[How-To] switch power mirrors with the central locking

[Charles_Harding]

Originally Posted by TTDegs

, there are a number of places where I normally park (works car park being worst) where I specifically don't want them to fold back out when I unlock, due to lack of space.

If there is not the space to stick your mirrors out, how do you manage to get out yourself?

Surely you're not THAT slim!

"Pass the Salt.
What's the magic word?
NOW!"

[hgt]

The manual switch still works as normal, so you can still park in a narrow garage etc

[Vet_2010]

Ok from what I've read of the instructions it seems that its pretty much a case of cutting a few wires and reconnecting with blocs?
Where is the soldering required?

[TTDegs]

Originally Posted by Charles_Harding

If there is not the space to stick your mirrors out, how do you manage to get out yourself?

Surely you're not THAT slim!

I am actually

I have a large down pipe running down the side of my car space in work.
When I park, the (folded) wing mirror is 'behind' it, so there is (just) enough room to open the door.
But if I unfolded it, the mirror would smack into the pipe as the door opened

And if I managed to avoid that, I'd then rip the mirror off as I tried to drive out of the space

[TTDegs]

Originally Posted by hgt

The manual switch still works as normal, so you can still park in a narrow garage etc

yes, could could fold them in to drive into the garage

but what would then happen when you unlocked the car - they would fold back out, before you could get at the manual switch...

[DeanFYoung]

Originally Posted by TTDegs

I am actually

I have a large down pipe running down the side of my car space in work.
When I park, the (folded) wing mirror is 'behind' it, so there is (just) enough room to open the door.
But if I unfolded it, the mirror would smack into the pipe as the door opened

And if I managed to avoid that, I'd then rip the mirror off as I tried to drive out of the space

Damn those large down pipes, wasnt sure what you were referring to at first, but its all clear now.

Can you back in to the space? You know, keep your large down pipe to the rear?

[hgt]

Some of you dont read the threads properly.
I repeat the manual switch works as normal, in other words the manual switch overides the modification.
So, when you bring the mirrors in manualy they stay in until you manualy exstend them again.

[DeanFYoung]

Thanks HGT - we have been told !

[TTDegs]

Originally Posted by hgt

Some of you dont read the threads properly.
I repeat the manual switch works as normal, in other words the manual switch overides the modification.
So, when you bring the mirrors in manualy they stay in until you manualy exstend them again.

ahhhhh....


@ Dean(o) - think we'll stop there thank you very much!

[TTDegs]

Originally Posted by hgt

Some of you dont read the threads properly.
I repeat the manual switch works as normal, in other words the manual switch overides the modification.
So, when you bring the mirrors in manualy they stay in until you manualy exstend them again.

Are these the bits you were referring to hgt?

Originally Posted by hgt

For some reason I am unable to edit my post so I will have to add this here.
I think that a circuit description may help those of you who are building your own units.
CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
The manual switch simply reverses the polarity of the feed to the motors, therefor all that was required was a relay to do the same thing and then some form of control over the relay from the central locking.
The contacts on the relay are wired so that when the relay is at rest the mirrors are in, when the relay is energized the contacts reverse the polarity of the feed to the motors and the mirrors go out.
So when the mirrors are in, the car is parked and the relay doesn't draw any current, when the mirrors are out the relay is energized and draws 120ma but as the engine is likely to be running thats not a problem, even if the engine wasn't running a car battery would take months to run down with this current drain.
The feed from the central locking is at 12v when the car is unlocked, this is taken to the base of TR1 via D1 protection diode, this turns on TR1 which switches on TR2 and energizes the relay, (the mirrors go out).
When the car is locked the feed from the central locking is at 0v, this turns off TR1 which turns off TR2 the relay drops out and reverses the polarity of the feed to the motors so the mirrors come in.
Now for the clever bit, When the ignition switch is in position 2 the feed from pin 8 of the mirror switch plug is at 12v in one position and 0v or chassis in the other.
By feeding this to the base of TR2 the manual switch takes control of TR2 by feeding 12v to TR2's base thus turning it on, or grounding TR2's base thus turning it off regardless of what the central locking is feeding into TR1's base.
What this means is, when you unlock the car the central locking has control and opens the mirrors, when you turn on the ignition 12v is fed from the manual switch to TR2 thus taking control of the circuit away from the central locking in this way if the central locking operates over 10mph it will have no effect on the circuit and the mirrors will stay out.
Only when you stop the car and switch the ignition off does the central locking take control again. So when you lock the car the mirrors come in.
When the ignition is on you have full manual control so you can bring the mirrors in manually to park in a narrow garage for instance.
If you want the mirrors controlled by the ignition only then don't fit D4, without D4 there is a low impedance path to the base of TR2, which causes the relay to drop out when the ignition is turned off.
D4 blocks this low impedance path and allows the central locking to keep control of the relay when the ignition is off. So if you want the mirrors controlled by the central locking then D4 is essential.

