Relay Box and Switch Panel

[BlooJoop]

Got finished with the installation of my remote relay box and accessory switch panel. Relay box is under hood and switch panel is mounted in the radio spot in the dash. Switch panel connects to relay box with a cat5 rj45 network patch cord and controls 7 individually fused relay circuits. Relay box (and power to switches) comes straight off the battery. I have a master switch, winch arm switch, winch in/out, winshield washer, on board air (yet to be installed), interior auxiliary circuit (12v power port and cb), and interior lights (yet to be installed). The winch arming switch also powers the wireless winch controller:)





more pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/BlooJoo...eat=directlink

[FreemansXJ]

Looks good Ron. I did the relay box thing on my XJ too, except I used a Glock box under the rear seat to house the relays :)

John

[spunebil]

ok, suppose someone ( like me :) ) is an ironworker and not an electrician ( or whatever)
so tell me ( in plain english) what do these relays and such do?

[BlooJoop]

Basically, switches turn things on and off, without relays, the full current of the load travels through the switch. The longer the wire from power source to the item being switched the more resistance and the less power applied to the accessory being powered. Relays are basically an electric switch instead of a manual one. Usually relays are used for running the current of the load through a shorter distance, for higher loads, or to keep the higher load out of the passenger compartment or through the manual switch ( in the dash in my case).

In my case, I am using very small cable (computer network cable) with 8 wires which is only about 1/4 in diameter and is easy to run through firewall. The relays only take about 20 milliamps to operate (.020 amps) instead of like the 30 amps my electric air compressor draws.

Hope that helps a little spune.

[Guest]

Cool idea using the computer cable to the relays!

I wired my air compressor the same way, relay to a switch in the dash.

Almost all big amp draw motors on a vehicle are wired with a relay or solenoid.

Wally

[rjh]

When do you want to come wire my junk? :)

[BlooJoop]

Depends on what you need wired up. Acessories and such, we can knock it out at the next WAT, hint, hint... :)