Trying to be smart

UKPhilTR7 · Postby **UKPhilTR7** » 29 Jan 2008 11:17

I have now installed my flashing LED on the dashboard between the switches and it is nice and bright. (It is red, shame it is not green to match the rest of the inertia lights lol). I have connected it to the cigarette lighted as suggested, because of the continual live feed. However, now I was thinking if there was any way I could be smart and change it so that the LED only comes on when I leave the car and it turns of when I am driving?
Has anyone done anything like this or have any idea if it can be down?

jclay (RIP 2018) · Postby **jclay (RIP 2018)** » 29 Jan 2008 17:29

Put a relay between the LED and the power source and connect the wires to the Normally Closed contacts. Now hook a wire to the coil lead on the relay from a switched power source (white wire on Ignition switch?) and the other side of the coil on the relay to a ground.

When car is off, the coil will return to normal, sending current to LED. When car is running, the relay will activate and move the relay contacts to the normally open position, cutting current to the LED.

john 215 · Postby **john 215** » 29 Jan 2008 17:53

Hi Phil,
Leave live where you have it,connect the earth side to aux live (radio aux feed would probaly do ). When the aux/ign is off the LED will find an earth down the aux wire,and when switched on the earth will be broken with 12volt feed.Such a minute amount of current on a LED earth would not power anything up.
Cheers john.

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stevie_a · Postby **stevie_a** » 29 Jan 2008 18:26

As I suggested to you before 

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">If the car has no alarm and you only want it as a visual deterrent

The best way to do this is:-

â€¢ As mentioned lift the speaker grill on the top of the dash
look at the back you will see the centre is marked by the moulding process you
will see a thick circle of plastic drill your hole here.

â€¢ The best way to wire it up is a very good way it sounds bizarre but trust me it works

â€¢ First you say it is a flashing kit you have two wires coming from the light
1 for your live 1 for your earth

â€¢ Firstly connect your live to a wire that Is permanent live from one of the wires from under where the grill was.

â€¢ Next (this is the strange bit) in the same area find a live that only works with the ignition on.

â€¢ Now connect the other wire to this.

You now have a flashing light but when you turn on your ignition it will go off ( so no switches)

I have the lights mounted in the door tops<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

If it's not broke don't fix it.

bmcecosse · Postby **bmcecosse** » 29 Jan 2008 18:36

As an aside to this - how much current would this LED draw, and how much does the clock draw ? Reason I ask - my car has sat in the garage for 8 weeks now - I pulled it out (it's a really tight fit!) at the week-end, and it started up just fine. I was kind of expecting the battery to be at least slightly 'down' - but it was fine !

Steve-LPS-Thomas · Postby **Steve-LPS-Thomas** » 29 Jan 2008 18:45

Why not invest in one of those smart battery chargers that you can leave connected all the time? They are excellent.

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bmcecosse · Postby **bmcecosse** » 29 Jan 2008 19:06

Doesn't seem to be any need - 8 weeks and it's fine! I'll try again in another weeks, by which time the sun may have re-appeared!

stevie_a · Postby **stevie_a** » 29 Jan 2008 20:22

Bmcecosse the clock and the LEDâ€™s take virtually no currant at all

If you wish you could do what I do and have my battery plugged in to a

Battery conditioner.

Mine is a Draper from Halfords

63147 Draper BATTERY MASTER
Â£13.23

Product Description

Designed to be left connected to automotive-type batteries for extended periods of time. It will maintain the battery in a charged ready-to-go state ensuring for example that a vehicleÃ•s alarm current does not drain the battery. Fitted with crocodile clips in-line fuse and 4M of cable. Display packed. Specification:
Input ... 230V AC - 50Hz
Output ... 12V DC 300mA
Cable length ... 4M
Battery suitability ... 30 -140Ah

.

If it's not broke don't fix it.

TR Tony · Postby **TR Tony** » 29 Jan 2008 20:29

Couldn't agree more about the battery conditioner. I use an Accumate during the winter months which works brilliantly.

As well as crocodile clip connectors, it comes with a tagged connector that you can fit to the respective battery terminals & leave in place all the time. There is a small insulated plug on the lead that you connect to the charger lead when you leave the car for an extended period.

Works a treat.

Tony

1981 2L FHC Cavalry Blue - very original & not rusty!
1980 3.5L V8 DHC Regency Red - on the road again.

paul w · Postby **paul w** » 29 Jan 2008 21:34

I got the same,Stevie.Ideal if a car is not used often,esp.in the
cold weather.My V8's alarm is allways on in the garage - i wonder
how much of a drain that is?

See ya. Paul

bmcecosse · Postby **bmcecosse** » 30 Jan 2008 20:44

Thanks all. I see it's 300mA - is it really pumping that into the battery all the time ? Has anyone put a sensitive ammeter on it with a fully charged battery ? After the 8 weeks - and it was a cold day too - the battery churned the engine over no problem until the fuel pumped up (good for oil circulation anyway) and then it fired up no problem, and was of course left running for a good 20 mins until right up to normal temperature.

Rich in Vancouver · Postby **Rich in Vancouver** » 31 Jan 2008 00:06

A friend just picked up a solar panel battery chargermaintainer that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Has anyone used one of these? Comments?

Rich

1975 TR7 ACL764U

Hasbeen · Postby **Hasbeen** » 31 Jan 2008 01:31

Rich, I have had 2 of these. They were quite small, but we get a lot
of sun here.

One was on a 4 cylinder diesel tractor, with a very large battery.
The other one was on a 4L straight 6 horse truck, also with a large
battery. Both of these units could go for a couple of months between
starts, or be used daily for weeks.

Not only did they keep the batteries up, so I could use the things
without mucking with them, but they extended the life of the
batteries dramaticully. The tractor battery could still be relied on
to start the thing, when it was over 5 years old.

At the same time I had a similar battery on a 2 cylinder diesel
pump, which was used 4 or 5 times a week, for hours each time, &
kept fully charged by its alternator. Rarely have I got more than
2 years out of this battery, although I've had its charging system
checked a couple of times.

Hasbeen

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 31 Jan 2008 05:20

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Rich in Vancouver

A friend just picked up a solar panel battery chargermaintainer that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Has anyone used one of these? Comments?

Rich

1975 TR7 ACL764U

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I have one of these but haven't had enough sun to use it.[:)]

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

saabfast · Postby **saabfast** » 31 Jan 2008 11:58

If this is the Maplins Â£9.99 panel, I bought one before the winter before last. It did not maintain the battery (which was flat in the spring and needed replacing), but to be fair the garage window is not in sunlight. Didn't get around to setting it up this winter - and now my battery is flat!

Alan
Saab 9000 Stg 1
'81 TR7 DHC

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