).
1 A length of 12 awg enamelled wire would have completely solved your
turns worries.

Its a neat trick for your type of application.
I originally read of it (about 40 years ago) as a bulb failure
indicator for cars.

Richard

Nb "Pound Eater" Parkend G+S
Please remove your hat when replying

Thanks Richard


"Electricky Dicky" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 7 Mar 2006 18:33:53 -0500, "jon doe" wrote:

Hello:
Thanks to all for your thoughts.
I ended up doing the reed relay trick. I used 12awg wire, 4 wraps around
the
body of the relay. It flickers just a bit, then locks on and gets my
indicator lamp running. I didn't want to use less then 12awg wire as I
was
afraid of getting in trouble (the original cable is 10 awg). I could only
get 4 wraps, so I went with that......


"jon doe" wrote in message
...
Hi:
Looking for a simple circuit idea that will tell us when a 12V DC load
is
activated. This is a critical load so we don't want to do anything that
will
make it unreliable. The circuit just has to activate a tiny relay when
the
load is going. Any ideas?
Thanks



Glad it worked OK.
Two comments
1 A length of a smaller gauge rated to breaker would have had little
effect on voltage drop. (Compare to pump leads).
1 A length of 12 awg enamelled wire would have completely solved your
turns worries.

Its a neat trick for your type of application.
I originally read of it (about 40 years ago) as a bulb failure
indicator for cars.

Richard

Nb "Pound Eater" Parkend G+S
Please remove your hat when replying

I have used this trick to turn on a hour meter, indicating the timer
the boat fridge compressor has run. Works well.
Klaus