Relay fun!
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Relay fun!
I am making a relay box for my truck. So far I just have in mind to add two relays. One for low beam and one for highs. I will have room for four more relays for later but I am having a hard time figure out what to add later. Obviously one will be for auxiliary lights of some sort. That still leaves three relays available. What are some things y'all have on relays or ideas for later that I'm not thinking of?
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Power for a winch front or rear (using a winch plate that mounts in a receiver hitch and has QD connections). Lights on the roll bar (fwd, side, and rear facing lights), rock lights, jump start plug in the grill.
Use that same power to the same winch that is on the trailer in a receiver hitch on the front of it.....
Duel or triple aux power plug for cell, I pad, MP3. On board air, if not using an old a/c compressor for it and using a HP air pump.
Use that same power to the same winch that is on the trailer in a receiver hitch on the front of it.....
Duel or triple aux power plug for cell, I pad, MP3. On board air, if not using an old a/c compressor for it and using a HP air pump.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
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From: NorCal
Common relay uses:
Headlights high beam
Headlights low beam
Driving lights
Electric fuel pump
Electric cooling fan, low speed
Electric cooling fan, high speed
Auxiliary 12VDC power ports
Rock lights
Auxiliary backup lights
Work lights
Air horns
.... and a couple of relays for the flashing 55w lights and H1 rotating beacons. Picked it today off a 74 F350 wrecker for $40.
Headlights high beam
Headlights low beam
Driving lights
Electric fuel pump
Electric cooling fan, low speed
Electric cooling fan, high speed
Auxiliary 12VDC power ports
Rock lights
Auxiliary backup lights
Work lights
Air horns
.... and a couple of relays for the flashing 55w lights and H1 rotating beacons. Picked it today off a 74 F350 wrecker for $40.
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Freshman User
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All of these sound great! This is exactly what I needed. I just could not think of a good way to utilize all of the relays. At the moment I I don't know if I will be using an electric fuel pump or fans only because I would like to wait till my 300 goes so I can swap in a small block V8. But ultimately I could plan ahead and just leave room. I believe I'm going to go with a bigger project box so I can have a few more relays for future use. Thanks for all of your time and by all means if love to keep the list going if anyone else has anything unique to add. I like to do different things on my truck and it's way past time I've done some upgrades to me truck.
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Freshman User
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Common relay uses: Headlights high beam Headlights low beam Driving lights Electric fuel pump Electric cooling fan, low speed Electric cooling fan, high speed Auxiliary 12VDC power ports Rock lights Auxiliary backup lights Work lights Air horns .... and a couple of relays for the flashing 55w lights and H1 rotating beacons. Picked it today off a 74 F350 wrecker for $40.
This is awesome by the way! I'd love to pick one up as well!
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,287
Likes: 17
From: San Carlos, CA
Common relay uses:
Headlights high beam
Headlights low beam
Driving lights
Electric fuel pump
Electric cooling fan, low speed
Electric cooling fan, high speed
Auxiliary 12VDC power ports
Rock lights
Auxiliary backup lights
Work lights
Air horns
.... and a couple of relays for the flashing 55w lights and H1 rotating beacons. Picked it today off a 74 F350 wrecker for $40.
Headlights high beam
Headlights low beam
Driving lights
Electric fuel pump
Electric cooling fan, low speed
Electric cooling fan, high speed
Auxiliary 12VDC power ports
Rock lights
Auxiliary backup lights
Work lights
Air horns
.... and a couple of relays for the flashing 55w lights and H1 rotating beacons. Picked it today off a 74 F350 wrecker for $40.
Everything HIO listed is about all you need. You don't need to put your amp on a cut off relay, its already engineered not to drain your battery.
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From: Florida
I was assuming if you had multiple amps, then you could use the wire that the head unit uses to turn on the amp, to then turn on multiple amps. If this is not needed, is it safe to assume that there is an internal type of relay that is controlled by the head unit wire?
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Most modern head units accept hot-at-all times power from the battery, plus a trigger input from the head unit. The amplifier cuts power to itself internally when the trigger is low.
All head units have a maximum current output for the amplifier trigger, so there is a theoretical limit as to how many amplifiers may share it, but the trigger input to most amplifiers is typically high impedance which makes that hardly a concern.
Elder User
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From: Florida
Thanks for the input
I loathe bad puns.....but it fits....sort of
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Joined: May 2013
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All of these sound great! This is exactly what I needed. I just could not think of a good way to utilize all of the relays. At the moment I I don't know if I will be using an electric fuel pump or fans only because I would like to wait till my 300 goes so I can swap in a small block V8. But ultimately I could plan ahead and just leave room. I believe I'm going to go with a bigger project box so I can have a few more relays for future use. Thanks for all of your time and by all means if love to keep the list going if anyone else has anything unique to add. I like to do different things on my truck and it's way past time I've done some upgrades to me truck.
i love the idea i subscribed just to see when you add pics
i think you will have plenty of time to come up with unique ideas
if your waiting for a 300 to go and do a swap at the same time it might be a while
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Freshman User
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Lol yeah so I've heard! This is my first 300 and so far it's been a good motor and always started. Even when the previous owner had the timing all screwed up as well as the firing order! Well since you subscribed I guess I have no excuse not to get busy on this project!
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