Remote Boot Release
Discussion
I realise it's been done before but I just got around to fitting the remote boot release to the Chim. Pleasantly surprised that it only took 30 mins end to end and cost £30.
I bought the 2 channel remote control unit from Maplins (they were out of stock of the single channel ones) so it is possible to do it cheaper. in fact on eBay there are several Chinese companies doing the same thing for £8!
Wiring it up is a doddle (just 3 wires). You just need a 12V permanent feed that you split into two (one to power the receiver, one to connect to the "common" terminal), an earth (easy enough) and a wire that you connect to the "NO" terminal and then to the feed to the boot solenoid.
If you pop the switch out you'll see it only has wires, a green 12V ignition fed wire and the output to the solenoid. Connect your "NO" feed to that wire. There's a permanent 12V feed at the ignition switch and plenty of earth points (I used the bolt holding the steering column on).
I used self adhesive tape to attach the control unit under the dash, beside the original boot switch and as a bonus I can reach underneath and press the "set" button which also pops the boot with the ignition off.
I wired an inline fuse in, mainly so I can disconnect the unit if I have to leave the car for any length of time (to save any battery drain).
I'll admit it is still using all of the same components as the OEM solution so it'll be prone to the same issues but I did this for convenience rather than any "upgrade" reason.
It's really nice to be able to pop the boot without the hassle of opening the car and turning the ignition on..
Shame I have to have 2 remotes on the key bunch but i can live with that.
I wonder what i could use the second channel for? I suspect if I had a newer car I'd use it to drive the door opening solenoid to "pop" the door open as I walk to it... can't do that with my 96 as I only have a single solenoid per door..
Any other suggestions for something to turn on remotely?
I suppose I could wire it up to turn the headlights on....that'd just need another relay.. The good thing about the Maplins kit is you can program it to be latched or non-latched or to work as a timer...
I bought the 2 channel remote control unit from Maplins (they were out of stock of the single channel ones) so it is possible to do it cheaper. in fact on eBay there are several Chinese companies doing the same thing for £8!
Wiring it up is a doddle (just 3 wires). You just need a 12V permanent feed that you split into two (one to power the receiver, one to connect to the "common" terminal), an earth (easy enough) and a wire that you connect to the "NO" terminal and then to the feed to the boot solenoid.
If you pop the switch out you'll see it only has wires, a green 12V ignition fed wire and the output to the solenoid. Connect your "NO" feed to that wire. There's a permanent 12V feed at the ignition switch and plenty of earth points (I used the bolt holding the steering column on).
I used self adhesive tape to attach the control unit under the dash, beside the original boot switch and as a bonus I can reach underneath and press the "set" button which also pops the boot with the ignition off.
I wired an inline fuse in, mainly so I can disconnect the unit if I have to leave the car for any length of time (to save any battery drain).
I'll admit it is still using all of the same components as the OEM solution so it'll be prone to the same issues but I did this for convenience rather than any "upgrade" reason.
It's really nice to be able to pop the boot without the hassle of opening the car and turning the ignition on..
Shame I have to have 2 remotes on the key bunch but i can live with that.
I wonder what i could use the second channel for? I suspect if I had a newer car I'd use it to drive the door opening solenoid to "pop" the door open as I walk to it... can't do that with my 96 as I only have a single solenoid per door..
Any other suggestions for something to turn on remotely?
I suppose I could wire it up to turn the headlights on....that'd just need another relay.. The good thing about the Maplins kit is you can program it to be latched or non-latched or to work as a timer...
If you wanted you could use the second channel to pop the drivers door, is yours a model with a switch on the wing which activates the door? Or is it an earlier model like mine where you have to actually push down to use the mechanism?
If it has a switch you could bypass this and send the signal from your kit, or better still you could wire up the kit to work along side the door button
If it has a switch you could bypass this and send the signal from your kit, or better still you could wire up the kit to work along side the door button
brett84 said:
If you wanted you could use the second channel to pop the drivers door, is yours a model with a switch on the wing which activates the door? Or is it an earlier model like mine where you have to actually push down to use the mechanism?
If it has a switch you could bypass this and send the signal from your kit, or better still you could wire up the kit to work along side the door button
Excellent suggestion.If it has a switch you could bypass this and send the signal from your kit, or better still you could wire up the kit to work along side the door button
OP, have you a link to the Maplins and/or eBay kit?
