Tool Review: Electronic Specialties Super Relay Buddy Pro Kit
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Q: How did the tool function as far as saving you time?
A: It saves time by bypassing any setup of independent wires. It's designed with built-in relay receptacles, which makes it convenient for efficient relay testing.
Q: How has using this tool impacted your shop’s profitability?
A: It made short work of multiple relay testing, which can, at times, have a tech fumbling for leads and wires—this tool prevents that.
Q: What kind of setup was involved before using the product?
A: None. Simply open the hard-shell case, remove and use.
Q: How easy was it to use?
A: It's as easy to use as opening the box. There's really nothing to it.
Q: Did it come with any accessories?
A: It came with adapters for times when you must test shielded relays.
Q: Was there a manual included? If so, did you use the manual, and was the manual easy to understand?
A: Yes, a manual is included. It’s easy to read and understand. I did use it to see if they mentioned any limitations, which it did. I'll explain further below.
Q: What features did you like?
A: I like the automatic 10-cycle testing with an easy red or green pass/fail result. I also like its ability to test four- and five-pin relays, and I love that it applies a load to the circuit of 7A.
Q: Is there any way you could think to improve or add to this tool?
A: There is one trade-off to this tool. Which, in their defense, they do mention in their manual. The only drawback that I see is that you cannot test relays that are not designed in the conventional format.
For example, BMW/MINI utilize a green-colored relay. This relay has a conventional relay layout and appears to be just another normal relay. The diagram reflects that of a conventional relay, but unlike traditional relays where the control coil pins (85 and 86) are typically parallel to each other and the load side pins (87 and 30) are perpendicular to each other, the BMW/MINI relays have pins 85 and 30 parallel to each other and pins 86 and 87 perpendicular to each other. The receptacle of the tool is fixed and there is no way to test these relays using the tool.
To remedy this would be to include a relay adapter dedicated to testing green BMW/MINI relays and also their blue relays which don't even use pin 86.
Q: What types of repairs did you use this tool for?
A: I used it mostly on a 2007 Mercedes Benz C230 that had been sitting for a very long time. I used the Super Relay Buddy Pro Kit to test the terminal 15 relay, which kept failing after the first cycle. After replacing that relay along with two other terminal 15 relays that kept failing, I was able to communicate with everything on the powertrain bus, but the vehicle would still not crank.
So, I tested the starter relay using this tool, which also failed. Testing of all the relays in the vehicle was now mandatory. As a precaution, I allowed the tool to test each relay at least 50 cycles before considering it good, which takes very little time and is automated. Several of those relays would fail after 30 cycles. The vehicle now starts and runs after replacing more relays than I ever have on a single vehicle, thanks to this tool.
Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool overall? Why?
A: For the reasons above, I'm going to rate this tool a 9. It's so close to perfection. Maybe its successor will be the ultimate relay testing tool and the golden standard for relay testing in the automotive industry.
