WallyP

Apparently, I misled many folks with the title - the idea was NOT to test a relay, but to test the circuits in which the relay is installed, especially when there may be an intermittent fault in one of the circuits. Testing relays is pretty easy...

fraggle

Hey I caught on!! I'm still thinking of the building something here.

MikeM

I too contemplated something along these lines for diagnosis, but as a novice I wasn't sure how often I would need it. When looking into the Lisle Test Kit I found a short video showing the simple probing and jumpering of the circuit.


I really like Wally's idea with indicator LEDs so show the state of the circuit without having to probe with a multimeter or testlight. Easily accessed 'live' information is always good!

Perhaps integrating functionality, like that of the PowerProbe, to drive the LED indicators (and as an option - speaker output indicating either the closed or open state) would be beneficial?

-Mike

Alan

I designed something like this a long time ago.. feel free to use the schematic - the nice thing is that for most cases you need no additional connections since can automatically finds its own power & ground on any pins... You could of course also connect A to battery power and B to ground if desired... and I would recommend connecting the ground to B for best results.

I did build it - not sure where it is now, It worked OK but was rather awkward to wire up & maintain good relay operation. See the picture of the opened relay - the wire goes through a tiny grommet on the can top above the pin below the coil - its very difficult to avoid the pigtails interfering with the mechanism as you push the can back on - even then the wires can still pull-off even after closing it back up.. a real PITA!

In the end it only helps with 53 style relays - and mostly these are easier to debug just by replacing them, I just didn't use it much.
Sorry don't have a better picture of it - the LED's were Red for Power (High) & Green for Ground (Low).

I did also make up several cans with just switches - the one shown part way built here here is very low power SPDT but I did do one with a pretty decent SPST switch in it...

I never did build a true break out box - but I planned that also - so you can more easily get a voltmeter on all the relay pins when operating...

A break out box with monitoring like this on all 9 pins would be really useful for all relays and a double that could also work with the headlight relay and defroster would be really really useful...

Problem is finding female relay sockets with all 9 pins... 5 pins are easy.... More difficult still is finding a relay base with all 9 male pins mounted to use as the plug in unit. I gave up when I couldn't source these...

Alan

SteveG

If you build it, . . .. let me know, I mean it would be less than the $220 model, right?

Alan

I think Wally's question was: will someone else build it?...

Alan

WallyP

Yeah - perhaps Alan might do a dozen or two...

Or perhaps Jerry F. is ready for a new project.

SteveG

Please don't distract Jerry from the rear wheel liner project.

This is two years since I flushed the psd; I'll be running with a plastic bag over the unit the next time I remove that POS. (Sorry Helmut but you know it's true.)

UKKid35

About ten years ago I fitted all my type 53 relays with LEDs across the coils. Sadly the no start was not electrical, it was the cam belt.

A couple of weeks ago they helped me diagnose a failed immobiliser in the middle of our Scottish Highlands Tour, without them I would have been completely in the dark.