[alfa] More spider electrics: PW switch

[Marc.Church@xxxxxxxxxx]

The power windows switch on my '92 spider has required
replacement about 4 times in the 12 years I've owned it.
The typical failure is a blown fuse, the 25A fuse protecting
the motors circuit. Opening up the plastic casing of the switch
reveals that the switch has "worn out" in that the copper
material is tarnished and the plastic to which the copper is
attached is a bit melted, apparently due to the high current
passing through it.

I looked at the wiring diagram and it appears that the power
needed to actuate the motors passes through the switch.  The
"back side" of the switch is connected to a relay (actuated
by ignition 'on') that controls whether the current can return
to ground. The relay is protected by a 5A fuse.

My question to any of you electrical gurus is:  Is it common
for a switch to handle this much current (up to 25A)?  It would
seem to make more sense for the switch to control the relay,
and handle much less current.

Perhaps my power windows motors are drawing too much current,
although they have worked the same way since the car was new.

Have any of you other spider owners had to replace the power
windows switch a few times?  Are your windows wired in the
same manner?

Thanks
Marc
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided