Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

I didn't say I wouldn't want a pilot lamp that comes on with the dash dimmer.

And I do like different colors for different functions.

Just like I have blue for high beams, green for turn signal, red for charge failure or yellow for fog lights.

I think I would want the icon on when the XYZ was engaged or powered and just the button ready indication on with the dash illumination.

Lower independent, opposite of what Scott likes.

But different strokes for different folks.

First, I'm several posts behind, but right now I'm trying to focus on switches.

Ok, forgetting for a moment upper vs lower dependent/independent, I think what y'all are helping me think through is the functions of the lights. And it looks like there are two options:

• 1: Legends lighted at night with the lower LED indicating that the function is on

• 2: Lower LED lit at night and the Legend being on when the function is on.

I think I'm leaning to Option 1 because that way you can find the switch at night since the legend will be visible. And I doubt the lower LED will be bright enough to be distracting whereas the legend might be if it was the On indication - and you have no control over its brightness unless you put resistors in the ground circuit for the LEDs.

So in the odd case of the battery parallel switch, the lower light needs to come on when the batteries are paralleled, and that is a function of the smart isolator not the switch. The switch just provides momentary 12v to the isolator to force the batteries into parallel. And when they are the isolator grounds the wire going to an LED.

The wiring diagram to the switch is shown below. And it seems to me that if I put power to #3 that when the isolator parallels the batteries and grounds the indicator wire going to #6 the lower LED will come on. And if the "boost" wire is connected to #2 then when the switch is closed the isolator will be told to parallel.

Does that make sense?

[Gary Lewis]

As you know, Gary, I spent part of the afternoon at the jy.

First - the wiring for the switched plug.

The spare I had on hand wasn't in great shape, with about 16" before it had been chewed on.

So I pulled a crossover harness today. One end connector is missing so a good candidate for repurpose.

The blue wire splits/slices a couple inches past the connector which I don't think is a bad thing as you could terminate it with another connector and have a future run/acc option.

Your call on which harness you'd like and if you want just the blue wire on the latter (vs the whole crossover bundle). Looks like it's 14awg fyi.

Second - the horn pad

Glad the later one is working. With your gauges and my cubby switches in the same location, I know exactly what you mean about having to make an effort to see that area. I looked in at least 15 of those year trucks and all but two of them were missing the column, wheel, or pad. The two that still had them did have cruise buttons though. They looked like they could be cleaned up but both of them had some bulging or separation around the edges. Maybe they could be glued back? I didn't look too closely as I kept hoping to find another one. If a better option hasn't come up by the time I go back, I'll take a rag to them and do a closer inspection

Scott - I really, really appreciate you going to the salvage for me today! THANK YOU!

As for which harness, I think the chewed up one will be more than adequate. I can easily replace the chewed up section and branch out for the several things I'm going to use it for, including the USB charger and the several switches in Mission Control. And that would leave you with the better harness - right? But I want to pay you for the better harness nonetheless.

And on the horn pad, I think the bulging may be due to having been improperly installed. The one off Huck was bulging as well. But I discovered today that the rubber covering comes off and can be scrubbed - it was gross! But after pulling it and cleaning it I found that it hadn't been where it was designed to be. And when I did get it there the cover laid down on the horn pad much better.

As for cleaning, that took quite some effort. The steering wheel's rim was sticky gooey and the horn pad was covered in icky stuff. I used a combo of SEM soap and Dawn w/a grey 3M pad and got the wheel acceptable. But the horn pad's yuk defied the cleaning combo and a nylon brush on the first pass. And the second. It wasn't until I spent several minutes with the brush on it that I felt like I could put it in the truck.

So, send it on! I know how to clean them.

[kramttocs]

First, I'm several posts behind, but right now I'm trying to focus on switches.

Ok, forgetting for a moment upper vs lower dependent/independent, I think what y'all are helping me think through is the functions of the lights. And it looks like there are two options:

• 1: Legends lighted at night with the lower LED indicating that the function is on

• 2: Lower LED lit at night and the Legend being on when the function is on.

I think I'm leaning to Option 1 because that way you can find the switch at night since the legend will be visible. And I doubt the lower LED will be bright enough to be distracting whereas the legend might be if it was the On indication - and you have no control over its brightness unless you put resistors in the ground circuit for the LEDs.

So in the odd case of the battery parallel switch, the lower light needs to come on when the batteries are paralleled, and that is a function of the smart isolator not the switch. The switch just provides momentary 12v to the isolator to force the batteries into parallel. And when they are the isolator grounds the wire going to an LED.

The wiring diagram to the switch is shown below. And it seems to me that if I put power to #3 that when the isolator parallels the batteries and grounds the indicator wire going to #6 the lower LED will come on. And if the "boost" wire is connected to #2 then when the switch is closed the isolator will be told to parallel.

Does that make sense?

Deleted to avoid confusion

[kramttocs]

Scott - I really, really appreciate you going to the salvage for me today! THANK YOU!

As for which harness, I think the chewed up one will be more than adequate. I can easily replace the chewed up section and branch out for the several things I'm going to use it for, including the USB charger and the several switches in Mission Control. And that would leave you with the better harness - right? But I want to pay you for the better harness nonetheless.

And on the horn pad, I think the bulging may be due to having been improperly installed. The one off Huck was bulging as well. But I discovered today that the rubber covering comes off and can be scrubbed - it was gross! But after pulling it and cleaning it I found that it hadn't been where it was designed to be. And when I did get it there the cover laid down on the horn pad much better.

