XPost: uk.d-i-y   
   From: allsortsnotthisbit@howhill.com   
      
   On Sat, 23 Nov 2013 17:48:43 -0000, Gefreiter Krueger wrote:   
      
   > Anyway, it worked fine for a year, then the relay started behaving like   
   > the old bi-metallic strip thermostat - it arced when switched off, and   
   > took ages to do so, making an alarming noise.   
      
   Bi-metalic thermostats are renown for not operating quickly and   
   sitting there partially open with and arc sometimes for many seconds.   
   Sort of surprised a mains relay has developed what appears to be the   
   same problem, maybe the small, inevitable, arc when switch a motor   
   has damaged the contacts sufficiently for the gap not to be large   
   enough quick enough to break the arc and it damages the contacts even   
   more...   
      
   When switching reactive loads, like motors, you need to look at the   
   spec of your relay to see how badly it is derated. Contacts rated for   
   240 V AC 10A resistive load may well fall to 1 A with reactive loads.   
      
   --   
   Cheers   
   Dave.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)