power retracting mirror circuit

Cypher333 · 03-30-2006, 02:34 AM

Hi ! I got my hands on a pair of motorized retracting mirrors for my car. The thing is I want it to fold and unfold automatically when the car is on or off. All it has is a negative and 2 positives for fold and unfold. So the problem im running into is having the mirrors fold and unfold and stop when they are at the end of their movement. I read that i may be able to use a "thermal", "protective", or "current" relay to do this. Also im not sure how to design the circuit where it will cut out the power to the mirrors after they are done thus preventing the car from draining its battery when it is off. When the car is on and the mirrors are folded out i guess it wouldnt matter. Im not to firmilair with these devices. Hopefully some of you electronic experts here can help me out. I've looked on google for premade circuits that go on factory cars but cant seem to find anything. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you

DeltaFX · 03-30-2006, 06:13 AM

1- Check if the motors don't stop by themselves when mirrors are fully open or closed... if not, well Phidget has Amp sensors (easily copiable) but I can't help you for circuit design

2- If motors do stop by themselves then use a 2-position relay powered by your "12v after contact", and wire this relay in a way the motors close mirrors when relay is not actuated.

Thus:
Car OFF , Acc 12v off,relay not energized, motors close mirrors and automatically stop

Car ON, Acc 12 on, relay energized, motors open mirrors and automatically stop.

Cypher333 · 03-30-2006, 01:46 PM

sounds good. i'll check if the mirrors have a auto stop motor

Cypher333 · 03-30-2006, 02:57 PM

ok the mirrors dont have an auto stop feature. but i did find a diagram for a circuit that i can build. the thing is that it uses 2 momentary switches for the fold and unfold operation. So what i need now is a circuit that can momentarally send a signal to trigger the link between the switches.

bbrother · 03-30-2006, 03:04 PM

You could easily program a microcontroller to do this if you or someone you know can program them, it would be a pretty simple thing to do.

Cypher333 · 03-30-2006, 03:34 PM

i dont know anything about micocontrollers. i can do basic wiring and diagrams but thats about it. would you happen to know anyone on this board who could help me out with that ?

Ub312g0d · 03-30-2006, 05:46 PM

for when the car starts. A SPDT relay that takes a constant voltage, egg ACC I would guess, then outputs a momentary pulse to open your mirrors. You can even change the length of this pulse so you could get the timing dead on for it to stop.
http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page5.asp

Now for closing the mirrors...

davesaudio2 · 04-02-2006, 05:49 PM

show us the cct with the momentary switches
you connect 12v to one contact to open and another to close?
how long does it take to 1-open and 2-close?