Re: Eurolights wiring

["Mark L. Chang" <mchang@ece.nwu.edu>]

On Thu, 6 May 1999, Mike Arman wrote:

> The problem is this: To turn the lights on, we are energizing the relay. To
> keep the lights on, we keep the relay on. My suspicion is that the
> automotive type relays we are using are not rated for continuous duty - a
> four hour ride at night means four hours "on", and if the relay overheats
> and fails, the light goes out.

Lots of the relays in the car are already in high duty-cycle sort of
configuration.  I think that we're all safe here.

> As a compromise, I came up with a four-relay system which is quite simple

I've got a three relay system going for my H4s in the 'ol 4kq.  One for
the pair of lows, and one for each high.  Sure, if the lows go, then I can
just flip over to highs for the rest of the drive home.  Keep a stash of
the 'ol Bosch/Hella in the glove box if you really want to be safe.

My understanding is that _most_ cars have relays to switch on the lights.
Audis just did it through the nice multifunction switch on my dashboard
(4kq).  Thanks, but I'll go with relays.

If you insulate the relays from the elements, and wire them correctly,
there should be no reason that they would fail before a bulb.

> But I'm still not happy about the relays. Would it be possible to switch
> the filaments on and off using a large, heat sinked power transistor with
> the white and yellow wires providing the "on!" and "off!" signals to the
> base of the transistor? I know that 30 amp 2N3055's in a TO-3 package can

Hmm. Interesting.  But then you don't get a nice "click" to tell you if
the relay is working :).

Cheers,
Mark

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