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Reply to "Why should I use relays in my Speedster?"

 

"...Just think of it as a way to control a heavy duty load (the headlights) remotely, by a light duty switch (the dash switch)..."

 

Yup Gordon, that right there is the main point.

But there's another big deal about relays - they let you keep wire runs to the load as short as possible. If you're a little smart about just where you put that relay, you can save the headlight switch AND make your headlights way brighter, too.

The heavier the load, the more important it is keeping wire runs short. You can lose a lot of power in just a few extra feet of wire and the difference in headlight brightness is obvious.

Since the battery in our cars is so close to the lights, using a relay mounted near the battery  to connect the two makes a lot of sense. The long 'control' leads that go from the relay back to the headlight switch aren't in the circuit to the headlights, so don't affect the brightness.

Relays for the win.

 

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