Looking for "normal" old-school Bosch-type 5-pin mini-relays, but ...

[deckeda]

... can't find them inexpensively. Maybe your Google-fu is better than mine.

The 'ol mower uses three of them. One is the main (ignition and so on), one is for the PTO, and the third is for I don't know what. Starter maybe.

One's bad, so because they aren't very fun to reach I thought I'd replace all 3. It's been over 25 years after all. Shouldn't be more than $5-$10 each, right?

Part AM106305 would be it. Here it is, https://www.amazon.com/John-Deere-Origin...B00EDSH7QA ... Not looking to pay $20 apeice, but that's Deere for you.

If you're familiar with these old style relays, note that the salient features of this particular version are that they are skirted AND have a little locking tab for the harness. I've seen some that have both the skirt AND a locking piece for a harness but it's the wrong kind of (incompatible) locking tab. No bueno.

As luck would have it, I pulled two and noticed they're made by different manufacturers. One's a Bosch 0332204174 (so old it's Made in Germany) and the other's a Hella 960388-06 (so old it's Made in USA)

Neither company makes those any more. New equivalents? Beats me; each company pretends those part numbers never existed. Thanks!

********

So ... I'm thinking of getting any regular 12v, 30A model from a name brand such as Bosch or Hella minus the skirt with securing tab (but with mounting tab) and just taping the heck outta the gap where the harness and relay meet.

[Diana]

A quick google search finds them at $17.09, free shipping for orders over $75, at greenfarmparts.com. I know nothing of these folks, and this is more than you probably want to spend, but this is the cheapest I could find.

[deckeda]

Thanks Diana. I've used them before; yes they're good guys. I've been buying this summer from greenpartstore.com ... worse SEO, so Google doesn't like them as much but their shipping is usually better. John Deere parts are like Apple accessories: in the end pretty much same price wherever you shop.

Currently still on the fence about the $17 + shipping. I hate being "that guy" to bitch about $5-$10 here or there, but here I am doing it anyway. Mostly I'm enjoying being annoyed at a mower I thought I was "done with" for the summer now hitting me up for more nickels and dimes for some commodity part that's turning out to be surprisingly proprietary. Grrr.

[Harbourmaster]

Those relays come in 3 basic flavors:
Normally-Open
Normally-Closed
Change-Over

AND 2 different pin layouts:

Configuration A = Black Base
Configuration B = White Base

The location of Pins 86 and 30 are in different locations depending on the base color.

Relays are available as 12 or 24V.

You need to determine what the function of the relay is and then it's simply a matter of buying the right style for each position.

There should be a diagram on the outside of the relay that shows it's function.


Just remembered that these also may include a Diode or resistor depending on the application. This should also be shown on the diagram on the exterior of the relay.

[Racer X]

just a though, try RockAuto.com and look here. https://www.rockauto.com/en/tools/electrical-switch+&+relay,relay See if they will work. Shipping can go small parcel USPS or flat rate priority small box.

[Harbourmaster]

Try

https://imperialsupplies.com/

[flareslow]

Mouser sells what may be a direct replacement, item 655-2-1904131-9, but they aren't stocked and minimum purchase is 440.

This may be an acceptable substitute from Digikey, I haven't found the contact rating of your original relay. These are cheaper. P-B Form C relay

[deckeda]

Harbourmaster wrote:
Those relays come in 3 basic flavors:
Normally-Open
Normally-Closed
Change-Over

AND 2 different pin layouts:

Configuration A = Black Base
Configuration B = White Base

The location of Pins 86 and 30 are in different locations depending on the base color.

Relays are available as 12 or 24V.

You need to determine what the function of the relay is and then it's simply a matter of buying the right style for each position.

There should be a diagram on the outside of the relay that shows it's function.


Just remembered that these also may include a Diode or resistor depending on the application. This should also be shown on the diagram on the exterior of the relay.

Functionally it'd be a normally open, 12v 30A, Type B. Those are what you'd typically see to energize headlights, engage an electric PTO clutch or whatever else needs to be powered so long as the relay stays energized.

BUT physically (in my application, as mentioned) it also "should" have the standard mounting tab (many do not, eg if plugged into a socket straight down) + a skirt for dirt/water protection (many do not, if installed inside a vehicle) + the correct tab for securing the harness (so that when mounted vertically the harness doesn't vibrate off.

Getting all three of those physical attributes is why I'm First World whining about paying $17 + apiece instead of say, $5 or even $10 each.

[deckeda]

flareslow wrote:
These are cheaper. P-B Form C relay

Looks about right, but without the tab needed to secure the harness to it. The mower bounces around A LOT on our rough "lawn."

That goes back to my earlier suggestion of maybe taping the harness to the relay ... but thinking about it some more I'd probably instead zip-tie them together.

The Mouser one has the wrong style of tab for securing the harness. The photo's not great but because of how wide he tab is I can see it's the "opposite" of what it needs to be.

Hover your mouse over the picture here, https://www.greenpartstore.com/search.as...d=AM106305. That little tab down on the skirt fits into a slotted portion on the harness.

On most of the relays I'm seeing that have something on a skirt for that, it's the "slotted" portion they have molded to the skirt, not the "ramp" my harnesses expect.

[flareslow]

Additional info- Your JD relay has 30A contacts, so the relay from Digi-Key should work. You may need to replace the connector to match the pinouts.

This relay includes the wiring harness, if you need it.
General Purpose Relay

$7.18 each