Getting there
Right, I wanted the following 5 things to happen regarding the Auto folding.
01. Basically I wanted the door mirrors to fold once the alarm was armed via remote or maybe by manually locking the door with the key. * So I could fully exit the car still being able to look in the mirrors to assist with my exit.
02. Mirrors only to unfold once the key was in the ingition. * So if I was to simply go back to the car to retrieve something they would not need to open and therefore refold.
03. That the original mirror control would still function as it should. * So when in the car wash or tight squeeze I can still control them as I did before.
04. Not to be a constant drain on the battery
05. A de-activate switch to disable the auto-fold option.
The first 4 I have done, while the 5th would be easy, however I've not really found a suitable switch I like the look of as I would like it to look stock rather than some hack. (But have not spent a great deal of time looking) and was thinking I might wire it into the seat memory on / off ... maybes...
Parts required
1 x 5 Pin Relay (with 87a, also sometimes called a change over relay) £2.50
1 x Sec Timer board £1.50
1 x Min Timer Board £12.50
1 x Mini project Box £2.50
1 x Micro Switch £1.00
Some wire of course and connectors for relay and switch etc but could be soldered directly I guess.
As you can see it's about £20 in parts
I already had the switch and relay, but I did buy both timer boards from e-bay. I can supply the auction item numbers (if required), one is in China and the other was Bulgaria.
The reason for 2 timer boards is , one will keep the power live once key removed (can be set for upto about 12 and half mins), mine is set to about 3 mins. The second timer pulses for just a second when the ignition is turned on. This triggers the unfold.
There is a load of different ways this could be done, including a quick dirty way of just feeding the mirror control unit power all the time or from the window power and a simply changer over reply with the ignition power is removed
I've basically done the write up, however my lovely phone (which has the pics), is not playing ball when I connect it to the computer. So I will address this issue and upload in one go.
All I can say so for is works great and never fails to fold / unfold (I'm just about now getting out of the habit of reaching for the mirror fold knob before removing the key).
Couple of quirks to note.... due to the way the circuit is powered on when auto closing the windows (i.e. via the alarm or keeping the key held in the door lock), this will delay the folding of the mirrors (no biggie)... Also if you unlock the car again before the timer has run out (in my case 3 mins) then the mirrors will unfold, or course they will still auto fold again assuming the timer is still running (again no real biggie).
I know I could have messed with a circuit and done it all in one but for the price of the timers I didn't see the point.
Anyway very easy to do and I will be happy help anyone.... let me know if ya need them ebay no.s
Daz
P.s. Will try and get the write and pics up by the weekend.
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