Troubleshooting Instructions for Dual-Input Time-Delay Relay

If you're having problems getting your system to work, please follow the instructions here.

Circuit Inspection

1. First, make sure your Time-Delay Relay is wired like one of the schematics in the installation instructions section. The "G" terminal should be connected to ground, the "+12" terminal to a positive 12-volt supply, one or both of the the trigger inputs ("1" and "2") should be connected to some type of trigger signal that either connects to +12V or Ground when the TDR should be on, and finally, the "L" terminal should connect to the ballast's (or other device's) negative lead. The ballast's positive lead should be connected to the 12-volt supply, and the TDR switches the ballast's negative lead to and from Ground.


2. For safety, also make sure you have installed appropriate fuses, so that if either the ballast or the TDR fail and draw too much current, a fuse will blow rather than a fire starting.

Testing the Ballast or other Device

1. If the ballast does not seem to be turning on, disconnect the wire from the "L" terminal, and touch it to ground. If the ballast still does not turn on, use a voltmeter and check that the ballast's positive lead is getting battery voltage. If so, then there is something wrong with the ballast.


2. If the ballast comes on immediately on power-on, and never turns off, disconnect the wire from the "L" terminal. If the ballast continues to operate, there is something wrong with the wiring, and the ballast's negative lead is connected to ground. The negative lead should only be connected to the TDR's "L" terminal, and nothing else. The TDR will turn the ballast on by connecting the "L" terminal to ground internally.

Testing the Time-Delay Relay

1. If the TDR does not seem to turn on, flip the small switch on the TDR's backside. The TDR looks for positive (12V) trigger signals when the switch is in the "off" position (near the "1" marking"), and it looks for negative (ground) trigger signals when in the "on" position. If the trigger signal doesn't match the switch, the TDR simply doesn't turn on. You can also use a voltmeter to positively verify your trigger signal is 12V or ground when active, and match it to the switch position.


2. If the TDR still does not turn on, try leaving it activated for 1 minute. If it comes on in that time, the delay is set, and you only need to adjust it. The delays are set by the knobs marked "I" and "O", with "I" being the turn-on delay, and "O" being the turn-off delay. Each knob is a 20-turn knob, and adjusts from 0 to 60 seconds. To decrease the delay, turn the knob counterclockwise (CCW), and to increase the delay, turn clockwise (CW).