What is this part?

hornet53

What is this part and why is it buzzing with a high load?



I've done some work to my Hornet and went to start it up to no avail. I cleaned contacts and am charging the battery. I have 6V with the charger off and 7.2 with it on. When I turn on the headlights to see how much the voltage drops, this box starts buzzing. From my experience with 12V, I am leaning towards the battery being bad (it is 8 years old now) but, since I can't find anybody to do a load test on a 6V battery so I thought I would do it with the headlights.



Any ideas before I condemn the very expensive Optima battery?

Unknown

The part you have boxed is a relay. The type shown is normally used to tie the battery voltage from the battery directly to the headlights. The headlight switch is used to cause the relay to turn on and off and allows the dimmer switch to switch the relay between high and low beam connections in the headlights. The advantage of the relay is to eliminate the need to put all the battery voltage throught the headlight switch and back to the lights. The headlights should be brighter when the relay is used. A buzzing relay could be a number of things... usually this means insufficent current to keep the relay engaged... therefore the relay is chattering or buzzing as it trys to maintain a connection.

53jetman

Hornet 53 - I would think any battery load tester (hand held) would be able to give you a good idea if your battery is up to par, or not. I have a Christy load tester, and it makes no difference weather the battery is a 6 or a 12 volt.



Jerry

53jetman

Jon B

I wouldn't condemn the Optima, I've only heard good things about it. However, being an essential cheapskate, I have opted for a more traditional battery at a fraction of the cost of the Optima. I've had good luck with DEKA batteries (made in Pa.). My latest one cost about $70 and puts out about 780 cold craning amps (as opposed to the Optima's 850). It probably won't last as long as the Optima (which has a 72 month guarantee) but the Optima's about $60 more so to me it's a decent trade-off. Others may have different ideas, though, LOL!

RL Chilton

Don't listen to anybody else! It's the infamous "black box" (just the paint has worn off). Download the information inside the box to your computer and you will have the car's complete history since it's inception on the line . . . or . . . maybe it's just a relay, what do I know?:D

hornet53

Well, after charging the batt, the buzzing has gone away and the lights come on. It still won't start, so I'm going to try swapping starters and look at the ring gear.

Thanks guys.

Unknown

It is indeed a headlight relay - not the cause of your problem - check the charging and starting systems, the starter is a good place to start, but don't forget the cables.

Are you still in PA? I no longer live in OR. I now live in NM - E-mail me at : waltfredco@mydwo.com

49 Hudson Fred

Unknown

LOL - sorry I transposed a part of my E-mail address - it should read: waltfredco@mywdo.com - Sorry

Fred

hornet53

Well, I bought a 130A load tester from Sears for $60, clamped it on a freshly charged battery, pushed the button, and !!!SURPRISE!!!, 1.2 volts after 10 seconds. Guess I'm going to be shopping for a new battery this week.



Thanks 53jetman for the handheld load tester tip. I never really thought about buying my own, and $60 is pretty decent for a tool i've already been asked to bring over to a friend's house.

Unknown

Cut expenses in these difficult economic times........tell your friend that you will bring over your shiny new battery load tester however the equipment rental fee off site is $30.00 - if he brings the battery to you then the charge decreases to $15.00. A few neighborhood help me's and your investment is paid for and looking to be profitable.

Unknown

53jetman wrote:

Hornet 53 - I would think any battery load tester (hand held) would be able to give you a good idea if your battery is up to par, or not. I have a Christy load tester, and it makes no difference weather the battery is a 6 or a 12 volt.

Jerry
53jetman

Jerry

Saw the "Christy" part of your post. Did you buy the device in California? Possibly a military surplus item? Reason for the noseyness... 10 years ago or so, Christy, then a California company sold it self to Marathon Battery Corp a Waco Texas company. Christy was heavy into Military battery chargers and testers then. Did not know about the automotive slant.

I have used a SUN load tester for years.

Cheers from Waco

53jetman

Ken - The Christy load tester I have I kept when I got out of the auto parts and battery business in 1988. At that time, we had had this device for at least 14 or 15 years. Christy was a big name in battery service equipment at that time - certainly not inexpensive, but as I can attest to a very solid piece of equipment. We also sold their complete line of battery charges - they produced just about anything you could imagine for the auto aftermarket and dealer service operations



Jerry

53jetman

Unknown

Thanks Jerry... geneology of an absorbed company is not always clear.

junkcarfann

hornet53:



The tip-off that your battery was bad was the 6 volts it had without the charger. A 6 volt battery should have more that 6 volts. I forget the number, but it is something like 6.8 volts, just as a 12 volt battery should have something like 13.6 volts.

hornet53

Yeah, it was actually 6.5 at rest, so it looks good until you put a load on it. I just say 6V, but in my head I meant "normal". But, 1.2V under a 130A load means "toast". I might keep it around to run some low power LEDs for strategic lighting throughout the car since it can still be mounted anywhere without the possibility of leaking, and without having to cut into the original harness. Just throw it on the charger every now and then.