UKHeliBob:
Do you mean by that they are powered from a 5V pin on the Arduino or directly from the power supply ? It sounds like the former and, if so, it is the wrong way to do it.
The relays and the Arduino are powered directly from the power supply. It can be said that the relays and Arduino are in parallel but Arduino governs the relays going through 595. Today they have been running like this all day and they do not smell like burning! 8) :-[
I keep thinking about how I connected everything yesterday to check that the exits responded ... I've been here all day!!! I will find it!!! 