Trunk solenoid giving me fits!!

I am on my 2nd trunk solenoid and for some reason the power wires have overheated and keep blowing fuses,the 2nd one I just installed the red wire from the fusebox has an inline fuse and it melted the wire going into the fuse holder but did not blow the inline fuse but blew the fuse from the fusebox which is powered off accessory,one forum says the power should be constant 12 volts,true? The trunk does not always release have most of you added a "popper" to raise the trunk?

 

I don't like traditional pull solenoids for the trunk. The one we put on a '54 merc was/is a pain in the butt. I like to use electronic actuators instead. Mine doesn't function as it should, but it just stays pulled, and won't close unless you pull the actuator back down. A happy accident for cooler access. Also, there should be less draw with an actuator.

 

are your fuses amperage matched, and are they the appropriate amperage for the solenoid?

if you're melting wires and blowing fuses you have a short.

the solenoid doesn't do anything until you command it via the switch.

the solenoid should be wired 12v constant so you can open the trunk without the key on.

 

What brand are the solenoids you are using?

 

What size wire. Sounds like the wire is too small.

 

I had trouble with the ''poppers'' not working....talked to some fellow kustomizers and they told me to switch over to the wormgear ones....never had trouble again....but I never had trouble with the wires over heating.....stan

 

I agree with Bishop on this. What size wire are you running also where is your solenoid mounted. If it is in the deck lid did you run a ground wire to the body for a good ground. You might not have a good ground otherwise over kill I know but you never know.

 

so would a relay help with set up being used?

 

Power wire will heat up if it cannot find a good ground & You Must use a relay for the power surge

 

the biggest problem with trunk solenoids is usually the fact that the trunk doesn't actually "pop" or release when the solenoid is energized, the trunk latch needs to "spring" out from its latched position just like the doors do. The relay needs to be a momentary contact so it doesn't stay engergized the whole time you push the button and burn wires/blow fuses. if your trunk isn't able to be lifted by hand after you push the button and you hear the solenoid click, then your latch isn't clearing the catch, you need to use a popper or some other way to "push" the latch free. My trunk rubber seal provides enough "push" to move my trunk latch away from the catch.

 

I have several spare relays that are 30/40 amp 4 prong units labeled 30,85,86.87 would like to see a diagram for using it with the solenoid.This diagram looks goofy as there is now no white wire and #86 is usually a ground,and it looks like 85 & 87 are spliced together and routed to the power in side of the actuator button,then the green wire coming out of the button is spliced into #30.

 

the relay terminals are as follows
#30- power feed from "hot" source
#85- relay coil ground
#86- relay coil hot
#87- normally open contact

so,
#30 is your powered hot from your switched source (this will allow power to pass through the relay when the relay is engergized and "exit" the relay via terminal #87 and power the solinoid
#85 is a ground for the relay coil
#86 is the line coming from the button you are using to energize the relay and provides power to the relay to energize the normally open contact between #30 and #87
#87 is the feed to the solinoid

you also need to ground the solinoid

 

See if I have this right,I need a 12 Volt constant going to #30,ground #85,so what terminal does the red wire with the inline fuse go to? I am confused as to what goes in and out of the button if 87 goes from the relay back to the solenoid.

 

The red wire with the inline fuse is for the trunk button. The #86 wire is from your remote starter device.

This diagram is not the best way of doing what you want.

If it were me, I would put 1n4001 diode in series with terminal #86 (banded end) and the wire. Then put another 1n4001 from pushbutton (green wire side) to terminal #86 (banded end). Remove the green wire from the solenoid, using only the blue wire from relay. This way the relay is used for either the pushbutton or remote starter device.

If you are only using the pushbutton, simply remove green wire from solenoid and attach to terminal #86. Make sure the blue wire goes from relay to solenoid. You would not need the remote starter wire going to #86.

Hope this helps.

 

Bought the door solenoid kits from Summit ...
the solenoids were not strong enough to do the job and the wires would get super hot when activated..
put starter solenoids in place of the ones supplied and all worked well..
the wires never even get warm...

 

What car make, model and year solenoids are you using?

As stated above you will need to use a relay as customrod48 described. d2_willys stated to use a couple diodes to give you the option to use a remote also. Very good advice from both.

 

#86 comes from one side of the button and attaches to #86, the other side of the button is fed from a 12v source. #86 (hot when button is pushed) and #85 energize the relay coil. This in turn closes the contacts inside the relay and completes the 12v circuit between #30 (hot feed in) and #87 (12v feed out to solinoid). This assumes using no remote. If you use a remote, your remote module needs to be hooked up such that when the remote in pushed, the relay inside your module completes the same circuit as the push button (terminal #86)

 

Bingo problem solved.

 

Good grounds, and a relay; The ones mentioned above are available anywhere,....I believe they're the Bosch type, and those are rated at 30 amp load capacity. If your trunk lid has the torsion bars, they are usually adjustable, to lift it just a bit when the latch is popped.

4TTRUK

 

Have you had a chance to check some of the items listed? Curious about what you have done?

 

I used a solenoid from a dodge mini van on a '41 chevy i had...

 

Yup. Simpler is better. Plus, I can still open my trunk when I've got the battery disconnected to work on something.

... or to get the jumper cables out of the trunk if the battery goes flat. That would be embarrassing.