Combining vent window switches?

[shtbrwn86]

Went to the junkyard and was able to piece together most of the connectors I need for this. Didn't realize that the switches are different, which is pretty annoying since I got all the connectors for one side. Oh well.

But if I am looking at the schematic correctly, this looks like it should work. Wires are actually just fine. The ones in the dash weren't any higher gauge than the ones I hade on the harness I made. My only real concern is the wire gauge for 3 and 5. The wires in the dash are thicker than the ones I have running off the switch. I wonder how much it will matter. I don't plan on opening and closing these all the time, so I can't imagine it would have enough time to get even luke warm?

 

[shtbrwn86]

Success!!! Hooked it all up and the one switch opens and closes both windows. And my car didn't burn down! Now I just need to source the proper connector for the second plug, solder and shrink wrap the wires and that's it! Oh, and I need to get a sticker made to say "Rear Vent L/R or something like that. Any ideas on where I could get one of these made?

 

[shtbrwn86]

The wiring diagram looks correct for the desired result.

To measure the current, you will need an ammeter. It will give your reading in amps. To do this, you have to disconnect one lead from the switch and put the ammeter leads in line with the circuit. Basically, you use the ammeter to complete the circuit you just broke. The current will pass through the ammeter giving you your reading. If it's pulling 5 amps, you'll want a switch that's rated for at least 10 amps. 15 amps would be better as it would allow for spikes.

Looks like the draw is pretty low on startup. Less than an amp when the motors start turning and then spikes at 6.5 when it stops. But that's only one switch. Both together are gonna pull 13 at most I'm guessing? If the only risk really is burning out the switch at least the wiring is all reversible so I can get a new switch and put it back to how it was.

 

[highonpottery]

Oh, and I need to get a sticker made to say "Rear Vent L/R or something like that. Any ideas on where I could get one of these made?

Anyone you know with a Cricut machine at home? Vinyl sticker would probably hold up alright, or use the ‘negative’ as a stencil for painting the text


Sweet mod though, I always wondered why they were separated, I almost never use only one

 

[S.CarolinaFZJ80]

Pretty sure the Toyota mini vans had the same vent switch with the font that says REAR VENT. pic found on the tacomaworld website

 

[shtbrwn86]

Pretty sure the Toyota mini vans had the same vent switch with the font that says REAR VENT. pic found on the internetView attachment 3212818

Yeah I actually have one of those switches from when I first started looking into this. The switch face itself is the right size, but when I took the switch face off the Sienna switch the metal contacts popped out and I have no idea how to get them back in. I could get another Sienna switch from the junkyard, but I'm afraid to pop the face off my LX switch.

 

[shtbrwn86]

Some pictures of the finished product. I don't know what I am going to do with the blanks, but the bottom left is going to be the OEM style foglight switch. Also, I might re-make the harness for the left switch because the room behind the middle switch is a bit tight and the button wants to push out.

 

[mudhead100]

It's been a while since I posted this and I did some digging on how to make a harness using the proper connectors and there's just no way will be cost effective, especially using the repair wires from Toyota. I am going to look into jumpering the wires per @Ayune suggestion earlier.

I'm looking at implementing this mod to try and free up a switch port. Have you had any issues with the switch taking extra load?


I was wondering if it would be worth intercepting the wires coming out of the switch and using them as signal wires for a relay for each of the close and open circuts between the switch and the motor to take the extra load off the switch? The relays could be located right behind the switches and the power to the switch and the relays could be common since it is from the same fuse. Seems pretty simple, am I missing something?

 

[shtbrwn86]

I'm looking at implementing this mod to try and free up a switch port. I was wondering if it would be worth intercepting the wires coming out of the switch and using them as signal wires for a relay for each of the close and open circuts between the switch and the motor to take the extra load off the switch? The relays could be located right behind the switches and the power to the switch and the relays could be common since it is from the same fuse. Seems pretty simple, am I missing something?

