S40 (New) Electrics : Wiring A Lights Left On Alarm And A Dashcam

[froggyted]

It's one reason i don't do much work on cars these days. When i was younger i would do a lot of minor mechanical jobs and servicing. I nearly always ended up having to buy additional tools, and that, added to the enormous amount of time spent (sometimes whole bank holiday weekends) led me to conclude that it was less hassle to pay a garage. I only work on a car now if i) it's within my very limited capabilities and ii) i anticipate that it is a relatively simple job that a garage would charge a disproportionate amount of money for. This is one i got wrong: i thought it would take about half an hour, but 35 years of motoring have taught me that jobs you perceive as simple rarely go smoothly, so i'm always prepared in my mind for this. It's frustrating, even so. I've decided to order some of the small (red) Scotchlok connectors to splice the lights left on alarm either behind the dash lighting switch or at the back lights. One advantage of splicing at the back lights is (in addition to easier access to the OEM wiring) the space to maybe add an inline switch so that, on the rare occasions you might actually want to leave the parking lights on, you can turn the alarm off, since the light cluster cover can be removed in seconds. I'm also ordering some piggyback connectors for the dashcam (which i haven't received yet. The dashcam supplier has just issued a refund because they claim they were sent the wrong items from their supplier, so another complication, since i now have to source another supplier). I anticipate the hardwiring of this to be relatively simple using these connectors. I will push the wiring behind the top of headlining at the windscreen and feed down the nearside A pillar. The A pillar trim is a bit of a pain to remove but I've done it before on the other side to replace a broken ticket holder, which i noticed shortly after purchasing the car.

[Bungo]

In the same boat as you. Cars have become way too complicated these days and age, health and will to do jobs is limited.
Let us know how it goes as I too would like to have the choice of what lights I use.
All the best

[froggyted]

Originally Posted by Bungo

In the same boat as you. Cars have become way too complicated these days and age, health and will to do jobs is limited.
Let us know how it goes as I too would like to have the choice of what lights I use.
All the best

Will do. :-)

[XcOM]

Originally Posted by froggyted

........The lights left on alarm does not contain a relay switch. I've done a bit of research and it's a piezoelectric type as in the second illustration here, employing a diode: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/et245.htm Therefore, it would work off the courtesy lights because it operates on the principle of two positive charges on either side of the piezoelectric component cancelling each other out, rather than using an earth.........

But wouldn't this have the same effect? Unless you intend to drive round with your courtesy lights inside on all the time? as soon as the courtesy lights fades out the alarm will sound? unless you intend to tap in to the supply before it reaches the door switch, in which case it won't matter as this is always live at all times, logically it has to be for the lights to come on when there is no ignition.

It's up to you and what not, but personally I would pull two cables from the Aux socket (Dashcam and alarm), you can still put the switch in on this line if you wanted, you could put it in the glove box so you don't need to open your bonnet to get to it.

[Bungo]

XcOM,
Can you explain what and where the aux socket you are referring too.

[froggyted]

Originally Posted by XcOM

But wouldn't this have the same effect? Unless you intend to drive round with your courtesy lights inside on all the time? as soon as the courtesy lights fades out the alarm will sound? unless you intend to tap in to the supply before it reaches the door switch, in which case it won't matter as this is always live at all times, logically it has to be for the lights to come on when there is no ignition.

It's up to you and what not, but personally I would pull two cables from the Aux socket (Dashcam and alarm), you can still put the switch in on this line if you wanted, you could put it in the glove box so you don't need to open your bonnet to get to it.

You might be right, but the little instruction sheet that comes with the item specifically states two wiring options, the first being to live ignition and the lights, the second being to the lights and the courtesy switch. It doesn't explain the principle by which this works, and i don't have the sheet to hand right now because the car is currently in the dealership for an expensive air con repair (almost certainly the condenser). Maybe there is some sort of relay in the tiny unit after all that reacts to the power surge when the door is opened. I've more or less ruled out the courtesy light option now anyway, due to both the lack of the option at the fuse box and the difficulty in accessing the courtesy light circuit elsewhere.

You seem to be suggesting splicing into the ignition circuit now when previously you suggested using the piggyback option, unless i misunderstand you. Personally, i like your piggyback suggestion for the dashcam because firstly it's quick and clean, and secondly i think the camera has some sort of 'sentinel' mode that detects movement when you've left the vehicle. Whilst it might be risky keeping the camera wired to a permanent live feed due to the danger of battery drain, if i decide i want this option i can simply swap the piggyback fuse at the fusebox from the switched live to a permanently live position. Also, how easy is it to tap into the auxiliary socket wiring? I've had both the floating console and the central console out before, but frankly i can't be bothered with the hassle of this if i can simply splice into the wires behind the light switch for the lights left on alarm, since removing the switch is a two minute job, and accessing the rear light cluster even quicker.

