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| So do I need relays or not? https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=53256 |
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| Author: | Irish Yobbo [ Fri May 15, 2009 4:10 pm ] |
| Post subject: | So do I need relays or not? |
Hi everyone, I was looking at upgrading my headlights to h4s from minisport (http://www.minisport.com.au/prod989.htm). I've heard that nay headlight upgrade will need relays. I think that the original headlights are 60/45 watt, and these are 60/55 watt. All the power still runs through the switch at high beam, so and upgrade in power of the low beam shouldn't make any difference, since the switch should be rated for 60 watt right? Has anyone else put in h4's without relays? I'm a student, and therefore too stingy to buy relays on a whim. I do a lot of country driving at night here is tas, and so far the mini is the only car which hasn't been broken by hitting some dazzled animal on the road, and I want to keep it this way. |
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| Author: | Wombat [ Fri May 15, 2009 4:16 pm ] |
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It's not the current carrying ability of the switch but it's ability to switch the current. The contacts drag a spark as they are switched and the old switches have either done their share or were not built to take that number of sparks. A relay on the other hand was purpose designed contacts to take the load and the sparking to enable a better current flow hence longivity and brighter lights . |
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| Author: | Klubman [ Fri May 15, 2009 4:22 pm ] |
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Hi Irish Yobbo Was that your first post? If you want your switch to last, get a relay. Put it in before you change and see if you still want to change the lights. They may improve to where you are happy with them anyway. Nigel |
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| Author: | winabbey [ Fri May 15, 2009 4:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
It's not so much about whether the lights will work or whether the switch will take the capacity as it is about getting the absolute maximum light output from whatever lights you are using. The shorter the length of wire from the power source to the lights the greater the light output. Try it yourself. Put the new lights in as direct replacements using existing wiring and see how bright they are. Then make up two short wires from the light - one to earth and another to the fuse box and see if there is a noticeable difference. If there is then install a relay. In fact installing a relay and beefy wires with your current lights would almost certainly improve the light output. If you don't have a lot of cash this option may give you what you are after. |
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| Author: | drmini in aust [ Fri May 15, 2009 4:23 pm ] |
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A new dipswitch/blinker switch is nearly $200, if you fit relays they only have to carry 1A at most, instead of 10A or so at present. They carried 10A new, but when old they heat up, melt the plastic... then they have had it. Relays are cheaper than dipswitches.... 
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| Author: | Morris 1100 [ Fri May 15, 2009 5:17 pm ] |
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A properly fitted relay could possibly make your old headlights brighter. I would always fit a relay when making any changes to the headlights. |
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| Author: | Tombo [ Fri May 15, 2009 5:21 pm ] |
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Morris 1100 wrote: A properly fitted relay could possibly make your old headlights brighter. I would always fit a relay when making any changes to the headlights.
I agree with this, cheap and easy, and sealed beams become good (candles to torches). The halogen conversions are better again and you can put in 55/100 H4 globes and blind oncoming traffic. I put in ultra blue globes 
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| Author: | WiLo [ Fri May 15, 2009 6:34 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: So do I need relays or not? |
Irish Yobbo wrote: I'm a student, and therefore too stingy to buy relays on a whim.
i did relays at the same time as i did H4s so dont know how much of a difference the relays made but id do relays before the H4s. i bought relays, relays adapters(to make the wiring a bit neater) and cost around $40 (i bought 10ms of wiring as well. at most you might need 2 metres of wiring as well which would cost around $10 |
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| Author: | Angusdog [ Fri May 15, 2009 7:24 pm ] |
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Keep an eye on Ebay. I bought a box of 20 new relays for next to nothing, and it means you can rest easy. Being stranded at night is much worse than having to rewire a switch, without taking the cost into account. How neat the wiring is, is down to you. |
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| Author: | Convertible Mini [ Fri May 15, 2009 7:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Will a Mini benefit from headlight relays ? |
There is a way to determine if your car will benefit from having relays wired in the headlight system. Park the car facing a wall about 2 metres away. Find the Connector with Blue with red trace wires behind the Grille and connect a wire (approx 5mm) to this connection. Turn your headlights on with the engine running and preferably with some revs higher than Idle. Might need someone on the accellerator. Then while looking at the light intensity on the wall touch the 5 mm wire to the Battery positive side of the solenoid. This should give you an indication of how much brighter your car headlights will be with relays wired up correctly. This can be seen better when done in the Dark. This is just an Idea on how to test. If you are not sure of what you are doing please do not try this as you are playing with live wires. And do not let the smoke out of the wires as replacement smoke is quite expensive. |
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| Author: | Morris 1100 [ Fri May 15, 2009 7:48 pm ] |
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And don't forget to look at the earths. 
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| Author: | kiwiinwgtn [ Fri May 15, 2009 8:07 pm ] |
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no relays = fire I have seen wires melt, relays are cheap and easy to fit. Kiwiinwgtn |
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| Author: | simon k [ Fri May 15, 2009 8:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: So do I need relays or not? |
WiLo wrote: Irish Yobbo wrote: I'm a student, and therefore too stingy to buy relays on a whim. i did relays at the same time as i did H4s so dont know how much of a difference the relays made but id do relays before the H4s. i bought relays, relays adapters(to make the wiring a bit neater) and cost around $40 (i bought 10ms of wiring as well. at most you might need 2 metres of wiring as well which would cost around $10 
you can do it with about 8 inches of wire - all you need to do is mount a pair of $6 relays (jaycar 30A 'horn' relay) at the front of the engine bay where the wires from the switch connect to the two wires to the headlights. Feed the 12v to the relays from the solenoid... No need to replace any of the original wiring unless it's burnt or damaged |
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| Author: | Irish Yobbo [ Sat May 16, 2009 10:50 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Thanks for all your replies! Look like relays are the go then. I'll check out jaycar and dick smith next time I'm in town. And yep, that was my first post. The clubman was my daily drive while we repaired our ute (another story) and now that that's back on the road I can safely work on the mini without being stranded if something goes wrong.[/quote] |
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| Author: | CPOCSM [ Fri Oct 30, 2015 10:39 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: So do I need relays or not? |
Sorry to revive this old thread but have a question regarding the relays into the lights. I have mounted four relays behind the screen washer bottle...one each for hi, low lights, one for horn and one for the fuel pump. I read convertible minis "How to..." And makes sense. However, can I not cut the loom and just button into the terminals that connect into the lighting loom at the drivers side front and run the relays from there? I am baulking at cutting into the pretty new wiring loom cotton that's all. Thanks in advance. Hooroo |
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