i use a 30 amp or bigger toggle switch is it still necassary to run a relay?

What is the amp draw of wht your using the switch for and how far away from the switch?

I run relays for everything, but locate the relays close to what it's going to turn on. Fan and water pump up front, Fuel pump relay in the back...Everything else in the cab.

But I do know there are more than a few on here whom just use high amp switches...

Yeah he wasn't asking about a light duty switch used to activate a relay- he wants to know if it's ok to just use a high amp switch without a relay.

If it's for a high draw item I use a relay and get power right off the alternator. I use the stock harness for all the other interior functions. I have a bank of relays where the battery used to be- fans, fuel pump, headlights, horn. I use a switch for the rear defroster, um... that's it.

the switch is just part of the circuit, the wire size is as or more important. what are you looking to power?

this is just a race car.bg 400,elect wp,1 fan and msd7-AL3.

i'm not sure what you're looking to do but if you want to power all of those from one switch then imho i would not use a toggle type switch. i'm sure there are toggle switches made that will handle it but doubt they're very common. a cole hersee battery type switch would handle it fine but as mentioned i'm not sure what you're looking to do. also as i mentioned wire size is VERY (load and length dependent) important. although i can't remember the exact numbers and they do vary i have done (accurate) current draw tests on all of the accessories you mention. many people go overboard with wire sizing, relays and whatnot but you do not want to use wire that is too small.

iirc generally the loads are (rough numbers)

ignition (holley, MSD) 6-7 amps
water pump (shogun, teel) 6-7 amps
fuel pump (mallory comp 250) 6-7 amps
electric fan (flexalite black magic) 15 amps
trans brake (transmission specialties) 15 amps

You can get switches up to 75 amps for aircraft buss electrical systems. Run a copper bus bar then have a seperate switch for each system.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/pullswitches.php
http://www.experimentalaircraft.info/articles/aircraft-electrical-systems-5.php

i want to run a seperate switch for each item witout a relay.

You could use one of these along with some 00 gauge battery cable...

its time to rewire my car and i was just tryin to get some feedback on the relay angle,right now everything haS its own relay and fuse so its no big deal either way.ive just heard of guys that dont run relays and was wondering if anyone here had done it..

yes i have done it and am in the process of doing it right now. while relays may be required in some situations installing them in a circuit that is not really necessary adds complication and more potential failure points. use a wire sizing chart and choose the appropriate size conductor. in many circuits 16-14 gauge is sufficient, 12 should handle just about any normal load (except starting / charging obviously) encountered. there are a lot of factors that dictate wire sizing. the voltage, current draw, type of wire, type of load etc. i've done a lot of automotive wiring over the years and the vast majority of electrical problems i've seen stem from peoples inexperience and lack of understanding. poor craftsmanship and low quality materials have been the two most common causes of failures i've seen. poor connections cause resistance, resistance causes heat, heat causes increased resistance it's a snowball effect. use good wire, clean grounds, quality nylon connectors with extra metal sleeves (NOT THE VINYL JUNK FOUND EVERYWHERE) and a quality crimping tool. circuit protection is important electrical fires are notoriously hard to extinguish. these are some of the basic good quality components for successful wiring, in some cases i use weatherpack connectors. it's not practical for most people to invest this much in supplies or tooling but i've done enough to justify it and don't like electrical problems. i was recently doing voltage drop tests on a transbrake circuit and let me say the drop was a whole heck of a lot more (like 9.25 volts was present at the solenoid) than i would ever believe. i can also say that the brake in that car has never once failed to set.