Elocker wiring and control (1 Viewer)

[Devil Frog]

Repeated from HDC Clubhouse build thread


need some advice on what to get to wire and control my elockers. I am using two FZJ80 lockers front and rear in an FJ40 (with a full float rear axle). I was thinking of using an FZJ80 setup, but from the research I did the front High pinion diff has a different connector. I think the tacoma uses the same std pinon setup as the FZJ80, so maybe two Tacoma Harness and ECU. I have seen some people use 12 Volt Guy's or inchworm setup with success, I am bit to go that direction though because they do not use relay to cut off power with feedback control, and relay on the actuator protection features. I have also seen people build there own, and I know I could do that, but I doubt it would have toyota reliability, I can already see a solder joint failing when I am stuck in the mud.[/QUOTE]

 

[GRM]

I have the 12volt guy switch kit. Yes it does have limit control, where it cuts off power after the motor turns a certain point.

Also, relays are unnecessary, as the amps are fairly low (I believe 4 amps).

I really don't see any worries about the 12 volt guy one vs the factory setup.

 

[Blue77FJ40]

I installed a rear locker for an '80 in the front of my '40.

I used two relays of this style on my '40, mounted on on a rail sold for this, inside of an aluminum case I made. I mounted the case to the right of the glovebox where the stock speaker went using rivnuts. I used a new front wire harness from an '80, with the unneeded wiring connections removed and added molex plugs on the ends so that I can disconnect if necessary.

I have a momentary on off on switch with an led in a plate I made to indicate locked status.

 

[Devil Frog]

I have the 12volt guy switch kit. Yes it does have limit control, where it cuts off power after the motor turns a certain point.

Also, relays are unnecessary, as the amps are fairly low (I believe 4 amps).

I really don't see any worries about the 12 volt guy one vs the factory setup.

Good to see people using this setup with no issues. How long have you been using it without any problems? Do you have a front or rear locker or both, and how ling a harness did you order from him?

 

[nstoyota2]

I made my own.

Hi, i made my own. i used some good marine cable as the wiring loom to the locker. All of my connections were soldered and heat shrunk individually with good self sealing heat tubing. It was not too hard and i feel that the reliability is very good.

Here are some good sites with wire and other goodies.
http://www.pacergroup.net/Categories17.aspx?Id=Round_Boat_Cable_6C
http://www.newark.com/
http://www.mcmaster.com/

 

[Fast Eddy]

The first one I made from this schematic is still working fine. I got the factory harness from Toyota and used spades from the auto parts and pushed them into the female end so it is uncut. Mine uses four spst relays and one spdt relay to implement the same circuit.

I'm designing the two controllers for Marvin now. It's going to use trailer light cables. The rear one is done and wired to a dpdt switch (a la 12v guy) with no relays and it works, but I'm going to replace it with a relay circuit.

 

[Devil Frog]

Well the curcuit looks simple enough. Id like to see how you all wired and packaged it up. Were there any printed board options? What about cases? I will have to do 2, so would like to keep bulkiness down. I haven't heard issues with the direct DPDT to dash method. Maybe just a DPDT direct to dash is the way to go, but this is straight forward, so I would likely do myself than pay $300 to 12V Guy. Then again I just spent $700 on an actuator and never want to buy another, and Toyota must have used relays for a reason.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I am going to use 2 2 pole 2 throw relays, and one 3 position 2 pole switch. the switch will send + to the coil of either the lock or unlock relays and the correct polarity for either lock or unlock, and the fork position switch will provide - signal to each respective relay opening the circuit when the fork reaches the end of its travel. the 3 position switch will allow me to power down the system should I want/need to. It will be fed VIA acc circuit in my fj55. I will use one indicator LED for the LOCKED indicator. I thought about wiring a flasher relay and MOTOR MOVING indicator, but decided I don't really need it. I sourced a rear axle harness from the wanted ads section and will use a 6 conductor weatherpac to splice it into the harness that will go to the dash. A guy could use 2 1 pole 1 throw relays to just open the hot leg of either the lock or unlock, but I will use 2 polers to open both the positive and negative legs upon achieving full lock or full unlock. the whole assy will be mounted in a nice platic box and secured under my dash where the ebrake handle used to be. By using the under dash ACC circuit( which has no other loads on it right now) I avoid having to bring wires from the battery thru a relay to the under dash box. A guy might also use the chassis as a source og ground for the fork position switch and locked indicator which would save a wire from the dash to the locker harness plug......I am seeing 5 wires from box to locker harness plug, one under dash splice off the ACC hot leg and an under dash ground need to be brought to the controller box, and the ground TO the locker/switch assy can be tagged onto the frame at the weatherpac- axle harness location...