[froggyted]

Originally Posted by Bungo

XcOM,
Can you explain what and where the aux socket you are referring too.

Surely he means the auxiliary power connector sockets mentioned in my earlier post? In my SE Lux model there is the standard one between the floating console and gear stick trim and one at the rear of the centre console. Both of these are on the same circuit and are switched by the ignition switch. There is also one on the right hand side trim inside the boot compartment which is permanently live.

[XcOM]

This is how I would do it using my experience as an electronics engineer:



Please excuse the crudeness of my MSPAINT skills

so I would use a piggy back fuse for the Aux socket (The 12v in the car that is on the ignition), from here have it split, one to feed the dash cam, the other to go to your relay or double throw buzzer.

Have the live from your lights (Either by splicing in to the wire or by again tapping a fuse for the lights, depends if the fuse is before or after your switch) and have the connected to your relay/buzzer, if its a relay earth it and connect the buzzer to it, if your using the one specified that says it doesn't need an earth then don't earth it.

This would be in my eyes the best setup, as the courtesy lights are only powered when you have a door open or you have turned it on, thus is they are off the relay/buzzer will act as though the ignition is off and alarm, if you connect it to the courtesy switch (Ie the door) then this is always live and thus uselss (Any may sound the alarm when the lights are off depending on how the buzzer is wired internally)

You could insert a switch or two to turn the dash cam and buzzer off if you so desired.

This is just my opinion and I am sure you will figure it out, if you use a different method I am sure others would like to know as I am sure others want this feature.

[froggyted]

Originally Posted by XcOM

This is how I would do it using my experience as an electronics engineer:

so I would use a piggy back fuse for the Aux socket (The 12v in the car that is on the ignition), from here have it split, one to feed the dash cam, the other to go to your relay or double throw buzzer.

Have the live from your lights (Either by splicing in to the wire or by again tapping a fuse for the lights, depends if the fuse is before or after your switch) and have the connected to your relay/buzzer, if its a relay earth it and connect the buzzer to it, if your using the one specified that says it doesn't need an earth then don't earth it.

This would be in my eyes the best setup, as the courtesy lights are only powered when you have a door open or you have turned it on, thus is they are off the relay/buzzer will act as though the ignition is off and alarm, if you connect it to the courtesy switch (Ie the door) then this is always live and thus uselss (Any may sound the alarm when the lights are off depending on how the buzzer is wired internally)

You could insert a switch or two to turn the dash cam and buzzer off if you so desired.

This is just my opinion and I am sure you will figure it out, if you use a different method I am sure others would like to know as I am sure others want this feature.

Thanks for this, i really appreciate the time and effort you have put into the feedback on this thread. A couple of points:

1) When you say split, are you saying to connect either the dashcam live or an alarm lead into the piggyback and then splice the other into it with Scotchloks or the like? I ordered some of the piggybacks from the link you provided since, after a bit of research, they seemed to be the best option amongst many. They come with a crimp connector I think, so i guess i could crimp both leads into this, particularly as the lead for the buzzer is very thin 7 strand wire.

2) The big problem with your suggestion though is that the other lead for the buzzer needs to connect specifically to the parking/sidemarker light feed and, as i mentioned earlier in the thread, there simply aren't any fuse options in either fuse box for this. The only readily accessible places i can see to splice into this feed are behind the light switch, the front light cluster (a risk of moisture ingress), or the rear light cluster. All these options are a long distance away from the passenger compartment fuse box and the piggyback.

Incidentally, I was discussing doing this with a guy at the dealership after taking my car in for the work on the aircon, and he suggested that it could be a potential insurance issue if you modify the lights in this manner and don't inform your insurer, implying that this is why Volvo UK put hoops in your way and make it quite cost prohibitive for the software modification that disables the dipped beam at 0 position, so anyone else thinking of doing this needs to take this into consideration.

[Bungo]

Found this
http://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/12v-un...zer-72-db.html
It's pretty much what's there already but if you scroll through the pics there's an interesting diagram.
carpoint says 1 wire to earth other to courtesy light, which seems odd.
Would be great to see a carpoint diagram, although I believe you need a magnifying glass to read them.
Insurance side has been mentioned on here before and it's been said that volvo won't even do it any more without insurance company permission.