BACK ON TOPIC!

Sorry Guapo, I know how frustrating it is to see a thread go off on a tangent like this one has.If you are still reading this, try using a large headphone jack instead of a switch. That way if someone has the time to find a switch while trying to steal your vehicle, he/she will be SOL.

 

i just installed switch in series with the starter power wire. it needs to be on when starting and switched off when parked for protection. the swich is hidden...somewhere...

 

ooo... Careful. If you're talking about the actual power lead to the starter, then there's some serious current in those wires. You don't want a fire in the cab. Hopefully you're talking about the starter solenoid?

 

Ya...I'd like to use the fuel pump or injection circuit so I can hear it cranking...Anyone know where the wires run?

 

trace the fuel pump wires from the top of your tank. my question is this: how much current does the fuel pump positive lead pull? if its a lot, it might be hard to find a switch rated for that current, so the obvious thing is to use a relay rated for that current but that brings a question in my mind:

if i have the fuel pump positive lead going through the "normally on" contacts in the relay, to switch it off, i need some tiny current to do that. if i leave my vehicle parked for days-weeks at a time, will that tiny current kill my battery? doing it the other way, having the FP lead connected through the normally off contacts and switching the relay ON (with a little current) would allow me to start it, yes? that means i can accidentally leave the switch on, powering the relay, giving power to the FP, which will be drawing constant small current, same as i mentioned above. again, is that small current going to drain the battery with the vehicle off?

 

Just my $0.02, but I seem to remember a thread about a year ago that included all the wiring diagrams to install a magnetically actuated relay that killed the ignition at the ECU. Its hard to find a switch that isn't there!
I'll do a bit of searching tonight to see if I can find and link the post.

 

Thanx Fred.....Is this the one where all you do is wave the magnet over it?

 

That's the one, I've heard complaints that magnet rub caused damage to he dash but a STRONG (like the ones in old hard drives) magnet and a bit of felt would solve that problem. ---Still searching,,,,

 

I searched on "magnetic reed fuel":

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/kill-switch-info-needed-rig-almost-got-stolen-today-58605/
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f5/theft-protection-1780/

 

Thanx Mark,,,, Beat me to it, the second thread is the one I remembered

 

i'm a bit of a novice with electronics but could you post some more info on how this is done? do you just insert the headphone jack to complete the circuit and take it out to switch it off? this is a really cool idea and i think i might try it, and it would be easy to keep a jack hidden in the car or on the key ring. really cool. if it's easier, you can PM me or share for everyone's knowlege.
TIA,
patrick

 

You basically answered your own question...
I'll see if I can find that wiring diagram and post it up for you.

 

This could help...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_plug


Diagram B is a typical 'stereo jack':

The top connection is the TIP, the bottom is the RING, the SLEEVE is shown at the right, going to "ground".


Now check the pics here:

Those are the plugs. The top one is "stereo" the bottom one is "mono". The numbers are the parts of the jack:

1. Sleeve
2. Ring
3. Tip
4. Insulatiors

To do what you're thinking, you'd:

1. Use a STEREO jack and a STEREO plug.
   
2. Mount the jack in your secret spot, and use the RING and the TIP to interrupt the flow to the starter solenoid, fuel pump, ECU, etc.
   
3. Wire the RING and the TIP of the plug together, leave the SLEEVE unconnected.
   
4. When you insert the plug into the socket, you'll complete the connection between the RING and the TIP so that curerent can flow to the device and life is good.

Hope that helps.

 

Damn You, Mark!
Just once I wish you wouldn't have an answer!

If you need me I'll be in the corner, crying...

 

anyone have any opinion on this at all?

 

How are you at particle physics? I suck at it. (sorry man)



Whoops, sorry - you got lost in the chatter.

Yes, if the relay is energized it will be drawing current. If you set the relay up such that it needs to be energized to be OPEN (so, Normally Closed) then it will drain your battery. The coil will only draw about 50ma, so it'll take a while, but it'll still be a powered circuit in the truck while it's in storage. In general, if you're going to store the truck, then you should p8ull (or at least disconnect) the battery anyway, so this may be moot.

The suggestion would be to either set the circuit to be NO (normally open) or, use a latching relay. A latching relay will switch states when it gets an electrical pulse. So, PULSE - ON - PULSE - OFF, you wouldn't have to maintain current.

The problem with that is it could be possible that if someone knew you had this sort of setup then they could "pulse" your battery and _possibly_ cause enough of an electrical disruption that the relay would change states.

But in the end... it would be easier for them to just show up with a flat bed or a standard tow truck and haul your rig away.

 

Sounds like me, but I don't think I have 6 posts yet.

One plus to a switch on the start wire is your less likely to shut your rig off after passing a Mack truck. :-(

Always a good idea to make your rig even just a little harder to steal

 

I just ran a relay switch (hidden of course) on the fuel pump wire in my Eclipse (I rewired the fuel pump so I figured a little security boost was an easy mod to piggyback) and in 7 years never had any issues using it.

 

mark and mud monkey, thank you thank you thank you! the detail that you went into mark is amazing. particle physics huh? are you looking to be able to beam your 4runner to the trail? kinda like a star trek thing, i'm a nerd i know.
thanks again for the very clear answer, i'll let you know how it goes when things thaw out a bit for me to attempt this.

patrick

 

does anyone know how much current the + lead of the fuel pump draws? If I could just find a toggle that can handle that much DC current, thatd be much easier than using relays and other circuitry