Switchs to use with relays

[Drey]

I got a set of Hellas for my K5. They came with a relay, switch and harness. The switch had 3 spades on it, well I managed to break it. One wire ran to the relay, one to 12 volts and one was supposed to run to a headlight wire I think.

Its been a while since I looked at it but anyone have a recommendation on what switch to use.

I have to get a replacement now, and need to get these lights working, Im about ready to say screw the relay. This is my first experience with wiring one up and I cant say Im too thrilled. Im just abour ready to just wire them straight

 

[bp71k5]

The third wire may just be a ground but I couldn't say without looking at the harness. You'll need the relay to make your truck not catch fire from running all that power through the switch.

Can you get a diagram for the harness from Hella? Any switch will probably work fine. The third blade may not even be used. You only really need two of the switch blades.

 

[Drey]

Yeah the diagram is out in my truck, I think I need the 3rd wire to the headlights I tryed to run them initally and it didnt work.

Edit: but my K5 is over at Dads farm right now, I have one of his tractors over here for the night so Im not gonna be near it till tommorrow.

 

[bot0611]

From my experience

1 spade: trigger wich allows you to turn the switch on and get the power to the lights (hellas in your case) maybe main headlights or any other power source

2 spade: to the lights, or in the case to the realy

3 spade: ground, if the switch is lighted

all the 3 spade switches ive seen are lighted, non lighted have had only 2 spades

 

[ryoken]

if it's a single throw switch, the third spade is a ground for a light in the switch......

the switch will still operate on the other 2 spades (power in, power out to relay) with the grd unhooked, the light just wont work...

relays are just a fancy switch... put the relay out in the engine compartment, close to the lights and battery..... fused power to #30 on the relay from the battery, grd to #85, power from dash switch (trigger) to #86, power out to lights from 87 and 87a, if it's a 5 spade...

 

[bigjimmy82]

Ok, am having a similar issue with a set of KC lights and a lighted Daystar rocker switch(which now that I recieve it, it is a repackaged carling tech switch ), it has 3 spade connections, it came with no wiring instructions and I am a electrical dummie! I have used a continuity tester to figure out the connections...
3 Terminals numbered...
Terminal 2
Terminal 3
Terminal 7
When the switch is ON all of the terminals are in continuity, in OFF position 3 & 7 are in contiuity?? I am was wanting the light on the switch to go on/off with the foglights, but am unsure about how to wire the switch this way... do I give #2 power and then ground #7 which is up at the top of the switch, and then #3 powers the relay to power the KC lights?


here is the switch in question
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DYS-KU80011

Carling Tech # from switch body = V1DA

I am gonna use this diagram, but hopefully light in the switch

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Does autozone sell just universal relays like the one in the picture? I had read once before somewhere about taking a bank of relays out of a junkyard caddy or olds fwd to then have extras down the road for electric fan/fuel pumps/etc. would these be wired the same as above?

 

[BILTIT]

Yes autozone will sell a standard 30/40 amp auto relay as pictured. Try to get one with a wiring harness aswell, makes things neater.

 

[Speedo]

If the switch is ON-OFF-ON, then the center terminal is the trigger to the relay, one end terminal will come from a hot, either switched or batt., your choice. and the other end terminal will come from the high beam hot. If it is wired like this you will be able to turn the lights on by themselves, turn them on when you activate the high beams or simply turn them off.

The switch only needs to carry the current necessary to power the relay, the relay carries the power for the lights.

Gus

 

[bigjimmy82]

Thamks for the replys, yeah the switch is a SPST, I am gonna head to pick-a-part tomorrow and get a relay bank from a old buick or caddy, that should allow me to get harnesses as well.

 

[bigjimmy82]

Ok get these installed today and **** are they bright, I was able to get a 3 relay bank off the driver side fender of an 1988 Buick Electra, but I spied many other olds 88s, 98s, park avenues of that era that had identical setup, I would think any front driver with the 3.8L motor. Anyway I got to looking at where the relays went to see how much wiring I could salvage, and one was for the elec. fan (30A) bosch, some others had hella brand. The electric fan circuit was perfect for this setup. I was able to take the entire leg of the 86 and 87 circuit, and had about 6' leads to work with on 30 and 85 legs, the 87 and 30 wires were 12g, the others 16g, and they have a nice weatherpack connector at the relay. The fan has a 3 wire connector so pulling one cars fan circuit leaves you with (2) of the relays and wiring I described above, so I went to another car and grab its fan wiring so I can add relays to my headlights as well.

....hope all of that made sense,