How does the ignition switch relay kit help?

[dassub]

I have the AR ignition switch relay kit in my hands, and I plan on installing it when I have some down time next week. The reason for install is that I have read nothing but positive things on here about installing the kit to prolong the life of the ignition switch. I recently installed an Odyssey Extreme AGM 34 battery, so I'm confident with things being directly powered.

The description says it "removes the load from the ignition switch, thus greatly prolonging its life and also allowing full voltage to reach the accessories."

So I guess my two main questions are:

- What type of load is the ignition switch currently carrying?
- And which accessories are now getting full voltage that weren't before?

Many thanks in advance for replies. Searching has been difficult to find what the actual specific components are that it helps.

[bobplyler]

You are taking the current out of the ignition switch (and the headlight switch). Just roughly, for a 55 watt headlight, it will take (55w/12v) = 4.6 amps. Double that for 2 headlights, and you've got over 9 amps flowing through the switch. If you get any corrosion, the switch can heat up, which can reduce it's lifetime. Any corrosion in the switch will lessen the current going through the headlights, resulting in dimmer lights.

To sum up, the relay gives you two things:
1-Brighter lights
2-Longer switch life

(I've got an MS in Physics)

[dassub]

You are taking the current out of the ignition switch (and the headlight switch). Just roughly, for a 55 watt headlight, it will take (55w/12v) = 4.6 amps. Double that for 2 headlights, and you've got over 9 amps flowing through the switch. If you get any corrosion, the switch can heat up, which can reduce it's lifetime. Any corrosion in the switch will lessen the current going through the headlights, resulting in dimmer lights.

To sum up, the relay gives you two things:
1-Brighter lights
2-Longer switch life

(I've got an MS in Physics)

I hadn't even thought of the headlights because I saw that there's also a headlights relay kit for sale, and a wipers kit (I didn't buy either of them, though).

I was under the impression that the accessories meant radio and starter when cranking.

I will say this - my headlights are dim. I don't drive at night. My wipers are slow. I don't drive in the rain.

Source: I'm a software guy who spends more time driving the car than working on it

[bobplyler]

I've never seen the ignition relay before. Their description isn't very descriptive. When I get some time, I'll try and figure out what it does.

[dassub]

Yeah, it's funny that the accessories aren't named, which is really all I'm curious about.

I'm hoping that the starter is one of them that gets more power sent to it. I have the gear reduction starter. It's worked great for several years. But recently started getting the dreaded solenoid "click", even with a fully charged battery. I swapped to an Odyssey AGM a few months ago, which has a lot of cranking power, and haven't experienced the click since. So I'm especially hoping that the ignition switch relay kit sends more consistent power to the starter.

[bobplyler]

It looks like the starter is one. The kit uses three relays. But I cant't tell exactly how it works without a wiring diagram of the relays. It does use the RED, BLACK, PINK and BROWN wires coming from the ignition switch. These are all shown as being in the starting circuit. But the PINK is also used for more stuff. You might want to call/email Autoricambi to verify.

[dassub]

The starter is certainly one of them, but it sounds like it's more of a general "load", but I'm not skilled or educated enough to read wiring diagrams to know what the load entails.

AR's reply:

If you look at the wiring diagram of a 124 you will see that the virtually the entire current load is directed through the ignition switch - hence their tendency for failure. One of the relays in the set does indeed take the load off of the starter but that load is generally brief and not normally he cause of IG SW failure. The ‘brown wire’ in essence supplies power for the either car - by using a relay set you unload the SW from carrying that load all the time. The short answer is yes, it also relays the starter circuit but also removes the SW from the “load”.

I mean, I like the sound of all this anyway, especially with the starter getting seemingly more power through the relay instead of the ignition switch, but it would be interesting to know a few more specifics. I ordered it for a reason, it all sounds good

[dinghyguy]

The relay kit for the ignition switch removes all load across the contacts except the load of the solenoids in the relays (tiny load). Consequently the contacts inside the switch have very little current, do not arc as they open and close and do not get hot, thus melting the plastic internals. Thus the condition of your ignition switch should remain as good as it currently is for a long time.

The headlight and wiper relay kits have two potential improvement areas, first they eliminate many of the corroded electrical connections in the circuits by supply power more directly to the lights or wipers and second they eliminate the motor and light loads passing through the ignition switch.

So the best way to get good wipers and lights is the relay kits, which does help the ignition switch and the best way to save the ignition switch is to add that kit.

Hope that helps
dinghyguy

[dassub]

The relay kit for the ignition switch removes all load across the contacts except the load of the solenoids in the relays (tiny load). Consequently the contacts inside the switch have very little current, do not arc as they open and close and do not get hot, thus melting the plastic internals. Thus the condition of your ignition switch should remain as good as it currently is for a long time.

The headlight and wiper relay kits have two potential improvement areas, first they eliminate many of the corroded electrical connections in the circuits by supply power more directly to the lights or wipers and second they eliminate the motor and light loads passing through the ignition switch.

So the best way to get good wipers and lights is the relay kits, which does help the ignition switch and the best way to save the ignition switch is to add that kit.

Hope that helps
dinghyguy

Thanks. I'm most interested in this for the reduced load on the ignition switch, as well as potentially sending better power tp the starter solenoid. It sounds like a better solution than the "brown wire fix" that I've seen floating around the forums.