Ok.. Here's the current setup. I'll be using a JBL 600.1 and a Clarion Power APX401.4.. I'm planning on building a Plexiglass amp rack for them and I'll need to use some cooling fans. Do you think I could hook up two cooling fans (would that be enough?)to my remote turn on wire or would I need a relay to do all this?

My HU is a Pioneer DEH740MP.. FYI.

 

You DEFINETLY need a relay. Cooling fans draw at least 100ma a piece and your remote wire was designed to handle maybe 10ma tops. Use a relay or you will fry it.

 

Your remote deck wire is meant to handle 500mAh. Even still, I wouldn't trust it with 2 cooling fans.
To fry the actual remote wire would probably need constant 2+ amp draw. LOL

 

How did ya figure out you needed a relay ? and not be sure if ya needed it ?

SHY

 

I wondered the same thing.

As for the earlier thing about frying the remote line, most decks have protection. I have overloaded the remote wire on 2 HU's

The first was a short. All it did was it popped the ACC fuse. Fixed the short, replaced the fuse and everything operated normally - nothing fried.

The second one was on my current Kenwood. Ironically, I overloaded the remote wire by having two many relays connected - 3 relays drawing 75 mA and 1 realy drawing 150 mA (total 375 mA). All that happened was when I fired up the deck the relays clicked on and then off again. The remote line realized it was overloaded and shut down. Everything else still worked speaker/RCA outs, CD radio - just it cut the power to the remote. The remote reset itself when I turned it off.

TO solve the problem - I added a fifth relay that gives power to the other 4 no problem.

In regards to current draw - my Kenwood was able to run two relays combining to 225mA. But when I added the other 2 it overloaded. Hope that gives you an idea as to the type of current you can expect from a remote.

 

I built a amp box with vents in the bottom and and ported it at the back, installed a fan that I stripped out of a computer power supply box, bought at the local pawn shop for $5.00. I matched the amp draw of the fan to the remote wire and it has worked fabiously for over 2 months now. The only draw back is when I power down the system, the fan shuts off. No continued cooling, sigh. The local electronic supply house wants $80.00 or more for a delay shut-off relay. I'm debating on crusing junk yards for the relay from a Caddie type car with delay shut-off headlights.

 

Does this explain it Dukk:


So if I didn't have 3 4DPT I would need to 12 or more relays.