Harrytsg said:
Excellent suggestion.
OP, have you a link to the Maplins and/or eBay kit?
This is the Maplins one:OP, have you a link to the Maplins and/or eBay kit?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/2-channel-rf-remote-contro...
Here's an example of one on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1CH-RF-Wireless-Signal-R...
It's important that you find one that either has a "momentary" (i.e non-latched) mode or a timed mode just to give the solenoid a bit of an easier life.
Also the Maplins one has a "heater" cct that you disable (remove the jumper) for in car installations as it's not needed and draws unnecessary power. The instructions will remind you
brett84 said:
If you wanted you could use the second channel to pop the drivers door, is yours a model with a switch on the wing which activates the door? Or is it an earlier model like mine where you have to actually push down to use the mechanism?
If it has a switch you could bypass this and send the signal from your kit, or better still you could wire up the kit to work along side the door button
Yup, that would have been nice, but as I said in my original post I only have a single solenoid per door and a mechanical press button on the rear wing If it has a switch you could bypass this and send the signal from your kit, or better still you could wire up the kit to work along side the door button
Julesprivate said:
Harrytsg said:
Excellent suggestion.
OP, have you a link to the Maplins and/or eBay kit?
This is the Maplins one:OP, have you a link to the Maplins and/or eBay kit?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/2-channel-rf-remote-contro...
Here's an example of one on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1CH-RF-Wireless-Signal-R...
It's important that you find one that either has a "momentary" (i.e non-latched) mode or a timed mode just to give the solenoid a bit of an easier life.
Also the Maplins one has a "heater" cct that you disable (remove the jumper) for in car installations as it's not needed and draws unnecessary power. The instructions will remind you
I have fitted solenoids in the boot which work on remote to pop the door, it's a bit of work but not that difficult and a nice touch.
You could do this, you need decent solenoids, not the maplins type ones, like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JOM-Trunk-Boot-or-Door-P...
The reason being, it's much easier to mount the solenoid somewhere then just route a cable (i used push bike brake cable with the outer sleeve) than it is to mount the solenoid on the mechanism. Because it's got to pull the cable, the smaller black plastic ones don't work.
I would also run this through a relay, fused relays are really cheap
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30-Amp-Fused-On-Off-Rela...
So you would have standard relay wiring, permanent live going to pin30, earth is pin85, pin87 to the solenoid and the signal from your remote going to pin86. The other pin on the solenoid goes to an earth. The cable feeds from the solenoid over the inner wing and there is already a spare hole on the mechanism right next to where the original mechanism works so you just need to buy a cable adjuster to hold the end, like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M6-Brake-Cable-Adjuster-...
and a could decent cable clamps for either end
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KART-4-x-CABLE-CLAMP-WIT...
You could do this, you need decent solenoids, not the maplins type ones, like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JOM-Trunk-Boot-or-Door-P...
The reason being, it's much easier to mount the solenoid somewhere then just route a cable (i used push bike brake cable with the outer sleeve) than it is to mount the solenoid on the mechanism. Because it's got to pull the cable, the smaller black plastic ones don't work.
I would also run this through a relay, fused relays are really cheap
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30-Amp-Fused-On-Off-Rela...
So you would have standard relay wiring, permanent live going to pin30, earth is pin85, pin87 to the solenoid and the signal from your remote going to pin86. The other pin on the solenoid goes to an earth. The cable feeds from the solenoid over the inner wing and there is already a spare hole on the mechanism right next to where the original mechanism works so you just need to buy a cable adjuster to hold the end, like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M6-Brake-Cable-Adjuster-...
and a could decent cable clamps for either end
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KART-4-x-CABLE-CLAMP-WIT...
That's tempting... that'd give me something for the second channel to do.. Admitedly my door won't "pop" too far as it's the old "mechanical" type but my drivers side does open a bit using the "knob" so that would be OK.
Good idea fitting it in the boot and feeding back through the wheelarch I may investigate that sometime.
I'm still considering using the second channel to turn the headlights on, that was a useful feature on my old Rover...
Good idea fitting it in the boot and feeding back through the wheelarch I may investigate that sometime.
I'm still considering using the second channel to turn the headlights on, that was a useful feature on my old Rover...
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff