relay question

I have a relay wired into the ignition circuit, in the first key position -- Ign. only -- the warning light does not come on -- the relay clicks so I know it is energized -- in the 2nd. key position the light comes on, turning the key back to the first position keeps the light on. I ran a jumper from the battery directly to the wiring for the relay which I disconnected from the Ign. switch, touching the jumper to the battery neg. terminal once energized the relay but did not light the ign. lamp, touching the terminal a second time lit the light ??, what is going on here?, I substituted a second relay to eliminate a bad relay.
Thanks. James.

If you are using a low voltage switch rather than the original warning light assimilator, it may take a slight drain on the battery to illuminate the light. If you have a good battery, the switch will see more than 11.5 volts with simply the ignition energized. When you turn on the lights, or pull the brake lever, the current used by the bulbs is usually enough to drop the voltage at the LVS.

If you are using the original assimilator forget everything I just wrote.

James,

You said that you: "substituted a second relay"? Are there any markings on the relay? Or are both relays standard auto types with the four tags? If so, how does the relay connect into the wiring circuit exactly?

Ron, you have hit the nail on the head,I am using a LVS from Al. Osborne,one thing that I omitted in my original posting is that -- with the key in position ONE there is no ign. warning light,if I depress the rear brake lever the ign. warning light comes on -- this is the drain on the battery that you mentioned. I'm not sure that understand the technicalities, but that explains the condition. Thanks Ron and L.A.B. for your responses. James.