Don't want autostart, only need it to run when car is running, help please

welthqa · 11-05-2003, 04:49 PM

I have no head unit, the monitor will be where it was.
Here is what I would like to have working, but I don't know the ins and outs of power and all. I need to know if this is possible and how to do it.

1. I'm going to run one power line from the battery to the trunk, this line i'll split for the amp and the inverter. I only want this to be powered when the car is in the on position. How can I stop it from draining my battery by running through the ignition?

2. The computer itself will be turned on by a little button on my dash, but I would like to also incorperate a shutdown controller. Would having the whole thing powered by thru the ignition negate the usefulness of the shutdown controller as the power has already been terminated? Can This be solved with a UPS maybe?

If it's one or the other I'd choose the shutdown controller over the way I power the equipment. But will the constant draw from the inverter drain my battery overnight? What can I do to stop this? The inverter has a little power switch, but i don't want to be running to the trunk to turn it on and off to stop the draining.

MatrixPC · 11-05-2003, 05:23 PM

Look up how relay work http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/relay.htm and go from there.
The purpose of the relay is to connect 2 wires together.
You can either have the relay complete/connect the circuit from battery to inverter OR complete the inverter's ON/OFF switch circuit.

welthqa · 11-05-2003, 06:26 PM

Thank you, MatrixPC.

Then I could just get a cheap UPS with auto shutdown instead of a shutdown controller right? Because when the car would be turned off there wouldn't be any power to the stuff in the back anyway, right?

Also, since I'm going to be running an amp and the inverter/computer off the single power line, what precautions, if any, should I take when doing this?

MatrixPC · 11-06-2003, 11:41 AM

This is how I had mine setup.
4GA power wire run directly from the battery to the trunk and connect to the inverter and amps (distribution block).
4GA wire for inverter ground and 4GA wire for amps ground at the same spot.
One end of the 2 wires connect from the Inverter's ON/OFF switch and the other end of the 2 wires is connect to pin 70 and 30 of the relay.
Pin 85 connect to ground (same spot as amp and inverter)
Pin 86 Connect to IGN ON.
So when I turn the key to the IGN ON position, the relay is ON and connect pin 70 and 30 together which in turn "Push" the inverter ON/OFF button to ON.
I have enable "Boot when AC lost" in BIOS setup so that when inverter is turn on, computer boot.
On shutdown, I have to hit the computer power button to hibernate/shutdown. After the computer shutdown I then turn off/remove the key which switch off the relay and that "push" the inverter's switch to OFF.
The shutdown controller DO NOT bush ON the computer for you.
The shutdown controller purpose is allow you to run some amount of time (adjustable) before "push" the computer power switch and switch off the inverter/PSU.
If you can wait for your computer to shutdown then remove the key, then you don't need the shutdown controller.
As of my setup, before I want to shutdown the engine, I just press the button on my car alarm remote control to enable the turbo timer (engine running without a key), remove the key and or press the PC power button. Walk out the car and look the door while the engine is running and the PC is shutting down (PC shutdown like in 10-15 sec). After I walk about 50 feets from the car, press the remote again, car shut down or I just leave the car running untill the timer is up (6 or 12 min).

MeanGT · 11-06-2003, 12:17 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by MatrixPC

This is how I had mine setup.
4GA power wire run directly from the battery to the trunk and connect to the inverter and amps (distribution block).
4GA wire for inverter ground and 4GA wire for amps ground at the same spot.
One end of the 2 wires connect from the Inverter's ON/OFF switch and the other end of the 2 wires is connect to pin 70 and 30 of the relay.
Pin 85 connect to ground (same spot as amp and inverter)
Pin 86 Connect to IGN ON.
So when I turn the key to the IGN ON position, the relay is ON and connect pin 70 and 30 together which in turn "Push" the inverter ON/OFF button to ON.
I have enable "Boot when AC lost" in BIOS setup so that when inverter is turn on, computer boot.
On shutdown, I have to hit the computer power button to hibernate/shutdown. After the computer shutdown I then turn off/remove the key which switch off the relay and that "push" the inverter's switch to OFF.
The shutdown controller DO NOT bush ON the computer for you.
The shutdown controller purpose is allow you to run some amount of time (adjustable) before "push" the computer power switch and switch off the inverter/PSU.
If you can wait for your computer to shutdown then remove the key, then you don't need the shutdown controller.
As of my setup, before I want to shutdown the engine, I just press the button on my car alarm remote control to enable the turbo timer (engine running without a key), remove the key and or press the PC power button. Walk out the car and look the door while the engine is running and the PC is shutting down (PC shutdown like in 10-15 sec). After I walk about 50 feets from the car, press the remote again, car shut down or I just leave the car running untill the timer is up (6 or 12 min).

Your setup is similar to mine, except one exception, I have a second relay that is triggered by the +12v line on the PSU of the computer, and when it kicks on, it will also keep the inverter on. so that way you can shut car off, but inverter stays on, until the computer itself actually shuts down. So when I go to get out of my car, I can just push power off, and hop out. Everything powers down, and the last thing it does is shut down the inverter.

MatrixPC · 11-06-2003, 01:29 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by MeanGT

Your setup is similar to mine, except one exception, I have a second relay that is triggered by the +12v line on the PSU of the computer, and when it kicks on, it will also keep the inverter on. so that way you can shut car off, but inverter stays on, until the computer itself actually shuts down. So when I go to get out of my car, I can just push power off, and hop out. Everything powers down, and the last thing it does is shut down the inverter.

I know what you talking about. Basically the ignition switch on the inverter's relay -> Inverter switch on PSU/mobo -> PSU switch on 2nd relay -> 2nd relay switch on inverter's relay that is why when the ignition on off it has no effect inverter's relay and everything is off if the PSU lost power (mobo shutdown).
I thought about that at the beginning too but because I have the turbo timer that is why I didn't put in the 2nd relay. I think that is 1 way to make the radio shutdown before the computer to avoid the sub making big "thump".
And this may leave a change that you drain the battery down if you forgot power off the PC or the PC hang during shutdown (welcome to the world of Window$) .

welthqa · 11-06-2003, 04:00 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by MatrixPC

I know what you talking about. Basically the ignition switch on the inverter's relay -> Inverter switch on PSU/mobo -> PSU switch on 2nd relay -> 2nd relay switch on inverter's relay that is why when the ignition on off it has no effect inverter's relay and everything is off if the PSU lost power (mobo shutdown).
I thought about that at the beginning too but because I have the turbo timer that is why I didn't put in the 2nd relay.

let me see if I'm understanding correctly, (bear with me, I'm new)

when the ignition is on, Relay A sends power to the inverter, which then triggers the PSU on and the PC boots, When the Relay B running off of the PSU is on, it keeps power thru the first Relay A, even if Relay A is now off?

Where are you guys getting these relays? are these the ones that you can add to your car where are all the fuses are under the hood? and are you just installing and wiring them yourselves?