GordonTurner wrote:idea to use relay to switch the power is good. Also note that you can tie the coil+ to the main + power coming in, and put the starter switch on coil- to ground. This will eliminate some of the hot all the time wiring. Then I think you really wouldn't need a fuse on the switch circuit. The main power to the relay/starter solonoid should be through the Battery Relay to ensure you have ultimate shutoff ability.
sonex1374 wrote:Chris,
Controlling the power to the coil or the ground from the coil is your choice. There are situations that clearly favor one over the other, but in this case it's an even toss up. Putting a fuse on all your feed wires is good practice, and although I didn't show it on my sketch I'd recommend you do something (either an inline fuse from the main bus, or a fuse slot if you use fuse blocks, etc). If you use 14g wire then you may want to use a 20 amp fuse on it (to prevent the fuse from being loaded too close to it's nominal value and "wearing out"). We've already seen that this starter solenoid can pull a fair amount of juice, even if briefly.
Jeff
mike.smith wrote:Unless I'm misunderstanding the question/issue, a starter solenoid should draw very little power through the switch. Like a single amp. The switch just closes a circuit, with very little juice, that "tells" the solenoid to energize itself with all the big juice. All of that happens forward of the firewall. All the heavy electrical lifting is done by the solenoid itself. Same as a master relay.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starter_solenoid
When the ignition switch is turned on, a small electric current is sent through the starter solenoid. ... When low-current power from the starting battery is applied to the starter solenoid, usually through a key-operated switch, the solenoid closes high-current contacts for the starter motor and it starts to run.
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