Topic: anyone put relays on their ignition?

[winkster2005]

So I disassembled my ignition switch and cleaned everything up. Things look good but I've heard of people putting relays on their ( mostly emgo) ignition switches To protect them from high current.  Has anyone hooked up relays for the lights and starting system?  I know there are kits you can buy but í can get relays for like $3 each.  Anyone have any input?

Thanks

[DH]

I have relayed the ignition switch on my 750 K5. The keyswitch no longer carries the electrical load of the main circuit, it only
serves as a trigger to activate the relay. The relay then carries the current load for the bikes main circuit. Easier on the old
switches, and helps make the cheap new ones last longer. Lights can be relayed as well, using the same principle.
Should be lots of posts from guys who have done this. Do a forum search.

[PeWe]

I have 5 relays in my CB750! It should be renamed to CB750R!
The cheap Auto relay has become smaller... http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTGv4J7lsHFeYFjB_iTjSRU7XGoO_WBu7vMYW8opJZgOrfj4TEq

All relays connected to a socket with wires. Stable and easy to change relay if needed.
http://images.biltema.com/PAXToImageService.svc/altimage/xlarge/42-314_xl_1.jpg

1.) Relay mounted beside the fuse box. - Wire from ign switch to coils, black/white cut and extended to the relay. Ign switch will now only switch on relay. From relay 12V with its own hanging fuse close to the battery before relay and connected to the cut part to coils.

2-3) Headlamp relays. Activated by the wires that before feeded the H4 bulb (Hi, Lo). Get 12V from battery with hanging fuses close to battery (before relays). Thick wires routed all the way into the relays. I think I have one 12V wire each to Hi and Lo. They could share one wire and fuse too. Separate wires and fuses will ensure that Hi ond Lo will not blow all light if causing a short circuit.

4.) One more relay inside headlamp. This was due to bad parking bulb that created a short without burning the fuse but NO 12 V to H4 (Hi/Lo). This relay has opposite function. It will open 12V to parking bulb when LO light get power. This make it possible to use really strong LED parking lamp without destroying the light pattern on LO. I'll use parking lamp as daylight light when we have that low and I want to be visible.
Parking light will be lit at switch P and Hi. Parking light has it's own small hanging fuse here to not kill the important 12V to Hi or maybe Lo too.
I have European bar switch with parking light control and a Headlamp reflector with it too.

The 3 relays inside Headlamp now moved outside when the LED H4 bulb with electronics needed the space.

5.) Relay for horn. Same style. Own 12V cable from battery with hanging fuse close to the battery. Old horn wire turn on relay instead of horn. I use dual snail horn that need more amps. They do not work with OEM wire and switch.

[WhyNot2]

I have 5 relays in my CB750! It should be renamed to CB750R!
The cheap Auto relay has become smaller... http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTGv4J7lsHFeYFjB_iTjSRU7XGoO_WBu7vMYW8opJZgOrfj4TEq

All relays connected to a socket with wires. Stable and easy to change relay if needed.
http://images.biltema.com/PAXToImageService.svc/altimage/xlarge/42-314_xl_1.jpg

1.) Relay mounted beside the fuse box. - Wire from ign switch to coils, black/white cut and extended to the relay. Ign switch will now only switch on relay. From relay 12V with its own hanging fuse close to the battery before relay and connected to the cut part to coils.

2-3) Headlamp relays. Activated by the wires that before feeded the H4 bulb (Hi, Lo). Get 12V from battery with hanging fuses close to battery (before relays). Thick wires routed all the way into the relays. I think I have one 12V wire each to Hi and Lo. They could share one wire and fuse too. Separate wires and fuses will ensure that Hi ond Lo will not blow all light if causing a short circuit.

4.) One more relay inside headlamp. This was due to bad parking bulb that created a short without burning the fuse but NO 12 V to H4 (Hi/Lo). This relay has opposite function. It will open 12V to parking bulb when LO light get power. This make it possible to use really strong LED parking lamp without destroying the light pattern on LO. I'll use parking lamp as daylight light when we have that low and I want to be visible.
Parking light will be lit at switch P and Hi. Parking light has it's own small hanging fuse here to not kill the important 12V to Hi or maybe Lo too.
I have European bar switch with parking light control and a Headlamp reflector with it too.

The 3 relays inside Headlamp now moved outside when the LED H4 bulb with electronics needed the space.

5.) Relay for horn. Same style. Own 12V cable from battery with hanging fuse close to the battery. Old horn wire turn on relay instead of horn. I use dual snail horn that need more amps. They do not work with OEM wire and switch.

daaaayyum......I'd like to see pictures of all those relays, and wire harness.

[DH]

Here's a cluster!@$&.....An electronic version of a double pole/double throw relay that is activated by a motion sensitive cheapie
alarm system unit. Small wimpy buzzer supplied with alarm was ditched and rb5 electronic dpdt was wired in it's place. using the alarm unit's output signal pulses as trigger,  half the relay provides power around ignition switch to the bikes horn, and at the same time, the other half provides path around horn button to ground. All accomplished with alarm in ready mode and ignition off.
This works very well, like a factory option, but takes up a lot of real estate on a bike that has very little room for anything else electrical.
The 6 wired component on the upper left is a blade style fuse holder made from a metri pack 280 connector.
The small gray colored relay on right upper is keyswitch relay. A lot of things can be relayed, but you have to do your homework,
as you're dealing with electricity, and there's not a lot of room for error. FIRE IS NOT A GOOD THING. This is for illustration purposes only!