Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, not knowing how that particular system is set up, I would be inclined to keep the fuses where they use them, definitely relocate them for access. I would personally get a 4 fuse block and mount it where it can be reached easily but isn't in the way. An FYI, my Taurus had a drop down fuse block, it sat horizontally on the left side of the steering column, and could be unlatched and swung down vertically to change or check fuses.

Here is where I had my Design Tech security system/remote start and lock/unlock including trunk and Sirius receiver:

Bill - The three 15A fuses go to the 87 terminal on their onboard relays. And given the way I'm wiring the lock & unlock relays if they were to be picked at the same time there would be no current flow at all. And the lights relay is the same - the fuse goes to 87.

So I'm struggling to see the need to have a separate fuse block. Do you still think so?

But I like your installation. Looks great. But where is that? Yes, above the glove box, but....

[85lebaront2]

Bill - The three 15A fuses go to the 87 terminal on their onboard relays. And given the way I'm wiring the lock & unlock relays if they were to be picked at the same time there would be no current flow at all. And the lights relay is the same - the fuse goes to 87.

So I'm struggling to see the need to have a separate fuse block. Do you still think so?

But I like your installation. Looks great. But where is that? Yes, above the glove box, but....

K-cars have a dead space above the glove box that is covered by the dash top/pad assembly. The one screw hole just above the radio area, from there to the other end of the dash it is just an "eyebrow" it drops down in front over the glove box. The area there is probably 2" deep and empty. It was the perfect place for the two electronic boxes. The heavy wires were the battery, ignition, acc and start, the locks required a pair of relays if the vehicle did not have them originally. I liked that unit so much I got another for my wife's 1989 Grand Caravan, later her 1993 one and our 1990 Town Car.

The two Flexes have remote start and have Ford's security systems. The 2011 has a Fortin Bypass module and I have no idea what the 2009 has, the dealer didn't even realize it had that until he was trying to make sure it was locked (3 clicks of the lock button on the IKT and it will start). We love being able to start one and then go out after it warms a bit or in the summer cools down a bit.

[Gary Lewis]

K-cars have a dead space above the glove box that is covered by the dash top/pad assembly. The one screw hole just above the radio area, from there to the other end of the dash it is just an "eyebrow" it drops down in front over the glove box. The area there is probably 2" deep and empty. It was the perfect place for the two electronic boxes. The heavy wires were the battery, ignition, acc and start, the locks required a pair of relays if the vehicle did not have them originally. I liked that unit so much I got another for my wife's 1989 Grand Caravan, later her 1993 one and our 1990 Town Car.

The two Flexes have remote start and have Ford's security systems. The 2011 has a Fortin Bypass module and I have no idea what the 2009 has, the dealer didn't even realize it had that until he was trying to make sure it was locked (3 clicks of the lock button on the IKT and it will start). We love being able to start one and then go out after it warms a bit or in the summer cools down a bit.

Ok, now I understand where that space is.

And yes, Blue has the remote start feature and I like starting him in the summer to cool it down before I get in.

[kramttocs]

Bill - The three 15A fuses go to the 87 terminal on their onboard relays. And given the way I'm wiring the lock & unlock relays if they were to be picked at the same time there would be no current flow at all. And the lights relay is the same - the fuse goes to 87.

So I'm struggling to see the need to have a separate fuse block. Do you still think so?

But I like your installation. Looks great. But where is that? Yes, above the glove box, but....

Bill - that mounting location is really slick!

Gary,

Does the parking light circuit not flash with lock/unlock? Not saying it would go over the 15A even if so but just checking.

I thought about this while driving home earlier trying to come up with a reason not to combine all of them. I can't so the following is more of how I would do it and less of the way I think it has to be done.

I see no reason not to combine the locks and light. In fact, my module's harness has the two lock circuits going into the same fuse already. I like keeping the module fuse separate though. I really like handling it all in the fuse block and would run a wire from the unused side of Fuse 7 for the module. This is the unused hot at all times slot but is dependent on the presence of Fuse 12 (locks). So it's very similar to what you are thinking of but would have a downstream 10A for the module at the expense of running another wire from the fuse block to the module.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Bill - that mounting location is really slick!

Gary,

Does the parking light circuit not flash with lock/unlock? Not saying it would go over the 15A even if so but just checking.

I thought about this while driving home earlier trying to come up with a reason not to combine all of them. I can't so the following is more of how I would do it and less of the way I think it has to be done.

I see no reason not to combine the locks and light. In fact, my module's harness has the two lock circuits going into the same fuse already. I like keeping the module fuse separate though. I really like handling it all in the fuse block and would run a wire from the unused side of Fuse 7 for the module. This is the unused hot at all times slot but is dependent on the presence of Fuse 12 (locks). So it's very similar to what you are thinking of but would have a downstream 10A for the module at the expense of running another wire from the fuse block to the module.

Scott - That's interesting, and an approach I wouldn't have thought of. So Fuse 7 daisy chains from 12? In other words, if 12 blows there's no power to 7?

