Touch-plate relay fix

Sue's Touch-Plate lighting system had a relay that wouldn't switch. Took it apart lubed the step wheel , shaft and ratchet with graphite and now it switches again. These things get cooked in the attic. This relay is a 1550B, no longer available and has been replaced by a touch-plate 3000 relay.

These have a 28 volt dc coil and are supposed to change state every time they get a pulse. This one just thumped and had quit turning off and on,

Relay bank in the attic

 disassembled and lubed with powdered graphite.

 Bench test using a 20 volt laptop power brick. Relays are 28 volt so if 20 does it 28 should too.

testing, now it works

 New style 3000 relay in the middle of the image, It is wider and has screw terminals.

Touch-Plate wiring system

 Swapped out a relay in this Touch-plate wiring system. Advantage of these is all switches are at 28 volts DC and the 120 volt AC circuits are dead unless the load is switched on. Parts are available here
http://www.kyledesigns.com/category/11_home_decor.2_low-voltage-lighting-systems.touchplate-wiring/

 Here is a switch out of the wall.. low voltage switching circuit only needs small wires

 This is a touchplate relay. Was able to get it working again by cleaning and putting in graphite powder lube. Zero cost fix.

                                                                       

This is the power supply for the switching circuit at 28.5 volts DC. Touch-Plate calls it a transverter. Changed the capacitor out in this one a few years back rather than buy a complete new unit. Symptom of the weak cap was sometimes the relays would switch and sometimes not. These are designed to be safe for the relay coils even if a switch sticks on and no chance of fire.