Alan

Jim - ingenious - I had not a seen a latching 12v relay that big.

PS don't tell Doc!

I'd still encourage you to look for the real source - but I suspect you have much more on your plate right now (saw your other thread...) let me know if you just need an info resend for that. In fact I have an update - so I'll send it again anyway...

Alan

dr bob

I'd be lookimg for a way to keep that relay latched whenever the engine is running, so an accidental bump of the button while fishing for sunglasses wouldn't cause any sudden-death problems.

hacker-pschorr

How is that different than a remote starter relay? It looks like the same unit I have on my replica cobra to engage the starter.

I've been thinking about ways to install a remote battery switch on that car, never thought about using a starter relay like that.

dr bob

It's the same form factor but it latches at either the open or closed position without any need to maintain the current through the actuator coil. In other words, your ford-style starter relay would work, except that the coil within the relay would then be part the drain you are trying to eliminate.

hacker-pschorr

Awesome, didn't catch that when I read the initial post.

Most people with cars like this install a racing style battery swtich somewhere in the car (usually between the seats). This would work better with a simple toggle on the dash to the realy.

RET

Has anyone used a Priority Start? It is advertised as being able to automatically disconnect the battery before it discharges too far, as well as automatically reconnecting when needed.

Their website is: http://www.prioritystart.com/

My '89 GT had (still has?) an intermittent current drain gremlin that would discharge the battery in about two days when he made his appearance but would hide whenever I would look for him.

I bought one of the Priority Start devices but did not install it: there was no room in the battery box and I did not want to create a bigger project. Perhaps using a smaller battery such as an Odyssey would allow enough room, but since my battery was new, I did not want to do that either.

Finding the battery dead was annoying, but putting in a manual battery disconnect switch created problems too. Not only did I have to turn it on and off, but the car did not run well for quite awhile after reconnecting the battery as the LH brain had lost its memory when the battery was disconnected.

Since my current drain problem was intermittent, I was able to avoid the LH memory loss problem most of the time by bridging a 1 ampere quick blow fuse across the disconnect switch that I mounted behind the tool cover on the ground strap. The fuse kept the LH brain and the radio memories active, but would blow and prevent a battery discharge if the gremlin came back (FWIW, the gremlin drew 1.38 amps...). I could tell that the gremlin was present or had visited if the door lock LEDs weren't blinking, otherwise I had only the added difficulty of the disconnect switch while I fumbled with finding a permanent cure.

The gremlin has not visited for a couple of months now. I think it might have been the EZK relay, but I am really not sure: I had tried to be very careful in troubleshooting (my first clue that things were not going to be straight forward was when I had removed all 45 fuses and the meter STILL showed a 1.38 amp drain....), but the problem would usually clear while I was checking for it and not return for some unknowable time.

Anyway, the problem seems to be gone, but I don't have a high level of trust that it will stay that way. Maybe I will install the Priority Start after all: it certainly won't do any go staying in its box in the garage.

hacker-pschorr

My 2000 Beetle came with that built into the car. I totally forgot about the aftermarket option.