Attempting K9 Eclipse Alarm install (kudos stereoinstaller)

[reelizmpro]

Alright, I just took a closer look at my M3 and there is a wire ran to the light. This is probably the case on all my E30's. They must have tapped between the trunk and the door switch circuit somewhere because I saw no additional wiring in the front kickpanel. So it looks like you guys were right about that. No need to be a dickhead about it.

That's what I was thinking... tap into trunklight circuit in the kickpanel somewhere and measure current in the existing wire. The Viper in my old 85 325e installed by my uncle was before 92 so it makes sense.

[StereoInstaller1]

I put a volt meter on the brown/black wire and got a constant 12v

I forgot to go check n see if my lights light up...


also, I read that alot of folks have been running a wire to the trunk and splicing into the door pins for simple alarm setups.. my alarm actually has the lil displa that'll tell me where the car has been fucked with so I might have to run the wire.... doin more research for ya reelz and i'll let you know.

When you metered that wire, was the light bulb in the circuit? Did you pull the switch out? If so the bulb will pass voltage, just looking for a ground.

If you pull the light out, you can see the wire is only about 3" long from the switch to the bulb. The switch sends a ground when the trunk opens (same as the doors and glovebox) so if the switch is not mounted (it gets its ground from the mount) it will read +12V through the lightbulb.

And still, once again, it is very clear...that switch CANNOT send any kind of signal anywhere. There is a wire from the fuse feeding the light, then a wire from the switch. It cannot be more simple.

As far as WHY an alarm triggers when you open the trunk, lots of alarms back in the old days had "current sensing" so when the alarm saw a tiny sudden voltage drop (like a light bulb turning on) the alarm would trigger.

This fell out of favor with the major manufacturers because it was fairly unreliable. Lots of false alarms, lots of failures in general, so they quit using that "feature"...but I have no clue about that brand of alarm. Might have it, might not.

I'm going to be 33 this year so you haven't been installing longer than I've been breathing. Anyway, let's get to the bottom of it.

Here's for the doorlocks, taken from the K9 installation manual:



I know it's hard to read but pay attention to the last sentence in particular. To be honest, I'm very surprised you didn't know this. (EDIT: of course I know this. I have rebuilt dozens of E30 door lock systems) Next you'll be telling me that E30's don't have that type of door lock system.

Okay, now the dome light circuit.

ETM's don't tell the whole story, just give a general schematic of what to expect. All door pin and trunk switches are tied to Fuse 21. There are splices here and there but it's unclear if the brown/violet wires ever connect. On paper, it doesn't appear so. I don't know what to make of it. What I do know is that I have 3 E30's with working trunk triggers. I will check which wire I tapped into in the morning. I think the original poster should tap into the brown/violet wire and see what happens with the trunk.

OK, first: Your point with the whole "E30s don't need relays" is kinda blown out of the water by showing a diagram that uses relays.

That is why his keyless started working after he connected the violet wire in one of his posts. That provided the relatively high current (about 1.2A) needed to trigger the E30 central locking system.

Another thing that is kind of unique to the E30 lock system is that there is no "switch", as is common in japanese cars of this (and later) eras. Instead, there is a "switch" built into the actuator.

How the system works is that there are 5 wires at the door lock actuator.

1 is ground, (brown) 2 are for the motor (blue and white) and 2 more for the central lock system. Those are the 2 (they change color in the door jam) that you tap into for the keyless function.

When you mechanically lock or unlock, the actuator sends a ground to the central locking module. It stays on ground, as is suggested in that diagram.


So, due to the fact that 99% of all alarms sold today have simple transistor outputs with a 500mA maximum current output, they simply cannot swing enough current to lock or unlock the E30 system consistiently.

Also, the transistor cannot switch if it sees voltage on the output, or at least not consistiently

The fact that Omega (or whoever makes that alarm) shows relays in the diagram kinda proves that, see?

BTW, WTF, where is that diagram from, is that a scan? I had to copy/paste to IE to see it at all...did you scan that, or was that from their website?

To me, who has spent hundreds of hours studying the ETM and applying it to repairing/modifying BMWs over the last couple dozen years, it is perfectly clear how and where things are...but I forget that is an "acquired taste"

[StereoInstaller1]

Alright, I just took a closer look at my M3 and there is a wire ran to the light. This is probably the case on all my E30's. They must have tapped between the trunk and the door switch circuit somewhere because I saw no additional wiring in the front kickpanel. So it looks like you guys were right about that. No need to be a dickhead about it.

That's what I was thinking... tap into trunklight circuit in the kickpanel somewhere and measure current in the existing wire. The Viper in my old 85 325e installed by my uncle was before 92 so it makes sense.

