so my car wouldnt start one day. actually, it took a bit of a hard time to start the day before, but eventually started after cranking, but this time it simply wouldnt start. i had already installed a fuel pump kill switch without a relay, oh about 4 months ago after my car got stolen and recovered. after diagnosing the problem, basically the switch went bad. im curious if anyone else had used this switch and experienced any problems. i got it from radio shack, and i didnt use the illuminating LED, just hooked up the two poles. its supposedly rated at 25A @12V, which seems more than sufficient.



i know there are other ways to wire a kill switch, such as using a relay, or cutting the ground to the main relay for lower amperage. i just want to know other ppls experience using this particular switch and if they ever had theirs fail. im probably going to replace it because its pretty cheap and i dont feel like rewiring unless it happens again or i find out its really not that great of a switch, based on your inputs. thanks.

 

Walbro 255 fuel pumps use a max of 12 amps (7amps is normal)

I hate rat-shack components and have many bad experiences with them. Find a local electronics retailer.

Also, I would use a relay.. That’s just me though.

 

What you need is to use a relay...what you had happen is a common
problem when you use a switch to handle a heavy load...it will burn out.
IF you used a relay.... the circuit will out-last the car.

 

same thing happened to me, i wired foglights to a switch with out a relay and that sucker burned out within a few weeks.

 

I had the same switch in my car for over 6 months with no problems at all.

 

if 7amps is considered normal for the stock fuel pump, then i certainly dont think its so much an issue of the switch not being able to handle it, but more simply a question of the quality of the switch. i wouldnt hook up a pair of 35W fog lamps directly to a single switch either. i dunno, i replaced it today with pretty much the same thing, we'll see if it craps out on me again. thanks for the replies.

 

How do yu have it wired? Into the ground wire?

I bought a push/pull switch from advance auto tday and some18 gauge wire to do my kill switch. I cant find out which wire is my ground though. I beleive youi can break into the power wire, but it is best to do an in-line fuse witht hat setup...am I correct?

Also, any info on whuch wire is ground for a 91 CRX Si?

 

power line ??
why are you guys putting the switch on the power line ??

i just cut the ground wires and used a switch there
this way you dont ahve to worry about relays and such

 

the second radio shack switch ive bought has recently been giving me problems again. looking back at the date, its obviously not been working reliably for more than 6 weeks... so i took it out and opened it up and saw how it works. theres basically a bar that acts like a see-saw and the rocker switch has a spring loaded "push" thingy and that seems to get binded and not offer enough force to push the end of the see-saw down to complete the circuit. a suprisingly flimsy design for something that should be so simple. its not a case of it "blowing out", just really sucks mechanically, and i dont suggest anyone get this switch from radio shack. gonna have to find another switch alternative.

 

I used a similiar similar, actually the same minus the LED, from Radio Shack. Never had a problem with it...