Connections
Relays are available for around $5 in some automotive stores, electronics stores such as Radio Shack, or at your nearest car stereo shop.Here is how a relay looks from the bottom:
Contacts:
30: Common
87a: Normally Closed
87: Normally Open
85 & 86: Power
Operation
Relays do exactly the same thing a regular switch. Instead of being moved by a finger, they are moved by an electromagnet that attracts a metal switch. When the “switch” is inactive (no power through electromagnet) the common and normally closed contacts are tied together.
When the relay is activated (12 volts across electromagnet), the switch is pulled, disconnecting normally closed contact, and connecting the normally open contact with common terminal. As soon a power is removed from the coil, the contacts go back to their original position.