As for cleaning, that took quite some effort. The steering wheel's rim was sticky gooey and the horn pad was covered in icky stuff. I used a combo of SEM soap and Dawn w/a grey 3M pad and got the wheel acceptable. But the horn pad's yuk defied the cleaning combo and a nylon brush on the first pass. And the second. It wasn't until I spent several minutes with the brush on it that I felt like I could put it in the truck.

So, send it on! I know how to clean them.

The jy is relaxing so trust me, I am always happy to go. If I wasn't on call tomorrow, I'd likely spend the morning there.

Sounds good and if you're happy with that one, I am happy. This was all perfect timing. I've been thinking about how to hook up the GVOD in Chanute and as it doesn't have power windows, I am going to steal your idea. So whichever one I end up with, I'll be cutting it as well.

Good to know the bulging around the edges of the horn pad isn't a big deal.

Now back to the switches

 

[Gary Lewis]

Deleted to avoid confusion

The way I got to that schematic was from this page: https://www.otrattw.net/Contura-V-Series-Contura-II-and-III-Upper-Independent/. And in the URL it says Contura II and III. So while I'm not sure what V2D2U66B & V2D2UXXB actually are, I think that OTRATTW carries the upper independent switch that is wired that way. Yes?

But I don't understand "how are you going to get the +12v when paralleled?" I thought I'd get it from the harness you are sending me, so it'll be switched. But, now that I think about it I don't think I want the power to that switch to be switched. For two reasons. First, the indicator won't work when the key is off, and yet the batteries may still be paralleled. Second, because you can't parallel the batteries until the key is on.

Given that, I'm thinking I'll use the to-be unused cigar lighter power for that switch. That way I'll know when the batteries are paralleled and can force them to be at any time.

Thoughts?

[Gary Lewis]

The jy is relaxing so trust me, I am always happy to go. If I wasn't on call tomorrow, I'd likely spend the morning there.

Sounds good and if you're happy with that one, I am happy. This was all perfect timing. I've been thinking about how to hook up the GVOD in Chanute and as it doesn't have power windows, I am going to steal your idea. So whichever one I end up with, I'll be cutting it as well.

Good to know the bulging around the edges of the horn pad isn't a big deal.

Now back to the switches

Yeah, the switches are an interesting issue. But by batting it back and forth, and I've also done so with Janey, I think I'm starting to "see the light". Get it?

And, by the way, the OX locker switch is a "single upper dependent". So the lens is going to come on when you push the button to lock the diff. I think I'll order a replacement for it in whatever scheme we settle on as the switches are only about $14, including the rocker.

[kramttocs]

The way I got to that schematic was from this page: https://www.otrattw.net/Contura-V-Series-Contura-II-and-III-Upper-Independent/. And in the URL it says Contura II and III. So while I'm not sure what V2D2U66B & V2D2UXXB actually are, I think that OTRATTW carries the upper independent switch that is wired that way. Yes?

But I don't understand "how are you going to get the +12v when paralleled?" I thought I'd get it from the harness you are sending me, so it'll be switched. But, now that I think about it I don't think I want the power to that switch to be switched. For two reasons. First, the indicator won't work when the key is off, and yet the batteries may still be paralleled. Second, because you can't parallel the batteries until the key is on.

Given that, I'm thinking I'll use the to-be unused cigar lighter power for that switch. That way I'll know when the batteries are paralleled and can force them to be at any time.

Thoughts?

I don't know what I was thinking with that 12v paralleled question. I can't even recreate the thought process that led me to it Time to call it a night.

I like the idea of having that switch on constant 12v. That's how I have mine and I like being able to walk by the truck and seeing if it's lit up or not.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't know what I was thinking with that 12v paralleled question. I can't even recreate the thought process that led me to it Time to call it a night.

I like the idea of having that switch on constant 12v. That's how I have mine and I like being able to walk by the truck and seeing if it's lit up or not.

Night, John boy.

Yep, I like that idea on the parallel switch as well. Think that's a winner.

[Gary Lewis]

Night, John boy. :nabble_smiley_wink:Yep, I like that idea on the parallel switch as well. Think that's a winner.

There have been lots and lots of iterations on what switches will be in Mission Control, what colors they will be, what type they will be, etc. And with each re-think it all changes. And I've spend a bunch of time trying to put the pictures of the switches side by side on here, to no avail.

 

But it dawned on me that if I'd create a Word document and embed it here it would get updated as I change the plans in the background. And, I could easily line the switches up to see how they'll look. So here's that document. Please give me your thoughts.

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

There have been lots and lots of iterations on what switches will be in Mission Control, what colors they will be, what type they will be, etc. And with each re-think it all changes. And I've spend a bunch of time trying to put the pictures of the switches side by side on here, to no avail.

 

But it dawned on me that if I'd create a Word document and embed it here it would get updated as I change the plans in the background. And, I could easily line the switches up to see how they'll look. So here's that document. Please give me your thoughts.

 

I like how you've presented it Gary! But you know your way around Excel, Word or 365 in ways someone like me can't fathom.It's really too bad that Carling doesn't have switches with two illumination levels.You could probably use that to your advantage here.Or, the ability to have the dash dim function overridden by switched power so you get 'full bright' when that circuit is activated.But that would take diodes.