Mystery Components

[agamble]

Can anyone shed some light as to what this component might be? I tried a google search and was unable to find anything. I've never seen anything like this before.

 

As best as I can tell its connected to these two relays on the passenger fender, and the starter relay. This is based off of the connecters (yellow attached thicker gauge wire). I'm not 100 percent sure as the install appears to be done very well. The  wire loom appears to have been split then put back together to incorporate the wiring, I would have to split the loom to trace all the wires.

 

[Green Mesa XJ]

Ok I know what some of those things are but no idea what they are doing in a mj. First one reminds me of ac capacitor, it’s probably not, but what the hell was the PO trying to rig?



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[DirtyComanche]

Top one appears to be an old style starter solenoid, generic GM/Ford/Chrysler sort of a part, although most of them normally have 4 contacts.  If that's the case, it's just missing the "I" contact, which wasn't always used.

 

The other two look like they're self resetting thermal breakers (often referred to as fuses, but they don't fuse).

 

Is there an inverter wired in the truck?  Big HAM or VHF radio?  Or some sort of device that needs a lot of power?  It looks like it is set up to provide a switchable power supply that likely is keyed to the ignition.  Of course without actually seeing where the wires go, who knows.

[agamble]

55 minutes ago, Green Mesa XJ said:

Ok I know what some of those things are but no idea what they are doing in a mj. First one reminds me of ac capacitor, it’s probably not, but what the hell was the PO trying to rig?



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It doesn't have AC so maybe they thought they were going to add AC later on down the line? 

38 minutes ago, DirtyComanche said:

Top one appears to be an old style starter solenoid, generic GM/Ford/Chrysler sort of a part, although most of them normally have 4 contacts.  If that's the case, it's just missing the "I" contact, which wasn't always used.

 

The other two look like they're self resetting thermal breakers (often referred to as fuses, but they don't fuse).

 

Is there an inverter wired in the truck?  Big HAM or VHF radio?  Or some sort of device that needs a lot of power?  It looks like it is set up to provide a switchable power supply that likely is keyed to the ignition.  Of course without actually seeing where the wires go, who knows.

 

You appear to be spot on with identifying these parts as they have all checked out with a google search. I haven't seen one in the engine bay, so unless there is an inverter under the dash I am going to have to say no. The starter solenoid, as a quick google search returned several images that are similar to what is on the firewall of the comanche. 

 

Any idea as to why the generic starter solenoid would be connected to the starter relay? That seems redundant to me. Best guess is a PO had a generic starter solenoid that he wired into bypass the starter relay that failed???

[DirtyComanche]

3 minutes ago, agamble said:

Any idea as to why the generic starter solenoid would be connected to the starter relay? That seems redundant to me. Best guess is a PO had a generic starter solenoid that he wired into bypass the starter relay that failed???

 

You need to see where the wires actually go.  Yes, they may have used it to bypass the starter/ignition relay, which would be absolutely stupid but it wouldn't be a first, since all that stuff would have cost more money and been a big PITA compared with just swapping out the relay.  What is still hooked to the starter relay?  There should be a green (IIRC) wire from the center pin on it to actuate the starter solenoid, if that's still hooked to the starter solenoid then it's not that...

 

Also could have been a charging or isolation system for a camper or trailer battery...  There is a good chance that if it was for some piece of equipment that was removed, that the wires off it are just cut off and taped over somewhere.

[Green Mesa XJ]

Sorry. I wasn’t saying the first was a capacitor, it reminded me of a old one. My in law worked ac repair and used a lot of those industrial grade components when he wired his f350 to dual batteries. This wiring reminds me a lot of what he did.
I don’t get what the PO was up to, unless the original harness was damaged none of this makes sense. Can you see what the wires go to? Are the replacing the factory starting system? My guess would be something else that used a lot of juice was wired in then removed be for the jeep was sold.





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[carnuck]

First one is a relay. Usually long cycle for fog or high output head lights or maybe dual battery or charging a battery in a trailer for electric brakes.


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[WahooSteeler]

Flux capacitor? 

[Marine1Texas]

2nd picture I use those all the time at work. They are high amp fuses. normally 40 to 100 amps. I used them when  hookup a winch.

1st picture looks like at 1970's style starter relay. however it is a relay none the less.

 

[gogmorgo]

I've seen those starter solenoids used as switched battery disconnects... They work really well cause if you don't switch it off every time you park it overnight they drain the battery 

 

We also have them paired with those breakers for radios or dual battery setups in older work trucks, as was mentioned, and my fuzzy memory had one as part of trailer wiring as well in a family van we had set up for heavy(ish) towing in the '90's. Other things include emergency vehicle (I.e police) light bars, electric-hydraulic systems... Yeah, anything you'd want decent amounts of power shut off when parked. 

At any rate most of these things if once equipped would leave evidence... Handset mounts for radios, holes for light bars, trailer harnesses, etc. 

[agamble]

On 4/3/2018 at 9:52 PM, carnuck said:

First one is a relay. Usually long cycle for fog or high output head lights or maybe dual battery or charging a battery in a trailer for electric brakes.


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On 4/3/2018 at 11:57 PM, WahooSteeler said:

Flux capacitor? 

 

I have yet to take it over 88 MPH, so I may need to test this theory. 

 

On 4/4/2018 at 9:57 AM, Marine1Texas said:

2nd picture I use those all the time at work. They are high amp fuses. normally 40 to 100 amps. I used them when  hookup a winch.

1st picture looks like at 1970's style starter relay. however it is a relay none the less.

 

 

 

On 4/5/2018 at 6:19 PM, gogmorgo said:

I've seen those starter solenoids used as switched battery disconnects... They work really well cause if you don't switch it off every time you park it overnight they drain the battery 

 

We also have them paired with those breakers for radios or dual battery setups in older work trucks, as was mentioned, and my fuzzy memory had one as part of trailer wiring as well in a family van we had set up for heavy(ish) towing in the '90's. Other things include emergency vehicle (I.e police) light bars, electric-hydraulic systems... Yeah, anything you'd want decent amounts of power shut off when parked. 

At any rate most of these things if once equipped would leave evidence... Handset mounts for radios, holes for light bars, trailer harnesses, etc. 

 

I am inclined to think that it was most likely the trailer harness of charging a battery for trailer brakes. From more inspection on the truck the trailer loom is the only thing that appears to have been modified, and or messed with out of all the suggestions.

 

I appreciate everyones help and comments.

[agamble]

I like everyone else like closure to problems that have been encountered. I don't know how many times I read tech problems where the original poster never reports back on if and how the solved their problem. In an attempt to not follow suite I believe that the mystery components have finally been solved. I finally tracked all the wires. As was stated previously by two other members they appear to be parts of a trailer braking system. I found a bundle of wires tucked up under the dash that did not connect to anything. 

 

Following them,they went through the firewall into the engine bay and connected to an extra wireloom which ran in two directions. Along the back of the firewall towards the passenger side and down the back of the firewall towards the transmission tunnel.

 

The portion that ran to passenger side split, connecting to the solenoid.

 

Then continued to the two thermal fuses on the inner passenger fender.

 

Which then connected to the starter relay.

 

The portion going down to the transmission tunnel ran along the inner frame rail.

 

 

 Until it met up with this rats nest of electrical connections.

 

 Which all tied into this trailer connection.