Auto Up Window Mod

landtank · 05-03-04, 02:46 PM

I received the dead switch assembly from RavenTai today. As promissed I dug in and modified the assembly for auto up ability. The Mod consists of 2 changes to the switch assembly for this function. I'll have to post another one for the second change and it's pic.

1. You'll need to give the switch itself the range of motion so it can get that second click as it does in the down position. This is done by trimming the 2 tabs along the back side of the switch. I wasn't too careful here just took off about half the tab. To get the switch off you'll need to remove an E-clip and slid out the pivot pit. The switch then lifts off and you can easily trim it. The pic here shows the 2 tabs already trimmed.

landtank · 05-03-04, 02:48 PM

Step 2. You'll need to add a Diode to the PCB to allow the holding solenoid to be activated in the up position. I used a diode from the provided switch assembly. The orientation of the diode is important. There is a stripe on one end and it has to be installed as pictured or it won't work.

landtank · 05-03-04, 02:55 PM

Hopefully someone can help here as I don't know how to provide the proper info so you'll get the correct diode for your truck. I could head down to RadioShack and see what they say but I'd thought I'd give someone here a chance to help since I'd trust that more.

The circuit basically holds the switch in possition until the motor draws a max current for a few seconds and then releases the solenoid. I'd imagine that dirty tracks would cause the motor to hit that current threashold prematurely and not close the window properly but in my 3 or 4 tries it worked fine.

There is no need to dissassemble the switch to do this mod but I'd suggest this as my contacts where very dirty and arching pretty bad during trials. I cleaned them with some PCB cleaner and then blew the assembly out.

Post back questions as I suck at proceedures and tend to short change the instructions.

Later

Rich · 05-03-04, 03:28 PM

Good job on the swith mod. Try contacting george_tlc regarding the diode specification. He's got the background you are looking for.

Beowulf · 05-03-04, 10:46 PM

Very nice job Rick. I had auto-up on a 79 280ZX and have wanted that feature many times on all the other vehicles I've owned in the past 25 years. I may do this one.

-B-

turbocruiser · 05-03-04, 11:15 PM

Very cool mod, thanks for that! Can someone share the spec on that diode? Thanks again for that!

RavenTai · 05-03-04, 11:55 PM

Nice work LT, I am glad you could put that dead switch to good use

if I am reading the EWD right the diode only carries the current for the small holding solenoid in the switch, not sure how much current that is but cant be much? I would be very surprised it it was over .5 amp (500ma) and is likely much less, a larger rated diode than needed would be ok you would only run into troubles if the diode was to small for the load, it would be interesting to hook in an amp meter into the circuit to see how much current is being used?

diodes are electrical check valves they all function the same the only spec are the load it can carry (.5a?) and the voltage it can withstand, 12 to 16 volts

landtank · 05-04-04, 03:55 AM

I'm heading down south for a service call today. There is a great electronic place along the way and these guys will be able to tell me what we need. So I'l post back trhnis evening with the diode specs.

Rookie2 · 05-04-04, 08:54 AM

You da man, Rick.

So is the holding solenoid only tied to the drivers side auto down feature, and therefore it's not really possible to do this mod on the passanger side and rears?

Thanks,
Rookie2

xl715 · 05-04-04, 09:22 AM

There has to be a way tie the passenger side and rears into the holding solenoid, how about more diodes?
Great post this is happening to my rig this week!!!!!

RavenTai · 05-04-04, 09:48 AM

[quote author=xl715 link=board=2;threadid=15744;start=msg150269#msg150 269 date=1083684177]
There has to be a way tie the passenger side and rears into the holding solenoid, how about more diodes?
[/quote]

nope, there is only one solenoid, the drivers window switch is completely diffrent form the other switches, even if you wired the other windows to all go down with the drivers switch it would probably trip the current sensing and release

e9999 · 05-04-04, 12:28 PM

will this cut your head off if you happen to be sticking it outside at the time?
E

RavenTai · 05-04-04, 01:16 PM

ask the cat

(right click, save target as)

landtank · 05-04-04, 02:25 PM

[quote author=e9999 link=board=2;threadid=15744;start=msg150367#msg150 367 date=1083695306]
will this cut your head off if you happen to be sticking it outside at the time?
E
[/quote]

The way the circuit works is it monitors the amp draw of the motor. When the windows raeches it's limit wether up or down the amperage spikes. After a second of this condition the cicuit turns off the solenoid. If your head was out the window the motor would drive the glass into your head until it saw that amperage spike and then shut down. This is a far better circuit than limit switches as they wouldn't stop if there was an obstruction.

