gnxtc2
Active member
Is the Stancor, White Rodgers, Emerson relay really better than the OEM one?
I had to swap out my third relay today. The original Stancor relay last 90k miles. The Stancor relay was replaced with a White Rodgers relay and that one lasted 60K miles. Now the relay is called an Emerson one. All the relays carry the same part #586-105111 except for the original Stancor which was known as the 586-902. I'll be referring the aforementioned relay as a "586" relay.
Before I get into the 586 relay, the operation of the OEM relay is as follows. Inside the OEM relay is a disc. Everytime the OEM relay energized, the disc would rotate. The theory behind this was everytime the GPs energized, there would be a new contact surface. The OEM relay was an intermittent use one. Unless it's 90* out or the motor as some internal heat in, these motors need the GPs to start.
Now the issue I had was with my truck was temperature related. When the outside ambient temperature was around 60* +/- 10*, the GPs would not energize. I thought to myself since I have a HD 200A continuous duty relay, that shouldn't be a problem. When the temps raised out of that range, GPs energized and the truck started.
I have the Ford AIC in my truck. When I turn the key on to energize the GPs, I hit the "Charge Protect" button and it tells me the battery voltage. I got a reading of 10.9 volts when the GPs energized. I began to look at the battery cables on the truck. I decided to make custom ones out of 3/0 and 4/0 welding cable and utilize the military style battery connectors. I have the crimpers from being an electrical contractor.
Positive cables
- Passenger battery to starter - 4/0
- Passenger battery to driver side - 3/0
- Passenger battery to fender relay - #1 or #2 (I think)
Both negative cables were made out of 3/0
After making the cables, the motor cranked faster. Now when the GPs energized, the voltage is 11.4 volts. I guess I needed batter cables.
Fast forward to these two past weeks, the GPs would not energize. I had to jump the big terminals with a hammer to start the motor. So I bring my truck into my shop and began diagnosing the issue. I put a bulb across the control circuit of the relay. The bulb lit everytime I turned the key on. I let the PCM time out and the bulb turned off. I have a bypass switch in the cab for the GPs and activated the GPR manually after it timed out. I heard the coil activate with every press of the bypass switch but no GP activation. With the coil activated, I had power only on one side of the big terminal studs.....bad relay.
So I install another so called HD 200A continuous duty relay. And the GPs once again start energizing. So I took apart the White Rodgers relay and this what a 200A continuous duty looks like after 60k miles:
So is the 586 relay any better than the OEM one? Others have tried the GPR-109 (NAPA), the Western Plow one, generic auto parts store ones, etc, etc but to what success or failure?
This might be my next relay to try. Rated at 500A
https://www.digikey.com/product-det...nse-and-marine/LEV200A4NAF/A101171-ND/2362824
Thoughts, discussion, comments
Billy T.
[email protected]
I had to swap out my third relay today. The original Stancor relay last 90k miles. The Stancor relay was replaced with a White Rodgers relay and that one lasted 60K miles. Now the relay is called an Emerson one. All the relays carry the same part #586-105111 except for the original Stancor which was known as the 586-902. I'll be referring the aforementioned relay as a "586" relay.
Before I get into the 586 relay, the operation of the OEM relay is as follows. Inside the OEM relay is a disc. Everytime the OEM relay energized, the disc would rotate. The theory behind this was everytime the GPs energized, there would be a new contact surface. The OEM relay was an intermittent use one. Unless it's 90* out or the motor as some internal heat in, these motors need the GPs to start.
Now the issue I had was with my truck was temperature related. When the outside ambient temperature was around 60* +/- 10*, the GPs would not energize. I thought to myself since I have a HD 200A continuous duty relay, that shouldn't be a problem. When the temps raised out of that range, GPs energized and the truck started.
I have the Ford AIC in my truck. When I turn the key on to energize the GPs, I hit the "Charge Protect" button and it tells me the battery voltage. I got a reading of 10.9 volts when the GPs energized. I began to look at the battery cables on the truck. I decided to make custom ones out of 3/0 and 4/0 welding cable and utilize the military style battery connectors. I have the crimpers from being an electrical contractor.
Positive cables
- Passenger battery to starter - 4/0
- Passenger battery to driver side - 3/0
- Passenger battery to fender relay - #1 or #2 (I think)
Both negative cables were made out of 3/0
After making the cables, the motor cranked faster. Now when the GPs energized, the voltage is 11.4 volts. I guess I needed batter cables.
Fast forward to these two past weeks, the GPs would not energize. I had to jump the big terminals with a hammer to start the motor. So I bring my truck into my shop and began diagnosing the issue. I put a bulb across the control circuit of the relay. The bulb lit everytime I turned the key on. I let the PCM time out and the bulb turned off. I have a bypass switch in the cab for the GPs and activated the GPR manually after it timed out. I heard the coil activate with every press of the bypass switch but no GP activation. With the coil activated, I had power only on one side of the big terminal studs.....bad relay.
So I install another so called HD 200A continuous duty relay. And the GPs once again start energizing. So I took apart the White Rodgers relay and this what a 200A continuous duty looks like after 60k miles:
So is the 586 relay any better than the OEM one? Others have tried the GPR-109 (NAPA), the Western Plow one, generic auto parts store ones, etc, etc but to what success or failure?
This might be my next relay to try. Rated at 500A
https://www.digikey.com/product-det...nse-and-marine/LEV200A4NAF/A101171-ND/2362824
Thoughts, discussion, comments
Billy T.
[email protected]
Last edited:
