PIAA 1100x relay update
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 763
Likes: 0
From: Memphis TN
PIAA 1100x relay update
If you have the PL5FA relay, it has been upgraded with a new relay part number 33102, with an inline fuse. PIAA says it won't be available for 3-4 weeks. They are shipping a free replacement one to me as soon as it's out. E-mail them now!!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,756
Likes: 5
From: Satellite Beach, FL, USA
Re: PIAA 1100x relay update (C5 YA)
Another option is to put a surge limiting themistor in series with power. The thermistor limits the inrush current to the bulb protecting it and the relay. A high power bulb is a dead short until it is hot. The bulbs will last a lot longer.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,756
Likes: 5
From: Satellite Beach, FL, USA
Re: PIAA 1100x relay update (UVETTECHA)
You can get them at digikey.com. They are called inrush current limiters. They are a non-linear negative temperature coefficient thermistor. Every personal computer has one in it's power supply to improve it's reliability. You can use one for each bulb, or use a larger one to feed both bulbs. The thermistor changes resistance when it gets hot. It starts out at say 1 ohm cold and when you pull sufficient current through it to heat it up, it's resistance dramatically goes down to say .02 ohm. You need to know the current draw of the bulbs to choose the correct size unit. If you pick one too small it will burn up. If you pick one too big it will not get hot enough to cause a large change in resistance. A part number to use would be KC023L-ND. It would be good for a 5 to 8 amp current draw. You need to mount them to a small terminal strip and make sure they don't vibrate and break their leads. They look like a lare disc capacitor.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