If so, I'm not sure I like that since blowing 12 would kill the security system. But if I pulled power from somewhere else then the security system could continue to operate even if it couldn't flash the lights nor lock the doors.

As for lights flashing when locking/unlocking, you are right - they do. Had forgotten that. But maybe they do so after the fact?

[ArdWrknTrk]

There's a question below for y'all.

I got the security system mounted today. I cut a sheet of aluminum to fit, put a couple of screw holes in it, and then stuck it on the HVAC duct with Gorilla double-stick tape.

In the pic below you can see a white spot on the back side of the module, and that's the connector for the LED. I put the LED in the front/center hole of the speaker grille of the dash cover after determining that it is possible to connect the LEDs wires to the module with the cover laying in place. You get it in about the right position, tilt the back of the cover up, and there's just enough room to plug it in.

And right by the white connector is the little bitty antenna wire. It'll be standing mostly up when I put the dash cover on and as I lower the cover it is supposed to bend forward but stay up against the cover. The idea is to have it above the rusty speaker bracket so it isn't shielded by it.

In addition, I got the valet switch installed, and that's its wire is laying on the speaker bracket on the left.

Now for the question: See all those fuse holders? There are 4:

• 15A: Door Lock

• 15A: Door Unlock

• 15A: Light Flash

• 10A: Security Module

I don't like having them hidden, so I'm thinking I'll cut them off and just use a 15A fuse in the fuse block for the circuit that powers them. Granted that's more than the module itself needs, but the wire to it is more than rated for 15A. And you can't be locking and unlocking at the same time. Plus the lights should never be flashing when the doors are being locked or unlocked.

Thoughts?

I don't imagine that they are adding cost, complexity and points of failure that they don't have to.

But then again I didn't design the system.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't imagine that they are adding cost, complexity and points of failure that they don't have to.

But then again I didn't design the system.

Jim - I'm not sure what you are saying. Could you say it again, differently?

I'm thinking that Code Alarm designed the system so that you could blow one fuse and the other functions will keep operating. But they don't have a clue what vehicle the system is going into and are making it as flexible and as secure as possible.

Said another way, from the instructions I see that some vehicles have two different sets of wires for lock vs unlock, so they've fused those relays separately. But in our trucks it is just a polarity reversal on the same wires, so there's no reason to have two separate fuses. And on the lights, they have no way of knowing how many lights they are going to power, so fused it to protect the relay.

[Gary Lewis]

Jim - I'm not sure what you are saying. Could you say it again, differently?

I'm thinking that Code Alarm designed the system so that you could blow one fuse and the other functions will keep operating. But they don't have a clue what vehicle the system is going into and are making it as flexible and as secure as possible.

Said another way, from the instructions I see that some vehicles have two different sets of wires for lock vs unlock, so they've fused those relays separately. But in our trucks it is just a polarity reversal on the same wires, so there's no reason to have two separate fuses. And on the lights, they have no way of knowing how many lights they are going to power, so fused it to protect the relay.

Ok, here's a plan I'd like feedback on.

I'll go ahead and put a 15A fuse in #12 and combine lock, unlock, and lights onto that circuit.

But for the module itself I'll connect it to the white/purple wire of the digital clock circuit. That comes from Fuse 6 and here's what it currently supports:

• OX locker, which is supposed to be fused at 10A

• Relay coils for the fog lights, aux power, backup lights, and air compressor relays

• Lamps, inc courtesy, cargo, and dome - all of which are LED

Currently there's a 15A fuse in the digital clock slot in the fuse box as that's what was there from the factory. But I'll replace that with a 10A, which it should be anyway for the OX locker, and it'll be just right for the security system's module as well. The locker only pulls current when locking or unlocking, which won't be happening while the security system is active, and none of the relays should be enabled then either. So with the lights being LED there should be much current at all on that circuit.

Thoughts?

[kramttocs]

Scott - That's interesting, and an approach I wouldn't have thought of. So Fuse 7 daisy chains from 12? In other words, if 12 blows there's no power to 7?

If so, I'm not sure I like that since blowing 12 would kill the security system. But if I pulled power from somewhere else then the security system could continue to operate even if it couldn't flash the lights nor lock the doors.

As for lights flashing when locking/unlocking, you are right - they do. Had forgotten that. But maybe they do so after the fact?

That's correct about the daisy chaining as well as if 12 blows then 7 would be defunct. But it would have been the same risk if you were to combine all 4 fuses together.

Putting the module on a separate circuit entirely does allow you to retain the horn alert so I like it

[Gary Lewis]

That's correct about the daisy chaining as well as if 12 blows then 7 would be defunct. But it would have been the same risk if you were to combine all 4 fuses together.

Putting the module on a separate circuit entirely does allow you to retain the horn alert so I like it

Thanks, Scott. And, it would also have the "engine disabler" we've discussed.

What about the idea of using the Clock circuit?