Date:         Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:25:06 -0500
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: kill switch for pickle
Comments: To: pickle vanagon <greenvanagon@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTim5NzjtQQdQFQxtbF_Sxun-TsC2B3q8YCxgmd=O@mail.gmail.c om>
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At 11:33 PM 11/23/2010  -0500, pickle vanagon wrote:
>Great, thanks!  I found this wire on my '83 1.9l.
>
>Any idea how much current flows through it?

Semi-educated guess, maybe five amps or so?  Other than running the
coil itself, on the 1.9l it supplies the switching unit that pulses
the negative side of the coil, and also powers the control coils of
the ECU and fuel pump relays; those extra loads shouldn't amount to much.

Not sure how much the coil inductance evens out the pulses on the
positive side -- it could be that they're a good bit higher but you'd
need a scope to tell.  For what it's worth, DIN thinks a wire that
size should be good for about fifteen amps continuous at 50C, but I'm
certain the average current is nowhere near that.

Since you'll be operating that switch while the circuit is dead you
don't have to worry about arcing when you open the switch.  I'd think
a switch rated six amps at 125 AC would be well sufficient.

Yrs,
d