Cylinder Relais question?

Philippe db

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Hi Guys,

Quick question? In our E 9's there is room for 3 of these silver cylinder shaped relais.

I don't think these relais are still made so to replace one you need to search for a used one.

What type of relais exactly fits in which position?

Below 2 examples I found, one with 3 and one with 5 poles.

many thanks in advance.
 

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Philippe db

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Hi Keshav,

Thanks for the link.

That is the one for the wippers with 5 poles.

Are the ones you would need for driving or fog lights also the ones with 5 poles?

If I'm not mistaken the cars were equipped with two of these relais when they left the factory, one for the wippers, not sure what the one in the middel is for (don't have my car at home at the moment) and the vacant position for extra driving/fog lights.
 

Keshav

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Hi Philippe,
Not wanting to misguide you here......... rather let the experts like HBC or SFDon (and many others) answer competently!
Atleast you know where to get them if needed :). I believe the answer to both your questions is yes, but as always, ohne Gewähr.
 

Philippe db

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Many thanks Keshav. Just saw that they had one more but no picture of the underside so not sure how many poles that one has but this one is described as for the fog lights.
 

Keshav

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My pleasure Philippe. I’m sure you’ll get pertinent answers later this evening right here and you could always send Joachim an email about any questions.
 

sfdon

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114BE664-F1C1-4FA8-B865-65975E4B9B04.jpeg
The relays by the battery- high beam and horn are 4 pole relays
 

Marco 54

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Hi Phillippe,
Joachim at BTS-Autoteile.de has them......
Take a look under E9 Fahrzeug Elektrik

https://www.bts-autoteile.de/index....lage2013-04-23-12-02-572013-04-23-12-02-57_91

Keshav

Hi Keshav

Its me again!!!

I don't intend to hijack this thread but I wanted to thank you for the link to BTS. I have been looking for the Hella relays for some time.
W&N had them very briefly but had sold out when I checked.
I have just ordered two from BTS at Euro49 each. I recall that the W&N price was Euro79 each!

So once again many thanks for your help and advice.

Cheers, Keshav.

Marco54
 

Keshav

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Hi buddy!
Why didn’t you mention it before.... :) I’m really glad that you (and surely others) can knock this off your list.
Guys like Joachim have some cool NOS left overs, parts we think are NLA. I’ve been getting parts from him since the mid 80’s!
I came across the rare 2800 c s emblem there too.

Best regards
Keshav
 

Stevehose

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And I don't believe the socket pins match up with modern 4 blade relays if you go that route, best to make sure on polarity
 

jmackro

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And I don't believe the socket pins match up with modern 4 blade relays if you go that route, best to make sure on polarity

I added a third relay to my e9 for the low beams, so three relays will definitely fit. The biggest challenge is finding an original socket that will snap into the cut-out in the sheet metal.

I was able to get an original, cylindrical relay, so my conversion was simple. But I believe that a modern relay can be made to fit. Two thoughts:

- SPST relays typically have 4 terminals: two for the coil, one to the movable contact and one to the fixed contact (see diagram below). The orientation of these seems to match the 4-terminal relays shown in the photo posted by sfdon in post #17.

- If the stock e3/e9 connector has its terminals in different socket positions, it's easy enough to remove them, swap them around, and re-install in the proper locations for the relay you're using.

But yes, as Stevehose says, with anything electrical it's "best to make sure on polarity".

s-l400.jpg
 
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sfdon

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Markos sells perfect relay bases - 3D printing to the rescue!
 

Willem Tell

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So to come back to this topic for an E9 newbie, what function do these relays above the battery serve?
Only one of mine (middle) has a relay installed. Do I understand that this is my wiper relay? What is the function of the socket to the right - foglamps?
The square can is the voltage regulator?
IMG_2716.JPG


BTW, this is an old photo from my inspection. I found NOS aluminum can relays from BTS in Germany:
https://www.bts-autoteile.de/index....04-23-12-02-57_91/entlastungsrelais-e3-detail
Has anyone done a guide or overview of the relays in various locations, like under the dash? I did one for myself for the Tii, but haven't had much time for this before sub-zero conditions set in!:confused:
 

HB Chris

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The two relays are horn and high beam headlights. In 74 a low beam relay was added under the dash. Wiper relay is under the dash as well but is much taller.
 

Willem Tell

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what, a Lucas battery in a BMW? the british prince of darkness
I, I, I, didn't do it... he did it, the Seller did it! :rolleyes: Varta batteries still available here in CH; when it fails ;), I'll replace it!

Thanks Chris, very helpful!
Hmmm... one is not populated, but high beams work, and horn works...:confused: Easy enough to pull the relay and see which one stops working!
Seller said the right-hand empty socket was for an option I do not have. I assumed fog lamps.
I don't have the Owner's Manual at hand, but I don't recall that it actually identifies the relays around the vehicle. It is great though, how much hands-on maintenance is described, and was assumed to be done by the driver. Very different form the "turn the key and go" experience of modern cars, and that's where the fun is!
Upon further investigation...
From the color diagram, it looks like the Horn and High Beams (ref "Fog Light Relay") are in that location. (Socket is just a tie-point connection for High Beams, hence High Beams work with an empty socket.)
The relays by the battery- high beam and horn are 4 pole relays
High Beams are solid color wires, therefore not fused, so I guess a relay harness in the High Beam circuit is in order as a future project!.
Hmmm. I guess I could break the connection at that socket, move black and white from 85 to 87, move white input to 30 (disconnect battery input), add a ground at 86, install a relay, and checkmate! I see a plan forming...;)


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HB Chris

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The extra socket is for a fog light relay but it turns fog lights off when high beams are selected. Either your high beams or horns are wired without a relay which is not great.
 

Willem Tell

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The extra socket is for a fog light relay but it turns fog lights off when high beams are selected. Either your high beams or horns are wired without a relay which is not great.
Actually, it's true that the forward Fog Light Relay switches the fog lights on when the Fog Lamp Switch connects to ground, but the power to the High Beams is not interrupted by that relay, it is interrupted at the Low Beam/Turn Indicator switch. I can't make out where the "toggle" between High Beam and Fog Lamp occurs.
The correct wiring at the High Beams is actually hard-wired through that forward relay base (86/coil) to the lights. The Low Beam has a second Fog Lamp Relay relay under the dash and that power is routed through Fuse #3. So Low Beams are operated by a second relay and fused, High Beams are switched through the Turn Signal stalk and are not fused.
Power (Green from tie point at Fuse #8 from Ignition Switch "On") enters at 15 and is switched between High Beam at 56a (White) and Low Beam at 56 (Wh/Y), which operates the coil at the Low Beam Relay under the dash. Under-dash Low Beam Relay then routes power from the battery to Fuse #3 and onward to the Low Beam lights.
I believe I've got this right....'02s are wired similarly.
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