Sorry this is question is off topic, but this forum has entertained quite a bit of discussion about switch contact reliability, so I have an additional question to throw out here. I searched the archives and didn't see the answer I want, so here goes:

I am designing a power distribution box that will replace relays and fuses from my target car's electrical system with Infineon protected high-side switches. My concern is switch contact reliability; the existing mechanical switch contacts throughout the electrical system conduct about 150 mA when they activate the relay coils. This means the switch contact material is not gold and is therefore not suitable for dry switching. The high-side switches don't need any current to switch, so all the switch contacts in the electrical system would be dry switching which would cause reliability problems.

Am I right in concluding that I need to add pullup resistors to the high-side switch inputs so the switches will conduct adequate current to prevent contact oxidation? How much current is adequate to remove oxidation? I want to use the minimum necessary current because this will waste power and produce significant amounts of heat.

What do you guys suggest?

- Lee Cross