relay distance

Hi I am installing aux backup lights on my truck and trailer that are independent of the factory wiring and need to know if the relay can be installed anywhere of if I have to keep close to something? Also can a relay be installed out in the elements? One out of topic question, what do I use to make three way connections to my lights?

This is for a 2006 ford 150

The relay can be placed anywhere you want. Just make sure the wire you use will handle the current draw over that distance.

yes im going to be using 10 gauge wire over about 40 foot running 13.5 amps with a 15 amp fuse.

And the answer to question 2 is solder and heat shrink sleeving.
Also no the relay can't be exposed, sealing it into a small plastic box and make sure the terminals hang down.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

If this 2006 F150 has a factory installed hitch and trailer wiring plug, there is already a relay in the back-up light circuit. The relay powers the center terminal in the 7-pin trailer connector. Connect the aux lights on the truck to the blk/pink wire in the 7-pin trailer connector, and they will be switched by the relay. The 20Amp fuse for the trailer backup lights is fuse #10 located in the RH kick panel fuse box.

Good info davep.

Re Howard's solder & heatshrink, I agree but noting that soldering a relay limits ease of replacement and can damage the relay.
The solution is to solder a relay base (connector/mount) but then you have the same relay to base contact issues.

I generally find that good spades will retain contact even when surrounded by corrosion. In fact my biggest problem is water etc conducting between terminals.
However in recent times I have been shrink-sleeving spade connectors (can't do that with a relay base!) preferably past the connector (spade) contact end to seal around the relay terminal or against its body. That has been very effective in overcoming aforementioned contamination shorting problems.


But a big YES to weather proofing. Some relays I thought were quite well sealed (unlike most mini/cube types) proved not to be. (So I hooded them with plastic bags (zip-locks etc) - sometimes sealing the open end with wire-ties, and maybe silicon (silastic) or even grease or even the old 'petrol & velvet soap' when desperate.)

Solder & heatshrink is the best. But maybe not always necessary unless it's a low-current connection as with alarms etc.
[ LOL - I recall stripping my first car at its end of life. I found the thin alligator-clip test lead I had fitted over 2 years earlier when a window washer motor wire broke during a rally. It worked reliably over the next 2+ years of insane dirt driving. (Oddly enough, the motor end clip seemed corroded to the motor terminal. Just as well - its spring was unsprung.) Ha - I can rarely find one of those test leads that works at home - over 90% of the time their unsoldered wire-to-clip connection is bad! ]

I certainly NEVER meant solder to the relay terminals!
I meant the general wiring.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Apologies.
I know a while ago you agreed that soldering spade-connector relays themselves was undesirable...

But otherwise, yeah! I've eben started soldering my Andersons which I never used to bother with - and they're high current.
But any high impedance or voltage sensitive sensor, IMO definitely solder. Else use appropriate connectors.

I buy relay bases X 20 and the correct click in terminals X 100, looks a lot better than insulated crimp connectors.
The quenching diode gets sleeved and it looks the business.
Don't know if this is an urban myth but I was told a 1000 years ago to mount the unit with terminals down; gravity gives the contacts a helping and it slows water ingress.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Ah, ye olde spouse tale - like brushing teeth before meals; draining carburetors if leaving for a few months... (I told you they were old, but we here in Oz keep many alive, like needing dc-dc converters to charge batteries...)

I can vouch for terminals down, but that's also because that's where seams or breather holes are - a lesson I learned well in my youthful younger days. [ My 1972 GT-750 Ducati's permanent magnet 120W alternator could handle 120W at 3,000 RPM. Unfortunately 3,000 RPM in top gear was over our max speed limit. And during a 10-hour overnight trip along my chosen scenic winding coast road it decided to pour buckets. As if not being able to do reasonable RPM wasn't bad enough, my easily mounted upside-down relays ingressed the rain and all sorts of problems ensued... no lights when critical, or dim or full lights with IGN off, etc. ]

recently I even decided NOT to mount my upper-firewall located wipermotor's sealed DIN microrelays conveniently on the motor in case of wet inter-terminal conduction.   Front or front-side engine bay fine, but not rear...

davep. wrote:

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If this 2006 F150 has a factory installed hitch and trailer wiring plug, there is already a relay in the back-up light circuit. The relay powers the center terminal in the 7-pin trailer connector. Connect the aux lights on the truck to the blk/pink wire in the 7-pin trailer connector, and they will be switched by the relay. The 20Amp fuse for the trailer backup lights is fuse #10 located in the RH kick panel fuse box.

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This is a good idea but I want to avoid messing with the factory wires.
Also I want to wire it so I can turn the back up lights on at any time and I might add a connector to the trailer back up lights in which if you know of a good connector to do this let me know.