[TR] Strange TR3 OD issue

[Randall]

---- Alexander Delis <ols at bcdef.net> wrote: 

> Works fine with the new relay

FWIW, I found that the relay lasts much longer if you add a suppression diode across the solenoid (from the relay output terminal to ground).  Before adding the diode, the relays were going intermittent within just a year or two, regardless of whether I used an expensive reproduction relay or a cheap automotive relay.  That has to be 20 years ago now, and the same cheap relay has been working fine ever since.

Too soon to say if it will help or not; but when the pull-in contacts inside the solenoid failed recently, I added a diode there, too.

These are just cheap 1N4004 diodes from Radio Shack.  A 3-pack is $1.50; I got 25 of them for $3.50.

Randall