Ford Starter Switch

newbe

I would like to use a Ford style starter switch to send power to my large bot motors.· I tried putting 12V @3A·across the two small terminals on the front but the relay switch didn't close.
Can anybody tell me how to trigger the relay ?·· Thanks, Newbe

Franklin

Could you post a link to the switch you are interested in getting information about? Usually in a car the power is supplied by the same battery powering the motor and the switch is pulled to ground to activate but without further info from you speculation is futile.

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- Stephen

sumdawgy

newbe said...
I would like to use a Ford style starter switch to send power to my large bot motors.· I tried putting 12V @3A·across the two small terminals on the front but the relay switch didn't close.
Can anybody tell me how to trigger the relay ?·· Thanks, Newbe

Uh which one?· Some of them get ground from the screw mounting it to the car body.

My 94 aerostar does this.... 3 terminals...

2 big terminals that are closed by the relay.

One small one that·I send 12vdc into to·close the relay.

And ground passes thru the body of relay·into the screw·& tehn into the body of the car wich is tied to the ground of the battery!!!

Hope this helps!· But if not, what car did the relay come from?????

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Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way if he gets angry, he'll be a mile away and barefoot. - unknown

sumdawgy

Here's a pict i located· of the same·type starter relay....(just not the EXACT model)

You'll notice that the pictured relay one has 2 small terminals....... the bottom of the BODY is still the ground tho.

Sometimes those 2 little terminals are connected & sometimes one does nothing.· You should use a meter to check for resistance to determine the coil connections... As I recall..some Fords sent a signal to the ignition coil thru that extra pin, to have it adjust the timing while starting the car.

Anyway...the person here was using it to control an electric fan in a car.....same theory as yours.








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Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way if he gets angry, he'll be a mile away and barefoot. - unknown

Post Edited (sumdawgy) : 5/6/2010 4:36:13 AM GMT

erco

Back when automobile distributors used points & a condenser to fire the coil, some cars used that 4th terminal on the starter relay to bypass the ballast resistor to provide a hotter spark during starting. So you won't use one of the two smaller connectors. Your relay should click on when you connect +12V to one of the two smaller terminals (experiment) and ground the metal case of the relay. The two larger terminals are for heavy current, they form a SPST switch to make & break a connection between the starter motor & battery positive terminal. Obviously the starter motor negative connection is the grounded case, and the battery negative side is grounded as well.

Fun fact: the standard value of the condenser (AKA capacitor for those born after the first gas crisis, when electronic ignitions replaced points) is ~0.22 uF.

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·"If you build it, they will come."

mikediv

If I am not mistaken looking at the relay from the front out 12V + to the small right terminal and then put the ground from your battery to the ground leg on the relay and it will close the other small terminal is how you would connect your circuit that is being switched , if you want to look this part up a 1972 ford F-150 has the exact same relay
also my 68 mustang has the exact same looking one I hope hope this helps I actually went outside I and tried what I am telling you and it worked .. If this is not clear feel free to call me
860 349 9789 Mike I can talk you through it I am home most days

Let's Go!

Allelectronics has a camdec 12v@3amps that will sx about 200 amps for $6. you may want to try it if your sx doesn't work. there are not any hookup directions but the gnd goes to the base and the +12v coil goes to the quick connect, and the two big connects on top are for batt +12v and the other one leads to and provides, when the coil is triggered, +12v to the load, spst.

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The smarter I get, the more I understand I don't know!

sumdawgy

erco said...
Back when automobile distributors used points & a condenser to fire the coil, some cars used that 4th terminal on the starter relay to bypass the ballast resistor to provide a hotter spark during starting.

Ah memories!· I bow to your clarity of recall erco!!· (I completely forgot that's what·the signal did )

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Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way if he gets angry, he'll be a mile away and barefoot. - unknown

erco

@sumdawgy: I'm reminded of those kinder, gentler automotive days every time I go out to my garage and see my '67 Corvair Monza lying dormant. It was my first car, I still love it, and I'm savoring a future opportunity to restore it. Too busy now with 7-month old twins. Hopefully I'll get to it before they graduate from high school!

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·"If you build it, they will come."

mikediv

erco how could we forget Yes that refreshes my memory as well ,remember how easy it was to hot wire the Fords you ran 12V to that wire and the put a screw driver across the big terminal and the other contact and whola. My grandfather had an old Ford dump truck and he lost the keys and that's how he used to run it . I was 11 when he taught me how to do it. LOL I am sure he never gave it a though of what I could do with the info but my parents had a very old ford esquire station wagon that would mysteriously have moved whenever they left us kids alone..