That’s an interesting idea. Would probably be better in the long run. I’m not very good with relays through so if you figure it out let me know!

 

[MongooseGA]

I like this mod. Now you've got an extra switch to put some other accessories, too.

For the label, you can probably just scratch off the "R" and have just "Rear Vent".

 

[shtbrwn86]

This is the finished product using the left switch which was much easier due to the extra room behind that side.

 

[gwiz]

Went to the junkyard and was able to piece together most of the connectors I need for this. Didn't realize that the switches are different, which is pretty annoying since I got all the connectors for one side. Oh well.

But if I am looking at the schematic correctly, this looks like it should work. Wires are actually just fine. The ones in the dash weren't any higher gauge than the ones I hade on the harness I made. My only real concern is the wire gauge for 3 and 5. The wires in the dash are thicker than the ones I have running off the switch. I wonder how much it will matter. I don't plan on opening and closing these all the time, so I can't imagine it would have enough time to get even luke warm?

View attachment 3210762

View attachment 3210766

Made an account specifically for help on this project. I bought the Toyota Sienna Switch to power both of my vent motors, could someone walk me through how to wire it? Do I need any relays? Just don't want to do anything dangerous

 

[shtbrwn86]

Made an account specifically for help on this project. I bought the Toyota Sienna Switch to power both of my vent motors, could someone walk me through how to wire it? Do I need any relays? Just don't want to do anything dangerous

I can’t help with the sienna switch. It was much easier to source the connectors to wire up the y harness for the stock switch. I do think I’m gonna add a relay though. I don’t want to burn out the switch and I don’t know how many amps they can handle although my switch is holding up fine.

 

[shtbrwn86]

Wondering if anyone would be able to help me diagram how a relay would fit into this switch? I've only ever done relays that were on/off for like a fog light switch. Am I correct in my understanding that this switches polarity depending on which side of the switch you press (in vs out). I'm sure it's simple but relays are not my strong suit. I really would like to add one before I (possibly) wreck the switch!

 

[Mike NXP]

I can’t help with the sienna switch. It was much easier to source the connectors to wire up the y harness for the stock switch. I do think I’m gonna add a relay though. I don’t want to burn out the switch and I don’t know how many amps they can handle although my switch is holding up fine.

Is there a signal wire on your switch? Or I suppose even just the power wire would do. If you could just run it down to the fuse kick panel and install an add-a-fuse for signal power to a circuit that is on with the key. A relay seems to overcomplicate it.
>> similar to what I did with my bumper light switch that I added there. Ran the signal wire to a fuse and it only kicks on with the truck on.

Or am I not even talking about the same thing as you?

 

[shtbrwn86]

Is there a signal wire on your switch? Or I suppose even just the power wire would do. If you could just run it down to the fuse kick panel and install an add-a-fuse for signal power to a circuit that is on with the key. A relay seems to overcomplicate it.
>> similar to what I did with my bumper light switch that I added there. Ran the signal wire to a fuse and it only kicks on with the truck on.

Or am I not even talking about the same thing as you?

Not thinking about the same thing. It works fine as is. I simply made a new Y harness to combine the two switches into one. This works well, but I am concerned long term that the amp spikes when the windows hit their open or close stop will wear out the switch so I wanted to offload that to a relay. I just don't really know how since it's not a simple ON/OFF switch.

 

[Dirt J]

Yes, looks like it reverses polarity based on EWD in post 12 but double check at the plug at the motor first (12v will switch between the two leads depending on open/close).

Looks like your plan is doable with two relays: Power Window Relays - https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/power-window-relays.13204/

 

[shtbrwn86]

Seeing as how the power window concept is what we need, I found this video as well. The one @dirtj00 posted should work too, I just found the narration to be difficult to follow lol

 

[shtbrwn86]

Decided it's time to revisit adding relays to this circuit. The switch works, but I would feel more comfortable knowing the amps were going through relays and not the switch. Based on my LIMITED understanding of this, I came up with this wiring diagram and wondering if I can get some feedback from someone who might understand this a bit better than me? This SEEMS like it should work right? The video about talks about using 5-pin relays but I am trying to figure out why it would need those based on the diagram below.

