Thursday 16 August 2012

Electric mirrors.

Two separate switches are used. One (double throw double pole) switches from the left and right mirror, and one 5 pin joystick moves it around. The wiring diagram was a bit confusing, so I coloured it.


The colors are random,
Purple = Positive
Brown = Negative 
They are the inputs, that the joystick (Mirror Switch) distributes to the motors. The joystick also has to change the polarity of the outputs, so the motors can move in the other direction. There are only two motors per mirror. Obviously, one for vertical, and the other for horizontal movement.

The DPDT switch was easily tested, and it was fine.
The problem is deffinitely the joystick switch.

So.. pins 2 (12v) and 4 (Ground) always need to be present. Pin 3 is common to all motors, which leaves pins 1 and 5 that are are the controls to their individual axis on a motor.

Based on the above logic:
1&2 and 3&4 move the mirror up
to move it in the opposite direction we reverse polarity so..
1&4 and 3&2  move the mirror down
And the other axis:
3&2 and 5&4 move the mirror left
3&4 and 5&2 move the mirror right

Tested the mirrors by jumping the pins where the joystick connects, and all looks to be fine.
My options are replacement of the joystick with a new unit for almost $100, or manufacturing something that involves 4 momentary DPDT switches. The latter will not fit in its original location so I would have to hide my non OEM shame in a different location. The third and most logical solution is to buy a used one.



 

Friday 10 August 2012

Radio wiring

Making sense of the radio/stereo wiring was a challenge.
It appears that several different units have been installed over time, each adding more and more wires, while butchering the original harness.
Butt-splice, over butt-splice. I also found several of those screw on connectors used in household light switch installations.

I decide to remove everything, and start fresh. It turns out I had random loops of the some wires going everywhere. 4 grounds and 5 power wires ???????? And they all came from the same spot!


Ahh yes, much simpler, and clean also. A bit of solder and heat shrink does wonders.
The red, yellow, black and white connectors go to each speaker after exiting the Front/Rear fader. The original radio (which I did manage to find at a junk yard) has only 2 output channels, thus needing to go through the fader/mixer. It is not needed if installing a modern radio, since they have at least 4 outputs.

  
I simplified and coloured in the factory manual wiring diagram. Pretty simple once all excess wires were removed.   Unfortunately I did not have a proper plug for the back of the radio, but the various female connectors I manged to scrounge do the job just as well.