Hi all,
Just a project I'm working on.
For those who don't know what 'comfort blinkers' are....
They are a circuit in the flasher system that will flash a prescribed number of times after the indicator stalk is just flicked on briefly. The stalk returns to the 'neutral' position but the indicators keep flashing. Should the driver wish to 'cancel' a comfort cycle, just flick the indicator stalk to the opposite side for a sec and the whole thing goes back into neutral. If you need to turn a corner and want more than (I like 5) flashes, then just use the indicators as you would normally.
I first encountered it in my wife's Kia, and programmable no less (3, 4 or 5 blinks). Grew to love it really quickly, and planned on putting it in my old 'Cruiser. But that got sold and I bought a Prado
which had them (but only 3, and not reprogrammable, thank you Toyota)... But the Prado only lasted 2 month before I offloaded that! Got myself a 2005 GXL. Been bringing that back to spec (new door lock motors, fixed every damaged or blown circuit, changed all oils, fixed the fuel system, replaced the A/C and heating control switches, changed the radio for something a bit more modern (Android head-unit with GPS, Android Auto, etc), repacked the wheel bearings, replaced the dogbones in the handbrakes, serviced the transmission, and a heap of small jobs). Also been looking to buy one of these 'comfort blinker' units. There are none! Nil, zip, nada, zero. Whats to do? Ahhh, make my own. 
Inspection of the flasher wiring diagram revealed all, and I have been working on putting an Arduino together for this. Progress so far it that I built a Toyota flasher relay simulator and have connected up an Arduino to it and I've been busy writing code. The main target was to leave the vehicle system as close to existing as possible, and in such a way that should the Arduino or any of the other components fail the indicators would still work exactly as they did before the addition. Based on the way I have been able to do the design, that goal has been achieved. It picks up just 4 wires (plus positive and negative) for the whole system to work. The end product will be about the size of a matchbox, so it will locate anywhere I like.
Well, last night I finished the code. I have a couple of components on the way, and in the meantime I'll be designing and building the signal conditioning board, ready for when the other components arrive.
This is the simulator and the Arduino board all wired up.
Once I get the SCB made it'll be a lot tidier (I expect
)
Components arrive in about a week. I'll keep updating this thread as appropriate.
Cheers,
Chris.......
Just a project I'm working on.
For those who don't know what 'comfort blinkers' are....
They are a circuit in the flasher system that will flash a prescribed number of times after the indicator stalk is just flicked on briefly. The stalk returns to the 'neutral' position but the indicators keep flashing. Should the driver wish to 'cancel' a comfort cycle, just flick the indicator stalk to the opposite side for a sec and the whole thing goes back into neutral. If you need to turn a corner and want more than (I like 5) flashes, then just use the indicators as you would normally.
I first encountered it in my wife's Kia, and programmable no less (3, 4 or 5 blinks). Grew to love it really quickly, and planned on putting it in my old 'Cruiser. But that got sold and I bought a Prado
which had them (but only 3, and not reprogrammable, thank you Toyota)... But the Prado only lasted 2 month before I offloaded that! Got myself a 2005 GXL. Been bringing that back to spec (new door lock motors, fixed every damaged or blown circuit, changed all oils, fixed the fuel system, replaced the A/C and heating control switches, changed the radio for something a bit more modern (Android head-unit with GPS, Android Auto, etc), repacked the wheel bearings, replaced the dogbones in the handbrakes, serviced the transmission, and a heap of small jobs). Also been looking to buy one of these 'comfort blinker' units. There are none! Nil, zip, nada, zero. Whats to do? Ahhh, make my own. Inspection of the flasher wiring diagram revealed all, and I have been working on putting an Arduino together for this. Progress so far it that I built a Toyota flasher relay simulator and have connected up an Arduino to it and I've been busy writing code. The main target was to leave the vehicle system as close to existing as possible, and in such a way that should the Arduino or any of the other components fail the indicators would still work exactly as they did before the addition. Based on the way I have been able to do the design, that goal has been achieved. It picks up just 4 wires (plus positive and negative) for the whole system to work. The end product will be about the size of a matchbox, so it will locate anywhere I like.
Well, last night I finished the code. I have a couple of components on the way, and in the meantime I'll be designing and building the signal conditioning board, ready for when the other components arrive.
This is the simulator and the Arduino board all wired up.
Once I get the SCB made it'll be a lot tidier (I expect
)Components arrive in about a week. I'll keep updating this thread as appropriate.
Cheers,
Chris.......
