Cockpit spray

[lodgey62]

Just been giving the dash and plastics a spray with cockpit spray,sprayed the seat adjusters and there was a loud fiz followed by white smoke and the earth from a relay in the battery box has fried,has the spray somehow shorted this out or is it just coincidence?

[lloydy]

well liquids (most of them) are a conductor, so i reckon you got the relay wet, then fizz bang!

[lodgey62]

Cheers Lloydy,I did think as much but need reassuring. Makes you jump a bit!

[ghost123uk]

I have to disagree slightly. I doubt if the electrical conductivity of any liquid (other than mercury) would be sufficient to cause a current drain large enough to burn out a relay's earth wire. I's hard to imagine what would cause the earth wire from the relay to burn out, though a (hefty, unfused) live wire touching the earth connector on the relay would do it.

[lodgey62]

Removed all the old relay/charging and in the throws of installing a Durite charge relay system,completely rewired as a lot of the of stuff was very tired.might just charge now,here's hoping

[lloydy]

I have to disagree slightly. I doubt if the electrical conductivity of any liquid (other than mercury) would be sufficient to cause a current drain large enough to burn out a relay's earth wire. I's hard to imagine what would cause the earth wire from the relay to burn out, though a (hefty, unfused) live wire touching the earth connector on the relay would do it.

I don't know, I would say it's incredibly coincidental that someone is spraying liquid in the area and something electrical right next to it goes bang. See it quite a lot in boilers when someone sprays leak detection fluid in a boiler a bit too energetically and blows the pcb or gas valve or fan ect. Maybe not cause the wire to melt, but that damage may be historic.

[ghost123uk]

Semiconductor circuits, yes, but not in a simple linear 12V DC device (imho of course )


Try wiring a simple relay, connected to a 12V supply, a 12V trigger supply with a small 12V bulb as a load, test it works, now put the whole lot, 12V battery and all, in a bath of water. It will still work fine (until electrolysis and corrosion eventually take their toll).

[Oldiebut goodie]

Surely you are not looking at a short here just a source of ignition of a volatile spray? A flammable gas inside a non airtight relay which is then actuated could cause a spectacular mini explosion and ignition of a slight fire where the liquid has collected on the wire.
Barking dogs and trees?