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Replacing Relay Receptacle - Is This Difficult?


OlGeezer

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I know "difficult" is a relative term. I've read in my manual how to remove the whole enchalada, but can one receptacle be removed from the top?

 

I tested the receptacle at my lighting relay and had no voltage through it. Now, with the relay in and turn on the power, I hear a "zzzzt" sound. I'm not an electrical engineer (obviously), but that doesn't sound good.

 

TIA,

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I know "difficult" is a relative term. I've read in my manual how to remove the whole enchalada, but can one receptacle be removed from the top?

 

I tested the receptacle at my lighting relay and had no voltage through it. Now, with the relay in and turn on the power, I hear a "zzzzt" sound. I'm not an electrical engineer (obviously), but that doesn't sound good.

 

TIA,

 

Bill, I’m not sure what it is that you are looking to do here?

 

You say you have no power through your relay socket.. There really isn’t much to those relay sockets except the terminals inside them.. If your plastic socket isn’t burnt beyond use then it’s a simple matter of using a terminal pick & pulling the old terminal(s) out , crimping a new on one the wire then pushing the terminal back in..

 

With your problem being NO POWER are you sure your problem isn’t a blown fuse or broken wire.. As a rule when a relay socket has no power it is because the circuit supplying the power has an open in it..

 

Most relay sockets have two power sources to them.. The first would be the power to the relay’s internal control coil (magnet) & that is usually controlled by an external accessory switch (or transistor in an electronic control module).. The other power source would be the B+ power that the relay actually switches on & off to operate the accessory.. The mentioned power inputs generally come form separate isolated sources or separate fuses..

 

I don’t have a power flow schematic of your lighting relay in front of me here but most relays have 4 wires hooked to them.. One ground,, one power IN from the external controlling switch,, one large gauge wire power source to the switch contacts inside the relay (fused or battery direct),, & one large gauge wire going out to the operated accessory (lights in your case)..

 

Is there something wrong with your relay’s plastic connector (like burnt or broken)? If it is still intact & not burnt then your problem is probably either the relay itself or lack of power to the relay.. If the relay is making noise then more than likely it is the relay internal contacts or lack of power on the supply side terminal.. Look down in the relay socket to see if the terminals are still shinny brass looking,, if so your problem is probably elsewhere.. If one or more is burnt black or brown then replace that terminal..

 

Twisty

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Bill, I’m not sure what it is that you are looking to do here?

 

You say you have no power through your relay socket.. There really isn’t much to those relay sockets except the terminals inside them.. If your plastic socket isn’t burnt beyond use then it’s a simple matter of using a terminal pick & pulling the old terminal(s) out , crimping a new on one the wire then pushing the terminal back in..

 

Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to do here. I don't know how to get the relay terminal out short of removing the entire fuse/relay box. I don't have a terminal pick. Can I use something else (jeweler's screwdriver or?) or should I go to Radio Shack (nearby) to get a pick?

 

Right now, I think there is a possibility that I can't get a voltage reading because I can't get a probe to a hot spot. That's why I want to remove the terminal. Also, if it's bad, I would like to replace it w/o removing the entire box. I have extremely limited electrical expertise, but I believe I can determine if the relay is good or bad.

 

Look down in the relay socket to see if the terminals are still shinny brass looking,, if so your problem is probably elsewhere.. If one or more is burnt black or brown then replace that terminal..

 

They look shiny, but there is some distress in the plastic. Even if the terminal is bad, I don't believe this is the primary problem. After all, something probably failed to get the terminal hot.

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Bill, on removing those terminals without dropping the fuse box out, I just don’t know.. A lot of times there is a secondary lock below the terminal (either a terminal chaser type or comb type).. I looked down in my fuse box but really can’t see the bottom side of the relay socket.. If those terminals are the standard Bosch type (they look to be) there will be a prong on BOTH sides of the terminal.. You will probably need 2 picks (hammer flattened paper clips will sometimes work).. I have a bunch of Bosch terminals & connectors at work so will look tomorrow to see what type of secondary locks are commonly used..

 

If you look into the top of the terminal cavity you should see a little indentation in the plastic socket on each side of the terminal,, try inserting a small screw driver (very small) on each side to disengage the locking prongs.. If there is no secondary lock the terminal should just push down & out the bottom..

 

If it won’t come out easily there very well could be a secondary lock on the bottom side or comb type lock pushed in from the side of the socket..

 

I will do some checking for you tomorrow to see if I can match the relay socket up to something I have on hand..

 

You might want to check yours out a little closer before even pulling them out.. If the terminals don’t look burnt & look like the opening gap is about the same as a known good one in another relay opening then there is probably nothing wrong with yours.. If you have an old relay handy just pull one of the male terminals out of it then insert that terminal into each of your questionable socket terminals.. You should feel a nice even drag as it enters and as it is then pulled out,, if so your problem probably lies elsewhere..

 

Twisty

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Bill, finally got a chance to check my Bosch terminals/ connectors.. Both the small & large terminal have a barb ON EACH SIDE that has to be depressed to pull the terminal out of the socket.. Couldn't find a socket that looked close to the BMW relay socket but all that I do have didn't have secondary locks..

 

Twisty

 

BoschTerminal.jpg

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