Keyless Entry or Aftermarket Alarm Question

[karlfranz]

Techspy or anybody else who has installed either of these systems:

Did you wire in the option to flash your parking lights? If so, how did you do it? I'm mostly finished doing my install of a CodeAlarm keyless entry system. Everything seems to work OK except that the parking light flash also causes the main beams to flash and (sometimes) the pods to raise.

Jim Knowles had an aftermarket system installed in his S4s by a car alarm guy and he also had the same problem. The guy tried to solve his problem by putting a diode in the parking light switch circuit but within a few days the diode burned out leaving him with no tailamps.

My system has a low voltage wire that I use to trigger a relay that will supply juice to the parking light switch. Problem is that the parking light and main beam switches are interconnected. This is done to allow the main beam switch to light up both the headlamps and the parking lights. Looking at the wiring diagram, I'm not quite sure I follow how they manage to isolate the parking light circuit so the main beams don't come on.

Any suggestions are welcome.

[techspy]

Hey Karl, That was one of the biggest head scratchers I ran across. I ended up tapping into the parking light circuit at the hazzard light switch. The thing about it is that the left and right are on different circuits. I could have gone with a diode but just opted to have the drivers side flash. If you want both sides to flash, I am pretty sure a diode would last in that location. Just be sure to get the largest amp diode you can find.

John
94 S4
http://hometown.aol.com/oneshotcop/myhomepage/profile.html

[janszott]

I too ran into that problem. Decided to skip the lights flashing and just go with the horn. Trouble is, the pulse isn't long enough for the air horn compressor to put out enough air to blow the horns.
Finally bought a loud beeper (like you have in a smoke detector) from Radio Shack. Works great right off the alarm output without a relay. Don't mount it in the front compartment - you cant hear it with the lid closed.

Jan
91SE

[karlfranz]

techspy said:

Hey Karl, That was one of the biggest head scratchers I ran across. I ended up tapping into the parking light circuit at the hazzard light switch. The thing about it is that the left and right are on different circuits. I could have gone with a diode but just opted to have the drivers side flash. If you want both sides to flash, I am pretty sure a diode would last in that location. Just be sure to get the largest amp diode you can find. John 94 S4

Hi John, Jim Knowles' alarm guy fitted the diode in his car but I don't know where he hooked it up. Is there any chance you can tell me where the diode is supposed to go? Also, what amperage diode should I get?

I'm also curious how the parking light switch manages to work (without a diode) so that it doesn't turn on the main beams. Black magic?

janszott said:

I too ran into that problem. Decided to skip the lights flashing and just go with the horn. Trouble is, the pulse isn't long enough for the air horn compressor to put out enough air to blow the horns. Finally bought a loud beeper (like you have in a smoke detector) from Radio Shack. Works great right off the alarm output without a relay. Don't mount it in the front compartment - you cant hear it with the lid closed. Jan 91SE

This is what Jim Knowles wound up disconnecting his flasher as well. His alarm has a siren that chirps so he just uses that as well. I had the same problem as you with the horn, you just hear the compressor spin for a fraction of a second. The pulse of the trigger signal isn't long enough.

[techspy]

Karl,
Going strickly from memory, here is what I recall. If you look at the wiring harness for the hazard lights, you should be able to locate one wire that powers the left lights and one that powers the right lights. When this switch is activated it flashes the parks lights. Lotus already isolated the headlights on this circuit, otherwise the headlights would flash when the hazard lights were active. If you connect your flash wire from the alarm to one of these wires, one side will flash. To get both sides to flash you would basically need 2 diodes connected to your flash output from the alarm/keyless entry, then have each diode connect to each side. You would definatly need fairly strong diodes, at least 3 amps I would think. You should be able to find some at Radio Shack. If not check www.digikey.com They have anything electronic and deliver small quantities and are fast.

Good Luck

John
94 S4

[karlfranz]

Hi John,

Here's something interesting: If the high/low beam switch (on the steering column stalk) is set to high beam, the pods rise and the headlamps flash along with the parking lights. However, if my stalk is set to low beam, the headlamps and parking lights flash, but the pods remain down.

As long as I remember to not leave the switch set to high beams, I can live with this. I was concerned that the pod motors would wear out from all the unnecessary up/down.

[bojangles]

I have a seperate parking light button, although I have not tried it I cant see how the parking light wires behind that switch are going to make the headlight flash or come up.
Just to be a details guy, note the hazzard lights are not the same as the parking lights.. they are brighter..
Bruce S4s

[techspy]

Thats a strange one Karl. I will check mine to see if it acts the same. Where did you connect the flash output from the alarm? Did you end up connecting at the hazard switch? Yep Bruce you are correct. Its basically flashing the turn signal filiments which are brighter to be seen in daylight.
Actually I really dont see the need for the lights flash now. You can hear the door locks actuate across the parking lot! Well, maybe they aren't that loud but I was suprised to hear them.

John
94 S4

[karlfranz]

techspy said:

Thats a strange one Karl. I will check mine to see if it acts the same. Where did you connect the flash output from the alarm? Did you end up connecting at the hazard switch? John 94 S4

I wound up connecting it (through a relay) to the parking light switch.