I did not see this post...so yeah, that makes sense.

Many cars DO have a wire somewhere up front that is a trunk trigger, so that was likely what you were thinking of.

No worries, man.

[reelizmpro]

I couldn't see my other post...weird.

Alright, I just took a closer look at my M3 and there is a wire ran to the light. This is probably the case on all my E30's. They must have tapped between the trunk and the door switch circuit somewhere because I saw no additional wiring in the front kickpanel. So it looks like you guys were right about that.

I was thinking tap into trunklight circuit in the kickpanel somewhere and measure current in the existing wire. There still is no need to run a wire if the alarm as you stated has current sensing. Turns out that the K9 eclipse has current sensing.

The diagram was from a damaged PDF file. It was all I could find from Omega. Yes, it shows their DLS module with relays but note the last sentence of the paragraph. "In most cases, vehicles that have this type of power doorlock system may be wired direct, because all that's needed to operate the vehicle's relays are - Ground pulses." They're saying here's how you hook up our doorlock relay module IF you need it.

[reelizmpro]

The diagram was from a damaged PDF file. It was all I could find from Omega. Yes, it shows their DLS module with relays but note the last sentence of the paragraph. "In most cases, vehicles that have this type of power doorlock system may be wired direct, because all that's needed to operate the vehicle's relays are - Ground pulses." They're saying here's how you hook up our doorlock relay module IF you need it.

[StereoInstaller1]

Yeah, that line was unintellegible.

99% of the japanese cars that run on negative trigger work just fine without relays, but I have yet to get by without relays on an E30 in recent times...older alarms had beefier transistors and would run the central lock system, but nothing I know of today will.

Not saying that there isn't anything out there that will throw a full amp of current, but none of the current DEI, Audiovox or Scytek will. All 3 of those guys OE for other manufacturers (especially Scytek) and make 95% of all alarms sold today.

So much for quality, right?

[e30slut]

my alarm has a 30-sec (-) trigger for when the key is removed or the car is disarmed...

I figured I can use this for my domelight. Anybody know wich wire triggers the domelight?

[StereoInstaller1]

Brown/purple

[e30slut]

man, you're the shit

[williegarvin]

I was wondering how do you guys route the wires from the siren from the hood to the under the steering wheel? I can't seem to find an easy way to do it. I see where some insulated bundles of wires go to the interior, but there doesn't seem to be room to squeeze a wire in there (or at least I don't know how). Any help appreciated!

[e30slut]

hey man, you're gonna have to use a coat hanger and poke a hole through that rubber insulation where u see the wires coming through the fireway on the driver side under the steering column.

make sure when you get the wire in place put some rubber sement or sealant around it or your floor pan will have holes by the end of the year

[williegarvin]

Thanks, I was hoping I wouldn't have to do something like that but I guess I'll have to.

hey man, you're gonna have to use a coat hanger and poke a hole through that rubber insulation where u see the wires coming through the fireway on the driver side under the steering column.

make sure when you get the wire in place put some rubber sement or sealant around it or your floor pan will have holes by the end of the year

[StereoInstaller1]

I was wondering how do you guys route the wires from the siren from the hood to the under the steering wheel?

What I do is easy, quick and clean.

First, mount the siren under the battery tray. Hides it nicely and makes tons of noise.

Second, look at the grommet for the ECU. There are 3 or 4 small nipples on the grommet itself....snip one off and slip the wire through.

Now, you can reach behind the glovebox and grab that wire. Tape the wire to the end of a coathanger and feed it in front of the heater box, about 10" off the floor, right along the firewall. You will see it pop out the other side.

GL!

Luke

[williegarvin]

ThanksLuke that sounds simple and I'll try it when I get home from work today if it doesn't rain. By the way, I saw that you strongly recommend not installing the starter kill. Is there a reason? Are they prone to failing?

What I do is easy, quick and clean.

First, mount the siren under the battery tray. Hides it nicely and makes tons of noise.

Second, look at the grommet for the ECU. There are 3 or 4 small nipples on the grommet itself....snip one off and slip the wire through.

Now, you can reach behind the glovebox and grab that wire. Tape the wire to the end of a coathanger and feed it in front of the heater box, about 10" off the floor, right along the firewall. You will see it pop out the other side.

GL!

Luke

[StereoInstaller1]

By the way, I saw that you strongly recommend not installing the starter kill. Is there a reason? Are they prone to failing?

All relays today are made in China. So yeah, "prone to failure" is a good euphemism for "fucking dirtball heap of rancid shit blah blah blah"