I hate Radio Shack - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

13 Jun 2002

...
  From: 	ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk

    The guy there is accustomed to seeing me come
in for DE9 connectors,
 hoods, & computer stuff, and always asks "What are you building this
 time?"  He doesn't know anything, but at least he's curious...  I found
 a push-button rated at 3A, 125VAC, and brought it up.  Darrell says
 "Building one from scratch now, are ya?"  I told him no, it's a starter
 switch for my pickup.  He refused to sell it to me, because "Those
 starters pull 20 or 30 amps, and that's *DC*, too!  That switch will  
 Hmm... In every UK car I have worked on, the starter motor itself draws 
 about 600A on-load from the battery. This current is switched by the 
 starter solenoid contacts which acts (in part  -- it also moves the 
 pinion into mesh with the flywheel) as a large relay.
 ... 

 Now, admittedly the former should only operate until the solenoid has 
 pulled in, But if there are problems (a typical one is a relatively high 
 high resistance connection in the circuit which limits the current to 
 (say) 10A -- the solenoid will then not pull in and disconnect the first 
 winding), then the current through the switch will be a lot higher than 
 you might expect.

 I certainly wouldn't use a 3A AC swtich for a starter solenoid operating 
 button. It's way underrated.

 -tony
  	Umm. what about just going to your local race car/performance auto
shop(or website), and buy a real starter button for your truck?

e.g. for only $8.55US...
http://www.driverfx.com/products/productDetails.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=1788
187&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1620351&affID=2958&bmUID=1023977805203

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