On a side note, I have been buying connectors from Corsa Technic so if I can get the relay working right I might remake my harness with new connectors and wire (no splices, new crimped terminals) and dress up the wiring better.

NOTE: I have not verified pins 1,2 and 4 yet, so let's just ASSUME they control the illumination and IGN source for now (based on other Toyota switches I have messed with). As soon as I can go through the manual I will update this.

 

[Dziobak]

Decided it's time to revisit adding relays to this circuit. The switch works, but I would feel more comfortable knowing the amps were going through relays and not the switch. Based on my LIMITED understanding of this, I came up with this wiring diagram and wondering if I can get some feedback from someone who might understand this a bit better than me? This SEEMS like it should work right? The video about talks about using 5-pin relays but I am trying to figure out why it would need those based on the diagram below.

On a side note, I have been buying connectors from Corsa Technic so if I can get the relay working right I might remake my harness with new connectors and wire (no splices, new crimped terminals) and dress up the wiring better.

NOTE: I have not verified pins 1,2 and 4 yet, so let's just ASSUME they control the illumination and IGN source for now (based on other Toyota switches I have messed with). As soon as I can go through the manual I will update this.

View attachment 3564691

I had Perplexity and ChatGPT generate and critique each other's analysis of your diagram. Here's what they spit out:

Hey shtbrwn86,
Good job on mocking up a diagram for us to look at. Alright, let's dive into this wiring diagram and see what's going on. The goal here is to get both the left and right air vents in your Land Cruiser to play nice with a single switch, which is a pretty nifty customization.Looking at the diagram, you've got two separate circuits for the left and right vents, each with its own switch. The proposed setup is to connect these circuits together so that one switch controls both vents simultaneously.Here's the breakdown:

• The red wire is your power source, coming from a 15-amp fuse. It's split to provide power to both switches.
• The orange and green wires are the outputs from each switch, heading to the respective vents.
• The blue wires are for the illumination of the switches, and they're tied into the vehicle's illumination circuit (ILLUM + and ILLUM -).
• The black wires are the grounds for the switches.

Now, if you flip the switch to the "CLOSE" position, both the green and orange wires should be energized, causing both vents to close. Conversely, when the switch is in the "OPEN" position, neither vent should receive power, and they should both open.Potential Issues:

1. Current Load: Make sure the new switch can handle the current required to operate both vents. If each vent draws a lot of power, you might need a switch that can handle the combined current without overheating.
2. Switch Rating: The switch should be rated for at least 15 amps since that's the rating of the fuse in the circuit.
3. Illumination: The diagram shows the illumination for the switches tied together. Ensure that the illumination voltage and current are within the specifications for a single switch's illumination circuit.

Improvements:

1. Relay Use: If the vents draw significant current, consider using a relay. This would allow you to use a lower-rated switch, which might be easier to find and could potentially last longer.
2. Fuse Rating: Double-check the fuse rating. If the combined current draw of both vents is close to 15 amps, you might want to go with a slightly higher-rated fuse to prevent nuisance blowing. But be careful not to exceed the wiring's current capacity.
3. Wiring Check: Ensure all connections are secure and that the wire gauge is appropriate for the current it will carry.
4. Switch Quality: Invest in a high-quality switch that can withstand the rigors of off-road use, which I'm guessing your Land Cruiser sees from time to time.
5. Labeling: Label the new switch clearly, so anyone else who hops into the driver's seat won't be left scratching their head.

Overall, the diagram looks like it should achieve your goal of controlling both vents with a single switch. Just make sure to address the potential issues, and you should be all set for a smoother and more streamlined vent control experience. Happy modding!