Custom Relay Box

[iandvl]

Since I've eventually got the after-market bumper, I thought I'd start connecting my spots (as well as connecting the fog lights integrated into the bumper). One of the issues is the very small space for relays in the bonnet.

So I thought I'd build my own relay box to accommodate two relays. I've got an idea of where to mount it, but I'll first have to see whether it comes out as I expect.

The model (sans lid) looks more or-less as follows:

relay-box.png (15.56 KiB) Viewed 2074 times

I'm currently printing this on a 3D printer.

printing.jpg (94.15 KiB) Viewed 2074 times

I'll post more photos as work progresses.

[ricster]

looks snazzy !!!

[Tinus lotz]

Looks good man

[iandvl]

A bit of a status update. A few technical issue with the printer (ie: a broken extruder head) resulted in me only getting the stuff printed the night before last.

Here's a "draft" print being done. The "spaces" in the sidewalls are just so that filament was not wasted as this was purely to see that the sizes were all correct.

relay1.jpg (93.67 KiB) Viewed 2025 times

relay2.jpg (100.04 KiB) Viewed 2025 times

There was also an issue with my design.

If you look at my original CAD design, there were supposed to be two triangles and a polygon on the one side where the relay socket was supposed to fit snuggly. The problem with my design was that I did not perform the "union" of these elements close enough to the other elements. ie: The printer did not see them as being attached anywhere. As such, my boxes came out near perfect, but missing the artefacts on the one side.

relay3.jpg (64.56 KiB) Viewed 2025 times

relay4.jpg (40.79 KiB) Viewed 2025 times

I have tested the fit of the relay sockets, and despite the fact that the design is slightly different from the original plan, everything still fits perfectly, and I'm happy with the outcome. Will probably get around to fitting everything the weekend, as it is a busy work week for me.

[iandvl]

Attempt one was not massively successful.

The relay connectors fit perfectly and similar, but I did not take some factors into account - such as the fact that the relay might not sit 100% straight in the relay holder. And the cables at the bottom, which meant that the relay connector pushed upwards slightly, and then I could not get the lid closed with the relay installed.

Other than that, it worked perfectly (it's like a doctor saying: "the operation was successful, but the patient died").

So I've drafted version 2 of my drawing. I've thrown out the polygons / triangles at the front side (the columns at the back make the relay connector fit ueber snugly, with no chances of rattles). I've also increased the height of the supporting columns a bit (for the cables) and the height of the box. There is also a little more space between the two relay connectors spots. I'll print a draft of the new version of the box this evening, and fit the stuff tomorrow evening. I think it will work this time around...

relayboxv2.png (21.29 KiB) Viewed 2000 times