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Hi, i made my own. i used some good marine cable as the wiring loom to the locker. All of my connections were soldered and heat shrunk individually with good self sealing heat tubing. It was not too hard and i feel that the reliability is very good.

Here are some good sites with wire and other goodies.
http://www.pacergroup.net/Categories17.aspx?Id=Round_Boat_Cable_6C
http://www.newark.com/
http://www.mcmaster.com/

forgive my idiocy, but what purpose does the resistor at the homebrew- factory harness serve? Is it required?

 

[Fast Eddy]

The 12v guy cable is $300? WTF?

You could make one out of these boards available on ebay, but you'd have to do some board mods. All the negatives for the relays are all tied together. To implement the circuit the negatives for the relays need to come from the cable. You can get them with 8 relays too, to implement a dual controller. The downside for me is waiting for them to come from Hong Kong or Bulgaria (WTH?). They don't seem to be available from a US reseller.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-SPDT-Rela...804?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a2146b684

Here's an 8 relay version:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eight-8-Rel...929?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a597608f1

 

[Fast Eddy]

forgive my idiocy, but what purpose does the resistor at the homebrew- factory harness serve? Is it required?

It makes the motor run slower. It's probably there to lower the wear and tear on the motor brushes and the mechanical part of the actuator. It will work without it and lock and unlock a little faster, though probably not noticeably. It almost always takes some forward motion or tire spin before the locker is locked anyway. The collar/carrier interface is coarse, 8 teeth, I think. That's why the "locked" indicator is separate from the rest of the circuit.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I thought about that route, Eddy. I like how you did the breadboard. But I also wanted to have something that could be easily repaired or replaced. I have a friend who builds productions boards, and once I got it all worked out, thought about having some boards for this fabbed...altho I wasn't really thinking of having them built to provide to the general cruiser public, I just wanted a few spares for the shelf- if I ever got that far. Not to step on anyones toes, but is a ready made locker board assy something anyone might want? I figure there would need to be about a dozen or more to get a better-than-one-off production cost....

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

It makes the motor run slower. It's probably there to lower the wear and tear on the motor brushes and the mechanical part of the actuator. It will work without it and lock and unlock a little faster, though probably not noticeably. It almost always takes some forward motion or tire spin before the locker is locked anyway. The collar/carrier interface is coarse, 8 teeth, I think. That's why the "locked" indicator is separate from the rest of the circuit.

PERFECT...I thought I'd missed something major there for a minute....I don't mind snap action actuator speed

 

[Devil Frog]

What current rating are you all using on the relays?

 

[nstoyota2]

I tried it with out the resistor and the motor would get stuck on the backside of the circuitry. you can see it when you take the motor a part. the locking mechanism is spring loaded so speed is of no concern. Sorry i didnt take any pictures while i did all of this!!

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I tried it with out the resistor and the motor would get stuck on the backside of the circuitry. you can see it when you take the motor a part. the locking mechanism is spring loaded so speed is of no concern. Sorry i didnt take any pictures while i did all of this!!

I'll buy that...


most ice cube relays have 10 amp ratings, but they can go up to 20, the automotive type are usually 30 or 40 amp. I am not sure of the current draw of the motor, but I'd be surprised if it was more than 20 amps. 10 seems more likely. oversize your contact ratings and wire size and you should be fine. The factory wiring harness has 16 I think going to the motor. My relays are of the 20 amp rating and utilize spade type terminal connectors

 

[Blue77FJ40]

I used this schematic that Mike Fox provided, and was very helpful with how the relays hooked up. This setup has been running well for over 9 years.

 

[GRM]

Good to see people using this setup with no issues. How long have you been using it without any problems? Do you have a front or rear locker or both, and how ling a harness did you order from him?

Been running it 4 years without issue.

I didn't use his harness from the switch to the locker, as I made my own with some 7 conductor trailer wire.

This is the diagram 12 volt guy uses:

 

[Devil Frog]

I discussed this topic with some EEs at work, and the prevailing opinion was that Toyota used the relays in their controller because they wanted to limit use of the locker to low speeds and 4wd(NA to FZJ80). With a DPDT direct to dash setup, an idiot could lock the vehicle doing 65 around a corner, and turn into a major law suit. I think a DPDT direct to dash will be fine.