Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) August 04, 2007, 01:21:17 AM A speed control (cruise control) indicator light in place of the "check oil" light (topmost one on the right-hand stack of 5 lights). I don't have the oil pressure sender so the existing light is useless to me. I made this image up and I plan to print it on transparency film. I have an entire spare base instrument cluster, so I have something to experiment with:The trick will be finding out which circuit will light the lamp. It's not obvious from looking at the EVTM, but perhaps the shop manuals will yield some insight.Edit: according to the shop manuals you can't use a test light to test the amplifier circuits as the current draw will damage its internals. It looks like I'll have to use a relay to trip the light, but that's ok. Maybe next weekend when I'm feeling better I'll do some investigation. Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #1 – August 04, 2007, 11:03:20 PM After some tweaks I printed the image (which I actually made in CorelDraw) onto Avery clear sticker film. I also put cellophane on part of the back of it so no dust would stick to the part that light would shine through. This is how it looks on my guinea-pig console (pulled ages ago from a V6 '85):I also updated the image above so you have what I have... Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #2 – April 07, 2008, 12:29:37 AM wow, you and your clear avery sticky back paper bring back memories for me. One day i NEEDED to be able to white letters on clear avery paper. I quickly learned it cant be done,, go figure bill gates!! Imagine being me asking the people at staples and office max if they had white printer ink. All i was trying to do was make lables for these wire wrap connector blocks in a telephone office instead of ink stamping all 2016 pairs.The paper was to be stuck to a black object so the white ink would stand out.sorry,back to the topic.I think this is actually a great idea. Ill stare at the wiring diagrams and see what i think will work. There are no relays to power the cruise at all, its all contained within the cruise module up near your left foot. In there would be the place to tap power and branch it to the dash. I would like to think that a simple parallel branch circuit would be enough to power a bulb in the dash when you press the on button. The main power feed to the cruise amplifier is the white pink wire cabled to the six pin connector.The wire i think would be best suited for this light to come on is the Light Blue/ black located on the six pin connector as well.When the On button is depressed, this wire becomes live battery power and holds battery power until the off is depressed or the car is turned off.Nice idea, let me know what diagrams you need, i may be right behind you on this mod.Long story short,,,,,,,,,,,run a wire from the light blue black wire in either the steering column or the amplifire up to the light bulb in the dash and then provide yourself with a ground jumper near by to chassis.You could get far more creative by using your existing light bulb socket. I would first trace the flex print out completely and make sure is is an isolated run with no parallel branches. I would then the connect the black light blue wire up to the cluster connecter. Next i would trace backwards the ground side of that socket and make sure it is landing in an area common to other bulbs (duhh, probably is). Install bulb and test.I would be very leary of doing it like this for the simple reason that you may back feed power to the cluster that you dont want and cause problems. most of the power on the cluster is 5v so expect a pretty bright light. you may just want to use an isolated bulb and socket with its own connections such that your new bulb simply sits in the hole you have reserved for "speed cont".I would also think something along the lines of a 12v LED would be best becaue it would draw less current. Since we are talking about branchign a circuit out to an indicator lamp,, this lower current draw might be the best way to go and would have less of an effect on the amplifier. Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #3 – April 07, 2008, 09:06:53 AM That's nice work, boys. Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #4 – April 07, 2008, 05:30:10 PM I've already pulled the cluster out and snapped a wire lead in to the correct pin on the cluster connector. I checked the circuit as well as the EVTM, and it's isolated. The ground is common, but as you mentioned I need to check the voltage. The bulb itself is in the "low oil" socket, which according to pp.128-129 of the EVTM, takes 12V, so voltage shouldn't be a problem for a standard 194 bulb. That said, I remember reading in a manual (the Helm one?) that current draw is dangerous to the cruise amplifier, so I figure I need some sort of low-draw (relay-driven?) circuit that could trip the light. So at this point I have the bulb in, and its power wire coiled up and ready to connect to something. Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #5 – April 07, 2008, 05:33:15 PM Quote from: Quietleaf;212970I've already pulled the cluster out and snapped a connector in to the correct pin on the cluster. The ground is common, but as you mentioned I need to check the voltage. The bulb itself is in the "low oil" socket, which according to pp.128-129 of the EVTM, takes 12V, so voltage shouldn't be a problem for a standard 194 bulb. That said, I remember reading in a manual (the Helm one?) that current draw is dangerous to the cruise amplifier, so I figure I need some sort of low-draw (relay-driven?) circuit that could trip the light. So at this point I have the bulb in, and its power wire coiled up and ready to connect to something.couldn't you set up some sort of switch in the wheel that is triggered by the cruise button? Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #6 – April 07, 2008, 05:54:46 PM That would be easy, but not really right. For instance, if I'm driving with the cruise on and I tap the brakes, the light should go off. The cruise module really has to drive the light.I have a spare relay (actually for my Explorer) and according to my calculations it should draw 153mA under 12V. The trick is figuring out how to use it. It looks like the cruise module uses either current draw or a voltage change (internal voltage divider circuit?) to determine which switch is pressed, so I can't just attach the relay to the LB/BK wire. I'm wondering if a simple TTL buffer chip would do the trick. Heck, a transistor switch circuit might even work. I'll have to dig out my old college EE book. One problem I forsee might be that I would expect the wire to still hold 12V even if I tap the brakes, since Resume has to work.You can find anything on the net...http://www.rason.org/Projects/transwit/transwit.htmhttp://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/trancirc.htmI'm just not convinced that the LB/BK wire is the right one. Any ideas? Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #7 – April 07, 2008, 06:00:20 PM I never used cruise in a ford, but in my step moms grand prix it stays on untill you flip off the switch, it doesnt function once u hit the brakes but you just hit resume and away it goes, so you want it to light only when its functioning. Thats why I assumed a switch would work. Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #8 – April 07, 2008, 06:38:16 PM Nice !!! I love mods that appear to be factory.Again,Nice !!! Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #9 – April 07, 2008, 07:05:37 PM I didn't put whole lot of thinking in to this,but why not just tap the hot side of the resume switch? I would think that would light the light,every time cruise is on. Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #10 – April 07, 2008, 08:07:30 PM The test proceedure in the shop manual has you hook +12v to the orange/yellow wire #144 to the servo modulating valve when testing the servo.See if you can get your meter on this wire. Hopefully it will only go to +12v when the amplifier is on. Whether the amplifier circuit can support the extra current load of a bulb on it I don't know. Does a bulb draw more current than a relay?The amplifier has three states: Off, ON and STANDBY. Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #11 – April 07, 2008, 08:33:10 PM I've already figured out a circuit (with some help) that will minimize current draw. I can use a NPN transistor to drive a relay, which will trip the light. Current draw from the transistor will be ~2mA, which should be fine (I would think). I might look for a transistor with a higher beta value which would lower the draw even more.EDIT: I have to use an NPN transistor, but otherwise my breadboard circuit is working. Now I just have to connect it to the car and try it. Maybe tomorrow... Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #12 – April 07, 2008, 10:06:28 PM Very cool, factory style mods are the s**t. I can't wait to see it when it's finished. :hick: Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #13 – April 08, 2008, 12:34:15 AM Im not really sure why your going about it like you are but sounds easy enough. An LED in place of the bulb would glow plenty well enough i would think to illuminate the cruise illustration you have.I was thinking that if you parallel off the wire i mention and run that up to your + bulb socket,, then your socket already provides the ground. (since you already investigated and answered my previous question)when you press on, power is delivered through the wire i mentioned to the 6 pin connector. power will also be delivered to the bulb. After thinking about it, I do not think the current draw will be an issue, the servo will draw what it needs and so will the amplifier due to the amplifiers internal electronics.both are 12v battery source fused at a decent rating so i think a bulb branch circuit would be an option. when you tap the brake, the bulb and the cruise will go on into a holding but not actually off pattern. when the resume ishiznit, the light and the cruise should come back on. This could be an unwanted feature in your design but i would not mind it myself, it would remind me to resume.Drilling a hole in the switch for an led is out of the question and i would not ever attempt it. there just isnt enough elbow room inside the switch for that stuff in a home made fashion.I'll assume your getting the bias volage from one of the cruise leads, correct? maybe i should ask how your wiring the transiter,, common base/emitter/collector ?your VCC is from what sourceyour bias is from what sourceif you dont mind my saying,, its sounds like your idea is fine but it might be over complicating things so keep your options open for simple solutions to compliated problems. Quote Selected
Considering next project (update: 7-14-09, new pics pg. 4) Reply #14 – April 08, 2008, 01:43:31 AM Quote from: jcassity;212924The wire i think would be best suited for this light to come on is the Light Blue/ black located on the six pin connector as well.When the On button is depressed, this wire becomes live battery power and holds battery power until the off is depressed or the car is turned off.Nope and nope.The LB/BK wire is floating (not hooked to anything) when none of the cruise buttons are pushed. The ON is a momentary contact. It only stays made as long as you are pushing the button.When the ON is pushed the voltage supplied is not directly from the battery. It coming THROUGH the horn relay coil. The yellow/light blue wire coming into the horn swt and speed control swt is the wire you ground to blow the horn. Quote Selected
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