For you Eric, considering the contents of your head it might well make it through

I did stop by the electronic shop and they indicated it was a blocking type diode so no real specs just a diode that can handle 12v and a small load.

For anyone who might want this but isn't comfortable doing it, PM me, we can work something out provided you give me a good assembly.

And since I cleaned my contacts the windows have been operating with greater speed. I used some cleaner found at radio shack that was aerosol witha brush attached.

lovetoski · 05-04-04, 02:36 PM

Hi Rick,

Cool mod. Question on cleaning the contacts, and the impact on speed...which contacts specifically did you clean...motor, switch, both?

Thanks!

landtank · 05-04-04, 02:42 PM

Just cleaned the ones in the switch assembly. They were black and dusty. None were pitted but I think it was heading that way.

Landpimp · 05-04-04, 07:00 PM

yes it will, not the safest mod I can think of, fine if your the only one using the cruiser, but if you have kids.........well just think about it 1st.

100 series have this feature but it will stop the window from closing on your hand, head, or ?

John

[quote author=e9999 link=board=2;threadid=15744;start=msg150367#msg150 367 date=1083695306]
will this cut your head off if you happen to be sticking it outside at the time?
E
[/quote]

e9999 · 05-04-04, 07:35 PM

if you ever tried the 100's (I did on several), you'll see that it takes quite a bit of resistance to stop the thing. IIRC, my wife couldn't even do it with her hand. Would sure hurt a child...
Fortunately, at least the switches are set up the safer way...
E

landtank · 05-04-04, 07:56 PM

I'm not too concerned about the safty factor as I generally don't let kids sit in my vehicles in the drivers seat with the keys in the ignition and in the run position. If they have gotten that far into operating the vehicle the auto up on the window would not be at the top of my list of things to worry about.

Back when I was a kid the neighbor's kids were playing around the car. Got it out of park and the thing rolled over another family's child. Luckily just some broken bones. Could have been a lot worse.

xl715 · 05-04-04, 09:12 PM

Tried to do this mod, however the PCB on my '94 is slightly different then in the above pic. Anyone know where the diode should be soldered in on my year? I already clearenced the switch, and man did I have alot of black stuff on my conectors!! Any more info would be great I don't have a FSM or wiring diogram.

landtank · 05-04-04, 09:16 PM

There needs to be a diode on both sides of the solenoid. 1 diode for each side of the switch. Look closely on the top (printed side of the PCB) for an outline of the missing diode.

OK so I'm not that brilliant after all :

xl715 · 05-04-04, 09:20 PM

No wories I got it!! Thanks anyway. Works great and I can stop the window with my arm, although haven't tried my head yet!!

Safado · 05-04-04, 11:13 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong here...but isn't the Child-Head thing only a problem with the toggle type window switches? The ones you could actually kneel on in order to get the window to go up. Our cruisers don't have these types of switches...you have to pull the switch up in order for the window to come up. Are these types of switches not standard on all cruisers? If so, what's the worry?

landtank · 06-26-04, 08:09 AM

I've been asked for the pics that went along with this post so I uploaded them for anyone else who might be interested.

Beowulf · 06-26-04, 09:01 AM

RavenTai,

That cat link is sick.

-B-

Rookie2 · 06-26-04, 11:37 AM

Excuse my lack of circuits knowledge, but when you install the diode, do you drill two small holes in the circuir board to feed the ends of the doide through, then solder it to the board?

Thanks
Rookie2

landtank · 06-26-04, 12:12 PM

No need to drill anything. The board is already layed out for the diode. Toyota just omitted it from the build list when making the switch assembly for the USA.

alia176 · 06-26-04, 10:00 PM

Landtank,

Wouldn't the diode be on the component side, if it was meant to be there from the factory?

RavenTai · 06-26-04, 11:34 PM

there is a blank spot on the other side with a silk screen diode symbol where one would go, it would be hard to install there as there is little access to that side of the board when installed in the switch, what Rick did is electrically the same

alia176 · 06-27-04, 02:38 PM

Got it.