Thread: 2005 Ford F150 MAGNUS Truckputer - project and pics

Originally Posted by Kalenth

I ended up putting 2 controls in the truck for the power issue. To the left of the steering column, I put a temp switch to power on the LT, and a toggle switch to control the master power source. The 12v line that it controls is always hot... so with a master toggle, I can keep the system on when I am running quick errands, etc... and shut it all down when not in use.

That's one of the things that differentiates American vehicles from their Japanese competition: most American cars seem to have power circuits (cigarette lighter ports) that are always live, where most of the Japanese cars I've seen -- including Toyotas and Scions -- have them switched with the ignition. While the switched circuits are good defense against dead batteries for most car owners, carPC jocks are "power users", and we like to have choices.

We get to make choices available by modifying the wiring or adding circuits. I'll be adding carPC circuits in the Scion, one to power the PC itself (12V) and the rest for the accessories (5V), all running through the M2-ATX 12V-12V power supply. Then I'll add switches similar to what you've done.

Word! I finished getting all the wiring done, but I'll have to wait till tomorrow to install and document. We left the camera at the sisters house during thanksgiving.

I keep thinking about powering everything through my M2... simply because I need to power an external USB dock that is 5v... I had been looking at making a resistor or something that would bring down the natural voltage, but I hadn't even thought that the m2X would do that for me...

I think for now I'll stick with the vehicle 12v line, and add accessories as needed.

Originally Posted by Kalenth

I keep thinking about powering everything through my M2... simply because I need to power an external USB dock that is 5v... I had been looking at making a resistor or something that would bring down the natural voltage, but I hadn't even thought that the m2X would do that for me...

I think for now I'll stick with the vehicle 12v line, and add accessories as needed.

Yeah, that's what I planned originally, but I decided the wiser route for me is to use the power regulation capability of the M2-ATX. It provides very clean, stable power, and I hate to leave things to chance. I'm running through an inverter right now, taking 12V power, converting it to 110V, and plugging the EeePC power supply in there to convert it back to 12V. Although it seems to make that inefficient round trip with the voltage, I don't have a 12V adapter for the EeePC. And I know the inverter does some conditioning, so it's fine until I get back home and can install the M2-ATX. I'll install the accessory wiring -- for the USB hubs -- at the same time.

I think I found a solution other than the M2, or wiring in my own resistors, to get the 5v thing resolved... a USB 12v charger from radio shack. I can just take the guts out of it and BAM, instant 12v to 5v adapter.

Well, it by no means is an original one... but as long as the information gets shared to others, the boards have done their job.

BTW, I found a sweet background image for the truck... it just seems to fit well.

I got the system installed and hooked up today. Everything is working as it tested inside, however, I have some power bugs to work out.

I installed 2 switches by the steering wheel... one was my phone cable mod meant to be a temporary switch to power on the system. Fairly straitforward.

The second was a "master switch"... the f-150 dc stays hot even when the truck is off... since I was tapping into a 12v rail that would remain hot, I wanted to use a master switch to either provide complete power for the system, or cut power to everything and prevent leaching while the truck is off.

I ended up using a 3 prong power switch with an LED that illuminated red when on... I tested it and got it working inside, got all the wiring secured, and installed it today... I had issues after it was installed though. It seemed that when I plugged the dc adapter on the other end, whether the switch was on or off, power would still be going to the accessories.... the light also went out on the switch... so I am thinking that I may have burned something up when I sautered the wires on.

Tomorrow I am going to get another switch, and some larger guage wire and run through this process again. I know there are other solutions to the power issue... but I sold my M2 and I now have a mount hole in my dash that needs to be filled.

Test drive went well, the icons are big and easy to use, the iGuidance5 works well, all other programs work as needed, and it is very viewable and easy to use. I do want to find a way to make the system icons larger (minimize, max, close) and some of the menu buttons... but it is otherwise working well.

I think I am going to nix the drawer idea... I could get it working with some more work, but I honestly think, for simplicities sake, that I will just solid mount the tray and dock to the interior. I can get a small keyboard/mouse to use, and the laptop will still be removable... so I think it will still work out. For the most part, I don't see a rider using the laptop while the vehicle is in motion, so I think in the long run this is the better call. Plus, with wires not being moved in and out, there is less chance of interference or a cable getting disconnected.

you can use this application to turn on your laptop automatically

but instead of using 12v at 87 and 30 you just plug in the pins from your power extension switch
and at 86 use ACC so that it engages the relay when you tunr the key to ACC
as for shutting the laptop down, someone here wrote a program specifically for laptops that can detect when the power adapter is unplugged and it shuts down the laptop, just do a search for it i don't remember what it's called though