**
The advantage of the series connection, Aristides, is that any failure in any component will cause a non-signal - they must all agree for a signal to pass…
However I agree with Doug; the ‘thunk’ of the solenoids should be an adequate confirmation, unless one is paranoid about safety. Or far away and/or def - a procedural safety…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
**
Hello all,
after all that’s been said - the system is now in place and works well! The space is fairly limited though, even for a small kind of box and I would have done better to cut the wires some two inches longer to make installation easier.
The only really surprising thing is a change of operating direction that occurred during installation and the only situation I can think of that might have provoked it was when I inadvertently shorted the rc receiver wires. Now I have a situation in which pushing the rocker switch forward opens the doors (which is correct, as the operation of the switch mirrors the movement of the lock paddles). I have connected B1 to the front contact - suggesting that the button A designed for channel 1 is operating this circuit. Yet, much to my surprise now, the opposite is true: The “B” button, designed to operate channel 2 and in my logic fires the B2 wire that operates the locking relay, opens the locks instead. I tried to reconfigure and reconnect, but to no avail. Given the overall functioning and my knowing of the remote’s functioning I eventually resigned and closed everything again.
Thanks again everyone for their help! All in all it turned out a 25 EUR job that is relatively easy, no dirty hands, no mess and most of it done at the computer and on my work bench. If I find the time I’ll make a comprehensive write up to summarize this lengthy thread.
Best regards
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec.)
Oh, THERE ya go again, with the rationality, and RTFI…
Yay ! And congratulations !
Cheers
DD
It comes down to laziness and lack of adventurous spirit, actually
In any endeavor there’s the journey and there’s the result. The journey doesn’t entice me like it used to. Increasingly I find myself favoring a known path to a known result. In short, I’m turning into an old fuddy-duddy.
Cheers
DD
Oh, I soooo get that, mate!
**
Have you tried switching over the B1 an B2 wire at the receiver, Jochen - or indeed switch the wires on the switch?
Or put an ‘L(ock)’ and ‘U(unlock’ on the appropriate sender buttons. But, as you say; it’s no great matter - as long as you remember which button does what…
Good work, Jochen…!
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
**
Of course, I just couldn’t let it just be and went after the mysterious change of operation …
… to find out there wasn’t any! I was caught in my own assumption that a rocker switch depressed on one side had to switch the post mounted on the same side. Only when I measured for continuity an extra switch I had gotten myself in the meantime I found that depressing the rocker switch on the front side powers the rearward facing post. So I should have connected the B1 wire intended to open the locks to the rearward facing post. As soon as I find some time I will revisit the scene and correct.
Best regards
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
Thanks, Frank, again!
Today I went into it again, corrected the wiring - now the rocker switch operates in correspondence with the door lock levers (press front to open, rear to lock) and the remote operates “A” to open and “B” to lock.
The original setup is secured only by the thermal breakers. As I added an electric component and some connections I decided to add an inline fuse (5 A) to protect the enlarged circuit.
Finally, I wanted to measure the power use of the RC switch in standby, but for some reason couldn’t get my DMM to show any amperage, be it for the clock + the switch or for the interior lighting, though I measured in line between battery - and ground and set the DMM to DCA … Did I get anything wrong?
Have a nice Sunday everybody
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec.)
Glad to see you made it work Jochen.
And an extra fuse is always good.
To measure power use you have to disconnect one pole of the battery and connect your DMM in line between the battery pole and the cable you disconnected.
Usually there is also a special plug on the DMM for the positive cable to measure DCA.
If this is what you have done then your DMM maybe has a problem?
Best,
Aristides
Yep - thanks for the confirmation, Aristides! That’s exactly what I did … and it used to work before. I’ll double check the DMM. The strange thing is that anything else seems to work and even for DCA it says “0.00”, no “E” or other sign of failure …
Best wishes
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec.)
Check the battery in your DMM?
Thanks Robin! I love simple solutions - will check immediately.
Best
Jochen
75 XJ6L4.2 auto (UK spec.)
**
As Aristides explains, Jochen - to measure current you need the DMM in series with the ‘user’, disconnecting the power input…
However, disconnecting at the battery will also read all standbys - it is better to disconnect the 12V input, VCC, on the remote receiver. This will give the standby drain on the remote locking exclusively - which should likely be in the 10 - 30 ma range…
The size on an inline fuse should be related to the thickness of the wires in the circuit protected - it’s more to protect the wires from burning; it offers little/no protection to components themselves…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
**
Thanks Frank,
indeed I used the 5A fuse as the RC switch relays can handle up to 3A and I wanted to play this low, as there are lots of wires (4 electric window switches) in the vicinity and I wouldn’t like to smell burnt plastic …
Your point on disconnecting other consumers is well taken. In the first place I wanted to find some data points about when this low use vehicle better be moved to avoid a no go situation; that’s why I wanted to include clock, radio and every other consumer on the battery’s payroll. The standby power consumption of said switch is indicated at 12 mA, which I find a bit optimistic. Anyway, I’ll take the car for an extended ride on Dec. 6 and will see whether the battery still can take some four weeks of non-use.
Best
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec.)
**
12 mA is about normal standby power for remote electronics, and like the radio - the standby for the clock depends on type…
With 30mA standby on my car, there was no issue after a 6 weeks absence…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ
**