any electronics gurus out there?
#1
11-20-2008, 10:27 PM
any electronics gurus out there?
Hey Y'all:
Last weekend I replaced my horns in the X-Type with a set of Vintage FIAMM air horns that have been following me from car to car for 20 years. (Originally sourced from my first Maserati) They have a very distinctive sound, and I love it.
The only problem I am having with them is that I miss the short 'honk' acknowledging the doors locked when I push the remote button twice. The very short momentary closing of the circuit is not long enough for the air compressor to build enough air to make any sound.
SO: I'm wondering if there is something I could put in-line on the circuit to the horn that would have a timed closure of some sort on the circuit. Maybe I could wire the existing horn circuit as a signal wire to a relay that energized some device with a longer 'blast'. ????
I dunno. I'm no electronics guy.
Anybody? Buhler?
Last weekend I replaced my horns in the X-Type with a set of Vintage FIAMM air horns that have been following me from car to car for 20 years. (Originally sourced from my first Maserati) They have a very distinctive sound, and I love it.
The only problem I am having with them is that I miss the short 'honk' acknowledging the doors locked when I push the remote button twice. The very short momentary closing of the circuit is not long enough for the air compressor to build enough air to make any sound.
SO: I'm wondering if there is something I could put in-line on the circuit to the horn that would have a timed closure of some sort on the circuit. Maybe I could wire the existing horn circuit as a signal wire to a relay that energized some device with a longer 'blast'. ????
I dunno. I'm no electronics guy.
Anybody? Buhler?
#2
11-20-2008, 10:54 PM
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RE: any electronics gurus out there?
McJaguar, what you are looking for is a monostable multivibrator. This is nothing more than a modified 555 timer chip. If you go to Radio Shack, they have books on how to build circuits with 555 timers. The books normally run about $5 and to get all the components, you are probably looking at another $20. The book will have a good diagram for you to follow. IT will tell you how to calculate the components you need to make the horns sound for as long as you want them too. If you look on the internet, there are sites dedicated to circuits using the 555 timers. Do a search on "555 timers".
#4
11-21-2008, 08:11 AM
RE: any electronics gurus out there?
Mcjaguar, I think what your your horn needs is timed relay circuit. If you can get at the signal source from the alarm that gave you the 'beep' then all it may take is a simple RC circuit tuned to 1 hz or so that will trip the hornrelay. Longer horn mean lower tuning, say 1/2hz. F = 1/2pi*RC where R=ohm and C=Farad.
#5
11-21-2008, 08:44 AM
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#6
11-21-2008, 10:13 AM
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RE: any electronics gurus out there?
Just another perspective... ( from me - who else? Lol)
the honk when you push the button twice is not a acknowledgement.. it is a "hey jackass... the doors are locked already!! didn't you notice the lights flashing when you pushed it the first time?"
Or " ouch.. why do you keep pressing that damn button? " heheheh.
I do use the feature sometimes.. like when I am inside the house, or in a noisy place and I cant remember if I locked the car, and I cant hear the door lock motors struggling to re-lock when they are already locked.
I think it is cool that you are re-using the air horns. So I wont be a total jerk today.
I have another suggestion and that is to give the air horn blower a little tune up. For the most part the horns should be quite fast to react when you tap the horn button, they should work with the short pulse.
Back in the late '80 whenI was working in a car audio shop as an installer, we installed air horns all the time.
Over time the blowers would get a litle slow and take a moment to build up air pressure.
we used to unplug the horns ( cuz they were so loud ) and squirt some WD 40 into the air intake of the blower when the horn was being blasted.... this seemed to almost always free up the motor a little and make then react WAY faster. ( also louder )
probably after all these years there needs to be a little re-lubrication of your motor.
along with spraying the blower, i suggest you try to get a little lubrication on the bearings of the motor, but that might be hard if they are covered up.
the honk when you push the button twice is not a acknowledgement.. it is a "hey jackass... the doors are locked already!! didn't you notice the lights flashing when you pushed it the first time?"
Or " ouch.. why do you keep pressing that damn button? " heheheh.
I do use the feature sometimes.. like when I am inside the house, or in a noisy place and I cant remember if I locked the car, and I cant hear the door lock motors struggling to re-lock when they are already locked.
I think it is cool that you are re-using the air horns. So I wont be a total jerk today.
I have another suggestion and that is to give the air horn blower a little tune up. For the most part the horns should be quite fast to react when you tap the horn button, they should work with the short pulse.
Back in the late '80 whenI was working in a car audio shop as an installer, we installed air horns all the time.
Over time the blowers would get a litle slow and take a moment to build up air pressure.
we used to unplug the horns ( cuz they were so loud ) and squirt some WD 40 into the air intake of the blower when the horn was being blasted.... this seemed to almost always free up the motor a little and make then react WAY faster. ( also louder )
probably after all these years there needs to be a little re-lubrication of your motor.
along with spraying the blower, i suggest you try to get a little lubrication on the bearings of the motor, but that might be hard if they are covered up.
#7
11-21-2008, 05:53 PM
RE: any electronics gurus out there?
ORIGINAL: bojangles
the honk when you push the button twice is not a acknowledgement.. it is a "hey jackass... the doors are locked already!! didn't you notice the lights flashing when you pushed it the first time?"
Or " ouch.. why do you keep pressing that damn button? " heheheh.
I do use the feature sometimes.. like when I am inside the house, or in a noisy place and I cant remember if I locked the car, and I cant hear the door lock motors struggling to re-lock when they are already locked.
the honk when you push the button twice is not a acknowledgement.. it is a "hey jackass... the doors are locked already!! didn't you notice the lights flashing when you pushed it the first time?"
Or " ouch.. why do you keep pressing that damn button? " heheheh.
I do use the feature sometimes.. like when I am inside the house, or in a noisy place and I cant remember if I locked the car, and I cant hear the door lock motors struggling to re-lock when they are already locked.
I think you're correct: it's a perspective thing. I tend to think that the Jaguar engineers were looking for ways to make our cars more convenient and comfortable, where you seem to think they think we're all jackasses. (I'll need to add that to the growing list of condescending and insulting terms you've used to describe the average Jaguar owner) You seem to think those Engineers are Italian, rather than English.
And since the motor and mechanism are designed to provide a certain motion, I'd argue that they are not in the least bit 'struggling' to "re-lock a door that is already locked". They're simply going through the motion again. So I DO think they intended the honk as a verification that the doors are locked.
I think the 'tune-up' of the compressor is a good idea, and I'll start there. Thanks for that suggestion. IF that doesn't work, then I'll likely go with the 555 timer, as suggested by thermo. A quick google shows them to be fairly simple to use.
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#8
11-21-2008, 06:42 PM
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RE: any electronics gurus out there?
McJaguar, keep in mind that the 555 timers have a max output of about 50 mA. So, the use of a transistor and relay will more than likely be needed to make the air horns work as Iam sure they are going to need in the neighborhood of 10 amps. if you need help, just hollar. It is a simple addition.
#9
11-21-2008, 07:38 PM
RE: any electronics gurus out there?
i had some experience with an air horn many years ago. inoticed in cold weather oil could slow things down. might be worth trying silicone spray.
if that doesn't work, and you want to tinker with electronics without designing and building a 555 circuit thenget a simple 12v horn relay and hook it to one of these:
http://74.125.45.132/search?q=cache:...d=27&gl=us
if that doesn't work, and you want to tinker with electronics without designing and building a 555 circuit thenget a simple 12v horn relay and hook it to one of these:
http://74.125.45.132/search?q=cache:...d=27&gl=us
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