electrical relay problem

[Rex]

I have a set of driving lights on my CJ5 that are real old. They work but the relay that was connecting them is shot. The old relay is a 12V 15 amp one with a metal housing and three connectors on it. I have been trying to find something like it but to no avail. Everything I have come across is of a higher amperage and has more connectors.

What I need to know is whether the amperage matters or not. Can I use a relay that is 20/30/40 amps? I found several that are the higher amperages but I don't know if it makes any difference. I found a Bosch that is 20/30A and it's cheap. I'd like to use that if it'll work. I don't know much about electronics as you may have guessed. So I am wondering if a relay with a higher amperage will be a problem for the driving lights or not. So basically I need to know what amp relay I can use, is there any leeway? If I have to have a 15 amp relay I have no idea where to get one. Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[bobcat481]

No, a higher amperage will do fine, as long as you still run the original fuse to protect the wire. For that matter you could control the lights with a 100 amp relay. The amperage rating it the MAX amperage you should push through the device. My guess is that if you run a higher amp relay on a lower amp circuit, your gonna get a longer lifespan out of it.

 

[jfrabat]

X2! Like he said, use a fuse to protect it, and use the Bosch relay.