Originally Posted by hgt

It seems the maplins relay in the parts list is slightly different to the one I used. this is the wiring diagram for the maplins relay

In which case I'm claiming (my!) stupidity rather than just plain lazyness - you lost me at " CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
The manual switch simply reverses the polarity of the feed to the motors,"

[hgt]

Yes, the manual switch takes control of the relay and switches the polarity to the motors, thus giveing you manual control over the mirrors.
But when you bring the mirrors in manualy the manual switch shorts the base of TR2 to ground this switches TR2 off, the relay drops out and the mirrors come in.
Because the base of TR2 is now shorted to ground any input from the central locking via TR1 has no effect, until you press the manual switch again.
The central locking input now takes control via TR1, the base of TR2 goes high, TR2 now conducts and the relay comes in, changes the polarity to the motors and the mirrors extend.
This is probably as clear as mud, but its the best I can give for an explanation
hope it helps.

[TTDegs]

hgt - please give up trying to explain to me - you're on a complete looser I'm afraid!

(down to me, not you! )

I'm just well happy that there are people out there like yourself who know what you're on about!



I think I've understood enough to get the gist of what happens - can you just confirm please that:

When I park at home, and don't manually fold the mirrors in, when I lock the car, they will fold.
When I then get up in the morning, and unlock the car, they will unfold?

When I get to work, just before I reverse into my (tight) parking space, I manually fold the mirrors.
When I then get out and lock the car, the mirrors will stay folded.
When I leave work, I unlock the car, and the mirrors still stay folded.
When I've got out of my parking space, I manually unfold.

If so, this box of tricks sounds great, and I'll def have one for my next Civic (in August)

Oh - and just to muddy the waters a bit (though I think you've already confirmed this)...
When I drive away from home, and the mirrors auto unfolded with the unlock, when my 'auto lock at 10mph' kicks in, they won't fold will they?
(not that that'll be an issue for my next Civ anyway...)

[eighteentee]

I think I want one but feel a bit thick as to fully understanding what it does *exactly*. I've gone back over this thread a few times and what I can glean is:

a) I can lock the car with the remote and the mirrors fold in.
b) I can unlock the car with the remote and the mirrors unfold.
c) I can press the switch in the car to fold the mirrors and the lock / unlock from the remote won't work.

Is that right?

[Foggy69]

Originally Posted by TTDegs

Oh - and just to muddy the waters a bit (though I think you've already confirmed this)...
When I drive away from home, and the mirrors auto unfolded with the unlock, when my 'auto lock at 10mph' kicks in, they won't fold will they?
(not that that'll be an issue for my next Civ anyway...)

On the first page of this thread

Originally Posted by Daren

Will this fold your mirrors if you have your central locking set to lock at over 10mph?

I don't want to be driving down the road and my mirrors fold up as I set off....

Originally Posted by hgt

It works fine with the auto lock enabled

TT, are you having a bad day

[hgt]

TTDegs you got it mate thats exacly how they work.
As for the auto lock I don't have that on my car its an 07 but I can lock the doors manualy as I am driveing and the mirrors stay out

[TTDegs]

@ hgt - nice one, many thanks! (phew, I got there in the end )

@ Foggy - darn, I need a rasberry blowing smiley

[Robbieee]

Originally Posted by Vet_2010

Ok from what I've read of the instructions it seems that its pretty much a case of cutting a few wires and reconnecting with blocs?
Where is the soldering required?

There isnt any soldering required with the set-up i have done. Thats why i encluded the choc blocks....

Just cut the cable back, screw down the choc block and put a tiny bit of glue on the screw.

[Vet_2010]

Originally Posted by Robbieee

There isnt any soldering required with the set-up i have done. Thats why i encluded the choc blocks....

Just cut the cable back, screw down the choc block and put a tiny bit of glue on the screw.

Sounds pretty straight forward then

Has anyone got a photo of where they attached the 'box'? Just so I can get a rough idea of how it looks in the car. Did anyone manage to keep the box within the door panel somehow?

Cheers!

[gray52]

i to would like to see some pics of the circuit board (close up), wires from the box to the cars harness & final install of the moded box. i will be off to maplin to get these bits now i know that they can still be folded manualy...result.

[Charles_Harding]

Maplins were very good at providing all the reqd bits but they stumbled on the box to make it up in.

They came up with:

1551HGY, by Hammond Manufacturing in the USA

2.36" x 1.38" x 1.1"

"Don't count your chickens before they cross the road!"