After market alarm install document

PhatWeasel · #1 03-11-2005, 02:57 PM

Before a panel of my peers, I submit this document for review and possible inclusion into the Hall of How-To (as soon as it reappears).

This document shows how I installed an aftermarket alarm using the stock wiring harness. This would be great for those of you whose stock unit has died or for those of us who never had one. The document is meant to help installation, not as an instruction manual, therefore alot of the minutiae was left out.

Let me know what you think and any suggestions to make it better. I am committed to decent documentation.

Special thanks to lee for his pioneer work in this field.

SVX alarm install

lee · #2 03-11-2005, 05:26 PM

thanks for the honorable mention...good work

Electrophil · #3 03-11-2005, 10:06 PM

Why are there diodes reverse biased on the doors?

lee · #4 03-12-2005, 06:03 AM

I can't answer about diodes from an engineer's viewpoint, but maybe you can get what you want from this site:

http://www.the12volt.com/diodes/diodes.asp

Electrophil · #5 03-12-2005, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lee

I can't answer about diodes from an engineer's viewpoint, but maybe you can get what you want from this site:

http://www.the12volt.com/diodes/diodes.asp

Oh! Thanks. That answered my question perfectly. They are just used for circuit path isolation. Smart move on including them!

mbtoloczko · #6 03-13-2005, 09:37 AM

This looks great. I've been wanting something like this for a while. Thanks!

SVXdc · #7 03-19-2005, 07:26 PM

Great job, Nate! With the price of SVX alarm modules (and their tendency to die) I've been thinking of this for awhile.

If anyone has a dead alarm module they'd like to donate, I'll look for the proper wiring connector to use, so the wires will be locked in place.

UPDATE: I have the matching connector. E-mail me if interested. Also, "Tuck" kindly donated a couple of dead modules for me to dissect.

mbtoloczko · #8 03-20-2005, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVXdc

Great job, Nate! With the price of SVX alarm modules (and their tendency to die) I've been thinking of this for awhile.

If anyone has a dead alarm module they'd like to donate, I'll look for the proper wiring connector to use, so the wires will be locked in place.

Are you thinking of making up a harness adapter like for the stereo? If so, I can let you borrow plug at some point if you can let me have it back.

SilverSpear · #9 03-21-2005, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhatWeasel

Before a panel of my peers, I submit this document for review and possible inclusion into the Hall of How-To (as soon as it reappears).

This document shows how I installed an aftermarket alarm using the stock wiring harness. This would be great for those of you whose stock unit has died or for those of us who never had one. The document is meant to help installation, not as an instruction manual, therefore alot of the minutiae was left out.

Let me know what you think and any suggestions to make it better. I am committed to decent documentation.

Special thanks to lee for his pioneer work in this field.

SVX alarm install

Are those Prestige alarms of good quality?

lee · #10 03-21-2005, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbtoloczko

This looks great. I've been wanting something like this for a while. Thanks!

Mychailo,

If David is not able to get the plug, here's what I did. Since my alarm box was dead I pulled out the circuit board and de-soldered the connector, then soldered on the connecting wires from the DEI alarm I replaced it with. A little shrink wrap to cover the connectors and it's done. The OEM wiring harness then doesn't have to be cut or tapped. I even used the stock alarm LED, although every once in a while I think about putting in the aftermarket LED that came with the alarm. I haven't because I can't figure out where I could mount it prominently without causing irreversible damage to a panel.

mbtoloczko · #11 03-21-2005, 08:09 AM

Lee, Depending on what David says, I may go with your suggestion. My factory alarm is acting up again. Everytime I drive in the rain, the alarm starts going off. Its the most annoying thing ever. And its an almost brand new alarm.

PhatWeasel · #12 03-21-2005, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVXdc

Great job, Nate! With the price of SVX alarm modules (and their tendency to die) I've been thinking of this for awhile.

If anyone has a dead alarm module they'd like to donate, I'll look for the proper wiring connector to use, so the wires will be locked in place.

That would be sweet! I poured over Digikey, Mouser and Newark however I was unable to find a direct fit, but that doesn't mean something couldn't be modified.

PhatWeasel · #13 03-21-2005, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverSpear

Are those Prestige alarms of good quality?

I like the Presitge alarm so far. The keyless entry works great from a huge distance. I don't need to get out of bed to shut off the alarm in the middle of the night (see next paragraph).

The shock sensor was set at max and I didn't think about turning it down until we had a thunder storm and my wussy car sat outside and cried. Over and over and over and over.

Nice things about the Prestige:
1. Very adjustable settings like horn duration for sqwuaks. The SVX needs the full 30ms to keep the horn from sounding weak.
2. Silent arm and disarm.
3. Internal relay for parking light flash.

These are pretty typical options though. The main reason I went with Prestige...it was the only non-crappy alarm I could find in town.

SilverSpear · #14 03-22-2005, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhatWeasel

I like the Presitge alarm so far. The keyless entry works great from a huge distance. I don't need to get out of bed to shut off the alarm in the middle of the night (see next paragraph).

The shock sensor was set at max and I didn't think about turning it down until we had a thunder storm and my wussy car sat outside and cried. Over and over and over and over.

Nice things about the Prestige:
1. Very adjustable settings like horn duration for sqwuaks. The SVX needs the full 30ms to keep the horn from sounding weak.
2. Silent arm and disarm.
3. Internal relay for parking light flash.

These are pretty typical options though. The main reason I went with Prestige...it was the only non-crappy alarm I could find in town.

i am looking to install it in our Mercedes, but i need also:
-adding up a talking device in case of proximity
-long range remote control.

does it offer these options? i looked for it on ebay, is it
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

PhatWeasel · #15 03-22-2005, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverSpear

i am looking to install it in our Mercedes, but i need also:
-adding up a talking device in case of proximity
-long range remote control.

does it offer these options? i looked for it on ebay, is it
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

I'd buy whatever system already has the features in the box. Probably a DEI Viper or something like that. I chose the Prestige because it had all the features of the stock SVX alarm plus shock sensor and some additional functionality, but not much more.

I am by no means an alarm expert as I did the bare minimum amout of research on my purchase. If I were you I'd ask 'rmjjensen' what his ideas are. I believe he does alarm installations professionally and would be better versed on this.