Relay for light and fan

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brother

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After reading another thread, (cant remember the name of it), I got to thinking about a set up I had. I was wondering if it was code compliant.

I had a 10 amp relay installed to run a bath fan off a timer and also off the light switch when they turn it on, and i also put a 10 amp inline fuse ahead of it. Its off a 15 amp breaker at the panel though.

I know there wont be any other load added, and just as extra insurance i used an inline fuse. the most amps this 10 amp relay would see is maybe 2 amps. My question is, is this code compliant to do this when the main ocpd is 15 amps??
 
Good question. My guess is that the relay contacts only need to be as large as the load connected to them. Same reason we can use a 15 amp snap switch on a 20 amp lighting circuit with a 15 amp or less load.
 
Unless its your own house i see this as future service call someday.Not something average home owner would think to check.No real value in it.Only way the contacts would burn up is if they had a 10 + load for long time.Motor wires would burn out far faster than contacts.I just think its a bad idea.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
Unless its your own house i see this as future service call someday.Not something average home owner would think to check.No real value in it.Only way the contacts would burn up is if they had a 10 + load for long time.Motor wires would burn out far faster than contacts.I just think its a bad idea.
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I hear you what your sayings, I just wish i could find that other thread where i think it was 'georgestoltz' that did something similar and someone emphasized about needing an inline fuse. As a habit, i label stuff anyways, and Yes this is a place of mine. So even if i had sold the place the panel and the j box is marked that has the inline fuse.

You right about the motor in the bath fan would probably trip the overload before anything would happen. the lighting end i could see a short possible (even though VERY REMOTE) would may be the main issue since the 15 amp breaker would need to trip to clear it. do you not agree?? It just seems the ice cube relay would go bad before the breaker reacts, even though i could be wrong.

With the inline fuse it was just an extra insurance. I was just concerned about being code compliant.
 
brother said:
I hear you what your sayings, I just wish i could find that other thread where i think it was 'georgestoltz' that did something similar and someone emphasized about needing an inline fuse. As a habit, i label stuff anyways, and Yes this is a place of mine. So even if i had sold the place the panel and the j box is marked that has the inline fuse.

You right about the motor in the bath fan would probably trip the overload before anything would happen. the lighting end i could see a short possible (even though VERY REMOTE) would may be the main issue since the 15 amp breaker would need to trip to clear it. do you not agree?? It just seems the ice cube relay would go bad before the breaker reacts, even though i could be wrong.

With the inline fuse it was just an extra insurance. I was just concerned about being code compliant.
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The breaker would need go way past 15 unless hard short.I can understand not wanting to replace it.I just thinking a power surge might cause false blow,hope its easy to get to.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
The breaker would need go way past 15 unless hard short.I can understand not wanting to replace it.I just thinking a power surge might cause false blow,hope its easy to get to.
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Its easy enuff.

I found it!! heres that thread its called "Controlling a panel with a relay"
http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=98995&page=2

They actually mentioned about having an inline fuse for the relay, basically similar to what i did here.
 
I have put up some lights with in line fuses,

But, I can't understand why you need the relay.
Isn't the timer rated for fans, too?
 
benaround said:
brother,

So if they leave the switch on the fan will work, or, it will only work for a

preset amount of time, ie. the timer.
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Its actually both. Anytime they turn on the switch, the fan AND the light will come on. During the day, however even when they are NOT turning on the switch at a set time the fan (not the light) will come on for 30 minutes and then turn off via the timer.
 
brother,

I think it's a code compliant install, I also think that it is a good way to get

the dampness out, but what really impressed me is that you actually put a

plan together and did it.
 
brother said:
well since the relay is only rated for 10 amps and its a 15 amp breaker that is feeding this circuit, I just thought the relay had to be protected at its rated value or less even though the only load on it is the fan and light which is about 2 amps.
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I don't see a need for an inline switch. A 15 amp switch, as infinity pointed out, can be installed on a 20 amp circuit without the need of an inline fuse.
 
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