Hatch Actuator Help

[Craig]

After almost a year, I'm ready to go boating again I have two electric rams on the hatch. Both have always been slow and one lagged. Then one wouldn't work at all. I pulled it out and hooked it direct to a battery. It works and goes faster than ever. I guess it the way it's wired from the dash.Wires too small, no relay. Anyone know what relay to use and how to wire it to the hatch switch I want to boat again!

Another suggestion I got over in the Lounge was increase the wire size to the dash. My wire is a smaller gauge. I know relays basically run a heavier power supply directly from a battery and then to the motor. The dash switch is then just a signal wire now to close the circuit at the relay. But on a hatch actuator, you just reverse wires to change directio of the ram. How would you wire a relay since they typically only have one power out? Otr do you run a relay for each direction? BUt then how do you deal with the ground?

[BDMar]

Sorry for the delayed response. We have been going 24/7 getting boats ready for Desert Storm and the Eliminator regatta this weekend. I test the last one tromorrow and everything should get back to normal barring any problems.
The motor in your hatch actuator needs switched polarity to change directions. We have never done it with 2 relays... I THINK it would take 4 to switch the ground and positive??? We have always run 10 gauge wire for the ground and hot to the dash and back to the actuator and that has always solved the problem. It is a pain to make them all fit at the switch but the actuator will love it.

[Rexone]

I've done it and it does take 4 relays if you're going with the standard type starter relay. We used to do it with 2 in the relay boxes we used to make but as I posted on pb the relay quality was not consistent and we had a number of failures, hence we stopped making them.

My preference is the 10 ga wire like Brian suggests. Less shit to fail and it works. Simple = better, for me anyway. :)

[Craig]

Yeah, the wire route looks easier. I pulled the switch out of the dash and looked at the connections. It is rather small gauge wire. I'll have to pull the side panel to run the wires. But I was going to do that anyway to run a bigger hot for the stereo. Two birds with one stone. Thanks to all for the help. :beer