Jump to content
Click here if you are having website access problems ×

Windscreen wiper wiring .... modifying?


SLR No.77

Recommended Posts

  • Leadership Team

Okay okay no comments about "what's a windscreen, what do you need one of them for?" etc etc, I have one and I like it 😬 But ..... it's always frustrated me that there isn't the the ability to make a "single wipe" at the push of a button. Both the Sevens I've owned ('95 & '99) have had the same wiper wiring, ie. 3 position rocker switch for off/slow/fast and a quick turn on/off will trigger the intermittent wipe, turn off by doing the same. I did investigate fitting a variable timer for the intermittent control but it was complicated as an add-on rather than a full control so kicked that idea into touch. Still leaves the same problem, if I want an "occasional wipe" it's necessary to do a double activation of the switch, effectively momentarily turning the intermittent circuit on then immediately off again.

So .... does anyone have the knowledge of how a simple push switch could be added to activate the wipers for a single wipe, allowing them to automatically return to the parked position? Ultimately I'd like to add the push switch to the steering wheel but just getting the circuit active would be a good start!

 

Stu.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Leadership Team

Stu,

 

I had the CC Dartford courtesy R300 (11 reg) yesterday (in the pi$$ing rain). That has the aluminium push switches fitted and it has a 4 push wiper switch, first push being intermittent, second slow wipe, third fast(ish) and fourth off. My 12 reg Roadsport has the same as you. Would they use a separate loom do you think? otherwise the wires may already be there?

Can you tell I am an electrical genius?

*biggrin*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Leadership Team

That suggests that the current car is no different in that it's necessary to scroll through all 4 positions to get a single wipe *confused* Also as far as I'm aware the new push switches are all low current affairs and work through a control module therefore the wiring is likely to be completely different? I'm hoping that someone is going to be able to suggest it's simply a case of linking the wiper feed momentarily to one of the other wiper wires which will cause a single sweep ......

 

Stu.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Area Representative

Stu,

 

Are you handy with a multi-meter?

 

You need to find the two wires, that when connected together, start the wiper motor on the slow wipe. Probably easiest to identify by testing the contacts on the switch itself.

 

Then you will need to fit a momentary switch to these wires. This should give a single push-to-wipe function. Pushing the button will start the motor and it will continue to run until the blades return to the 'home' position. Simples *smokin*.

 

Edited to add that if Caterham use the standard colour codes, Orange should be the live and Orange/Blue the slow wipe.

 

Edited by - IanW on 17 Jul 2012 14:42:13

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Leadership Team

Stuart you need to keep up mate ...... being RR'd today *cool* Light rain this morning though and again became frustrated with the lack of an easy single sweep for the wipers!

 

Ian, I'm not sure it's so simple? There's some kind of control module built in to the wiper mechanism that controls it. If I create a simple momentary link to the slow speed wipe surely all this will do is activate the intermittent mode in the same way as if the switch is activated for a short time? It would be a half way solution in that a simple push switch on the steering wheel could activate the intermittent mode, a quick double push would give a single wipe, better but not the solution I'm looking for!

 

Stu.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Area Representative

Ian, I'm not sure it's so simple? There's some kind of control module built in to the wiper mechanism that controls it. If I create a simple momentary link to the slow speed wipe surely all this will do is activate the intermittent mode in the same way as if the switch is activated for a short time?

 

I assumed that was what you wanted - a single press for a single wipe. The momentary switch is replacing the on / off action of the main switch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Leadership Team

It will give a single wipe .... then around 8 seconds later I'll get another and so on! The wiring of my era of 7 is such that momentarily turning the wipers on activates the intermittent mode and it stays like that until the switch is momentarily activated again. It's currently not possible to achieve a single wipe with a single press.

 

Stu.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Leadership Team

I'll give it a go. I assume that would simply introduce a live trigger to cause a single sweep without activating the intermittent mode.

 

Thanks for all the ideas *thumbup*

 

Stu.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...