Alarm Install issues/questions

[Kwaaahhh]

Thanks for the site luke and Dragowl, I'll take pics of my alarm kit tomorrow and maybe you guys can guide me through on which wire goes to what.

[Dragowl]

Central locking fixed

Problem:
My central locking would automatically unlock if locked with the key or with the alarm

Simple solution:
Replace Driver's side actuator and everything works as it should again.

[papajetta]

had the same door lock problem on my cousins red 92 vert installing it today,... however i have the same exact car, i wired mine directly about 3 years ago and its been working fine for many years now. ???? whats the difference?

[bmwstephen]

The doors will not lock with the doors open unless you do 2 things:

1. Fool the latch into thinking it is closed by manually latching it.

2. Close the door pin.

You still MUST use relays on that alarm. It might work for a while, but it will not be long-term reliable.

Luke

I assume that's in regards to the door lock but Luke, I must ask, if relay's are soo essential, why would the alarm's negative door trigger make the car lock/unlock to begin with. Wouldn't it be black and white and simply not work if the voltage going through is not sufficient?

[dwvw]

alarms negative door trigger has nothing to do with lock/unlock. The door trigger on an alarm is an input. In other words when it "sees" ground, it triggers the alarm.

The reason why relays are needed on the lock and unlock is due to the current capacity built into the outputs for lock and unlock on an alarm. There are a couple models of alarms that do not require relays, but they are few and far between. Most reputable alarm companies will list the current capabilities of their outputs. For example a lot of Viper product is 500mA on the doorlock outputs. If more than that amount of current goes through, you will eventually have a failure.

[bmwstephen]

alarms negative door trigger has nothing to do with lock/unlock. The door trigger on an alarm is an input. In other words when it "sees" ground, it triggers the alarm.

The reason why relays are needed on the lock and unlock is due to the current capacity built into the outputs for lock and unlock on an alarm. There are a couple models of alarms that do not require relays, but they are few and far between. Most reputable alarm companies will list the current capabilities of their outputs. For example a lot of Viper product is 500mA on the doorlock outputs. If more than that amount of current goes through, you will eventually have a failure.

what part would eventually fail? the alarm or the door lock?

[reelizmpro]

The alarm side would fry. Most likely a trace inside the alarm. Had it happen before when I installed one on a Honda that did not originally come with power door locks unlike the e30 and didn't know if it had relays built in. Had to buy a door lock module for $8

Bmwstephan isn't asking the right question. He's trying to ask why would additional relays be needed on a car already equipped with central locking?

[bmwstephen]

The alarm side would fry. Most likely a trace inside the alarm. Had it happen before when I installed one on a Honda that did not originally come with power door locks unlike the e30 and didn't know if it had relays built in. Had to buy a door lock module for $8

Bmwstephan isn't asking the right question. He's trying to ask why would additional relays be needed on a car already equipped with central locking?

yes!

[bmwstephen]

bump for my question

[StereoInstaller1]

bump for my question

OK, here are the 2 issues, both of which I have explained several times over the last....20,000 posts...fuck, too damn many, I cant find shit I wrote!

OK, so nevermind on that part.

Here ya go: first, the BMW relay is a beast that takes about 1A to trigger, typically. The alarm is not OK putting out even half that on a consistent basis...and if your battery voltage is low, it demands more power yet.

Basically, the alarm output is fine to run a normal relay, but these are too tough.

Second, if you measure the lock adn unlock wores, you will see that whatever state the locks are in is what the relays "rest" at. Meaning, if the doors are locked, the "lock" wire has a ground on it.

That will piss off your alarm big time.

Does this help? Sorry for the slow response, I just re-discovered the internet a couple days ago

Luke

[bmwstephen]

OK, here are the 2 issues, both of which I have explained several times over the last....20,000 posts...fuck, too damn many, I cant find shit I wrote!

OK, so nevermind on that part.

Here ya go: first, the BMW relay is a beast that takes about 1A to trigger, typically. The alarm is not OK putting out even half that on a consistent basis...and if your battery voltage is low, it demands more power yet.

Basically, the alarm output is fine to run a normal relay, but these are too tough.

Second, if you measure the lock adn unlock wores, you will see that whatever state the locks are in is what the relays "rest" at. Meaning, if the doors are locked, the "lock" wire has a ground on it.

That will piss off your alarm big time.

Does this help? Sorry for the slow response, I just re-discovered the internet a couple days ago

Luke

yes, I have no see the light. but if i can trouble you to educate me on the practices of wire sizing in this next thread, that would be great:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=263195